The best nutrition for babies is mother’s breast milk. Because Meiji Hohoemi infant formula is developed using breast milk as a model, you can use it as a replacement until your child is fully weaned or around one year of age.
For infant formula, it is essential both to include all those elements required for a baby’s growth and minimize components not found in breast milk.
We have approximated the ratios of different proteins in the product to those of breast milk.
Protein does not refer to a single component but to a mixture of several kinds of proteins. Digestion and absorption rates and the amounts of various amino acids vary among different breast milk proteins. While a suitable total amount of protein is undoubtedly necessary for infant growth and development, so is the proper composition of these individual proteins.
Our studies on child development confirm that our products have the appropriate makeup of proteins and fats and overall nutritional composition to promote infant growth and development.
Our breast milk studies have shown that DHA and arachidonic acid are essential for babies’ growth, so we have added them to our product at similar levels to those found in breast milk.
An infant formula must have suitable amounts of these components for the healthy growth of babies. Meiji Hohoemi is the only powdered formula in Japan containing similar levels of DHA and arachidonic acid (ARA) to breast milk.
*1 Equivalent to the range found in breast milk
*2 In-house data (as of September 2013)
Meiji Hohoemi contains fructooligosaccharide. Fructooligosaccharide increases Bifidus bacteria in the intestines, and an increase of fructooligosaccharide can lead to improved protection against diseases and bacteria.
Zinc is an essential nutrient for the growth of babies. It is said to be difficult to get enough of it without consciously taking it. Babies under one year old may not always be able to eat enough baby food. Therefore, they need to take zinc from infant formula. Meiji Hohoemi contains a suitable amount of zinc.
Infants tend to become iron deficient. The Practical Guide to Infants’ Nursing and Weaning based on the Guidelines to Support Infants’ Nursing and Weaning published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, recommends preventing iron deficiency in infants through cooking with infant formula and supplemental infant formula. Supplementing iron intake using milk in weaning food may be a good idea.
