The content of palm oil in this or that product alarms many people. And what should a mother do, who needs to choose baby food for her baby, if this oil is mentioned on almost every can? Even high-end and expensive brands can put this component in the mixture. But, if everyone knows about its dangers, then why is it added to the food for the smallest? Maybe palm oil is not that “disgusting” after all?
Many people think that there is definitely no palm oil in baby food. But one has only to look at the composition of the milk formula and you can be convinced of the opposite. Almost every can of dry powder contains this vegetable fat. Why is it added to a product for toddlers?
The main task of adapted infant formulas is to replace breast milk in all respects, if for some reason breastfeeding is impossible. But the creators and manufacturers of these powders have one problem that they have not been able to solve for several decades. No one has yet been able to accurately reproduce the composition of human breast milk. But it is so important for a baby to receive all the necessary micro and macro elements, vitamins and nutrients in sufficient quantity for the first months of his life. This is especially true for fats.
Cow's milk fats are not suitable for a small, growing body. They just don't get absorbed. Vegetables are a great alternative. The composition of palm oil in baby food is more like the fat in breast milk. In addition, vegetable oils (not only palm trees, but also corn, coconut, sunflower) increase the shelf life of the product and are quite inexpensive. But is everything as simple as it seems? No. There are a number of problems that can discourage any parent from buying another jar of formula.
The harm of palm oil in baby food
Palm oil itself is not harmful to children and adults. It is not toxic and does not cause any negative changes in the body. The main drawback that doctors warn about is the failure to fulfill its function of supplying the baby's body with useful properties. The thing is that palmitic acid (necessary for assimilation) contained in this vegetable fat, entering the intestines, where it should be absorbed, interacts with calcium, and then is excreted naturally, or rather, together with feces. As a result, the baby does not receive the required amount of calcium and fats. This, in turn, is fraught with the following consequences:
- fragile bones (problems with bone mineralization);
- stool problems (constipation);
- colic;
- frequent regurgitation.
Also, the full process of assimilation of palm oil is hindered by its melting point (it melts at a higher temperature than 36.6 ° C). The negative effects of consistently consuming palm oil are obvious.
Why is palm oil used in infant formula?
Despite all the side effects, this component is added to baby food. So what is palm oil in infant formula for?
As mentioned above, the main purpose of formula is to replace breast milk. In order for the baby to receive everything he needs, they try to make the dry mixture more like his mother's milk.
Thus, the basis of any mixture is cow's, goat's or sheep's milk, devoid of all fats that can never be found in a woman's. Everything else the baby needs is added separately. Each vegetable oil has the necessary nutrients, and palm oil contains palmitic acid (1/4 of the fat in breast milk). This is the reason why the "palm" is added to the composition. Recently, manufacturers have been trying to reduce its content by replacing it with coconut, corn, soybean and sunflower oil.
The devil is not so terrible as he is painted. This old adage holds true for palm oil as well. There are a lot of all kinds of horror stories and stories, but it is worth considering that people have been eating this fat since ancient times (about 5000 years ago), since there was simply no alternative.
Whether palm oil is harmful to children or not, it is difficult to get a definite answer. Therefore, each parent decides for himself this issue independently. If breastfeeding is not possible, it is better to rely on store food rather than plain cow's milk.
