Baby’s diet should be rich in different nutrients to make sure the little one grows and develops well. And a healthy gut is one of the factors that affect overall health dramatically. You’ve may hear that a baby’s digestive system is so sensitive and may react negatively to every possible element that gets inside. That’s why it’s extremely important for parents to pay special attention to the food they feed their babies.
Breastfeeding may simplify your life and assure you that the baby gets all the necessary nutrients and help all the organism systems to work efficiently. But if it’s not an option for you, baby formulas make the best alternatives. Unfortunately, not all of them are beneficial to kids, so you need to check whether the content is healthy. And some of the ingredients that are considered to be helpful for babies are prebiotics and probiotics, whose functions we’re going to discuss.
What are prebiotics and probiotics?
Probiotics are foods and supplements that contain microorganisms, whose main function is to maintain health and specifically «good» bacteria in the body. Prebiotics, in their turn, are foods that affect human microflora, so they actually improve the balance of these microorganisms and stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria.
How do prebiotics and probiotics help the immune system?
Good bacteria in a child’s gut is intended to fight against viruses, infections, and allergies. Some studies have shown that these elements are able to decrease the risk of getting an infection in babies aged between 0 to 24 months. This age is the most sensitive, so it’s better to assure your baby gets all the necessary ingredients, where prebiotics and probiotics have their part.
How can your baby get enough prebiotics and probiotics?
1. Use the probiotic-enhanced baby formula
If you’re not breastfeeding, find the best formulas for your little one that will be fully satisfying. It’s better to have a look at the formula from Europe as they are enriched with different elements that improve the baby’s digestive system and, moreover, are high quality. One of the nice examples of formulas that have a high content of probiotics and prebiotics is HiPP formula which became quite popular even outside Europe. In addition, it’s not a problem for parents all over the world to order it online.
2. Supplement food with probiotic drops designed for babies
If you’ve discovered that your current baby formula doesn’t have enough probiotics as your little one needs, you can buy special supplements for him or her. Even though they are made specifically for babies at a certain age, it’s necessary to consult a doctor on this topic and find out whether your baby really needs it.
3. Introduce probiotic-rich food to your kid
When the baby gets old enough in order to consume solids, you can introduce different foods that are rich in good bacteria. So add products such as yogurt, garlic, leeks, asparagus, banana, barley, oats, apple, and flax seeds to your child’s diet. They come as a good source of prebiotic fibers and, in turn, improve health and the immune system.
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