Can I add vanilla extract to milk for babies

Can I add Vanilla extract to Milk for Baby?

Baby formula has different tastes, some are sweet and some are not. This is the reason why most moms ask whether they can add vanilla extract to milk for the baby. Baby formula is an alternative version of a mother’s breast milk, which is given to a newborn baby or an infant if the mother cannot breastfeed her baby or as a supplement to breast milk. Most baby formula mimics the nutrients found in breastmilk. Although breast milk cannot be fully mimicked because of the flavor change based on the diet of a mother.

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All baby formula has a composition of cow milk or soy, vitamins, minerals, and sweetener to make them taste better. All baby formula is produced with sweeteners and the quantity used solely depends on the manufacturer of the baby formula brand. Therefore, while baby formula brands can be similar, ingredients used in their production might lead to a difference in taste.

Different types of sweeteners can be added to baby formula. Sweeteners such as corn maltodextrin, sucrose, lactose, corn syrup, or corn syrup solids can be added because infants can easily digest them and also mask the pungent taste of some ingredients used in the production of the formula.

Your baby’s taste bud develops when feeding begins and might accept or reject a formula based on the taste. If your baby does not like the taste of a formula, it is possible the formula would be rejected. Below is how to sweeten baby formula.

Adding vanilla extract to milk for baby

You might consider adding a flavor extract to the formula to sweeten baby formula if your baby rejects the formula. Adding vanilla extract to milk for the baby can sweeten the formula and make your baby accept it without a fuss. Not every vanilla extract can sweeten your baby’s formula. Some vanilla extract contains added artificial ingredients that might be harmful to your baby’s digestive system.

is pure vanilla extract safe for babies?

Using pure vanilla extract gives your baby’s formula a natural flavoring that is chemical-free. When adding vanilla extract to milk for babies, you must be conscious to check the ingredients used in the production of the vanilla extract. A good vanilla extract suitable for your baby’s formula should be made from only natural vanilla beans, with no added colouring, preservatives, alcohol, and sugar.

Your baby’s digestive system is just developing, and it is tender at this stage. Therefore, many moms ask “Is vanilla extract safe for babies”? Yes, it is safe. However, you need to add only a few drops of the vanilla extract to sweeten your baby formula.

Below are a few vanilla extract brands that can be used to sweeten your baby’s formula. However, some of the vanilla extracts mentioned below may not be 100% alcohol-free. I just discovered that some manufacturers add alcohol -free on the label, but it may not be true. Please check with your Pediatrician to be sure you can add it to your baby’s food if you are worried about the alcohol content.

Alcohol-free vanilla extract for babies

1.       Simply Organic Vanilla Extract: Simply organic vanilla extract is gotten from the best quality of vanilla beams and is produced from Madagascar bourbon variety of vanilla. This vanilla extract is made with no added sugar, alcohol, and artificial ingredients. Simply organic vanilla extract adds pure organic taste and an excellent flavor to your baby’s formula.

2·       Trader Joe’s Pure Vanilla Extract: Trader joe’s pure vanilla is made from real vanilla beans. It is an excellent option to add your baby’s formula as it does not contain added artificial flavour, alcohol, gluten, or sugar. Trader joe’s pure vanilla extract gives your baby’s formula an added natural and chemical-free flavour.

3·       Kirkland Signature Pure Vanilla Extract: Kirkland signature pure vanilla extract is made using vanilla beans from the orchid species vanilla planitolia. It is made with organic compounds, no added sugar, no alcohol, and artificial flavouring. Kirkland signature pure vanilla extract gives a pure vanilla taste to your baby’s formula without added chemical.

4·       Singing Dog Organic Pure Vanilla Extract: Singing dog organic pure vanilla extract is made with finely picked vanilla beans. It is organic, sugar-free, and produced with no added artificial ingredients. Singing dog organic pure vanilla extract is a healthy choice for your baby’s formula and gives the desired flavour needed.

5·       Helilal Pure Vanilla Extract: Helilal pure vanilla extract is made with vanilla beans seed from vanilla pods from Polynesia. It is an alcohol-free vanilla extract with no refined sugar or added artificial flavour. This vanilla extract is a great choice for your baby’s formula as it gives it a natural flavour with no chemicals added.

6·       McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract: McCormick pure vanilla extract is made from quality vanilla beans seed from Madagascar. It is free from alcohol, corn syrup, sugar, and gluten. McCormick pure vanilla extract has a pure vanilla taste free from artificial ingredients and gives your baby’s formula the rich flavour desired.

7·       Weilsley Farms Pure Vanilla Extract: Weilsley farms pure vanilla extract is made from quality bourbon vanilla beans. It gives out a rich flavour with no added chemicals, sugar, alcohol, and gluten, which is what your baby’s formula needs for a pure vanilla taste. Weilsley farms pure vanilla extract has no added artificial ingredients, and it’s a safe choice for your baby’s formula.

       Thrive Market Pure Organic Vanilla Extract: Thrive market pure organic vanilla extract is made from pure bourbon vanilla beans picked from the island of Madagascar. With a quality taste free from sweeteners, added sugar, gluten, and alcohol. It has a rich flavour when added to a baby’s formula and it’s an excellent and colour free extract to be used in a formula.

       Frontier Organic Vanilla Extract: Frontier organic vanilla extract is made from pure bourbon vanilla beans. It has no refined sugar, gluten, or added chemical. This vanilla extract is an excellent choice for your baby’s formula with no added artificial ingredients but a rich vanilla flavor that gives your baby’s formula a more appealing taste.

Above are different types of vanilla extract to add to milk for the baby. Baby formula is made with a form of sweetener to enhance the taste. Each manufacturer has control over the quantity and type of sweetener that would be used in the brand of formula they produce and some might require added flavour so your little one would take the formula without a fuss. Not all vanilla extract can be added to your baby’s formula. Therefore, when adding vanilla extract to milk for babies, you should use only alcohol-free vanilla extract for babies. They are suitable for your baby and free from added sugar, artificial ingredients, and alcohol.

Adding vanilla to breast milk with high lipase

Do you have breast milk with high lipase? Apart from adding vanilla to the formula for babies, you can also add vanilla extract to breast milk with high lipase. This is especially useful if you have high lipase in your breastmilk. But mind you, the vanilla extract must also be alcoholic free to be safe for your baby to take.

Can you add vanilla extract to baby formula?

Have you ever tasted hypoallergenic formulas such as Alimentum before? The hypoallergenic formula tastes bad, very awful. Below are some of them.

Adding vanilla to nutramigen

You can add a pure vanilla extract to Nutramigen formula especially if your baby refuses to take it. But ensure that it is alcohol-free as mentioned above. Although, the amount of alcohol in the vanilla is not really much, considering the fact that you will only use at least 1/4 drops for 8 oz of formula.

Adding vanilla to Alimentum

Because of the taste, your baby may not want to drink Alimentum. This is because hypoallergenic formula tastes bad. You can add vanilla extract in a very small quantity to sweeten it.

Adding vanilla to Neocate

Just like in Alimentum and Nutramigen, you can also add vanilla extract in small quantities to Neocate to sweeten it. It is advisable to use 1-2 drops of pure vanilla extract in a bottle of Neocate formula for some days. Once, the baby starts taking it, you can gradually reduce the amount of vanilla in the formula until you gradually stop it.

Is there vanilla in breast milk?

The woman’s body produces a lot of lipases. The enzyme begins to break down the fat content in the breast milk very fast. This creates a taste that smells like vanilla. In fact, Scientists discovered that breast milk smells and tastes like sweet vanilla ice cream.

Can we add sugar to formula milk?

No. Don’t add sugar to formula milk. This is because it is dangerous for little babies and Formula milk already contains enough sugar. Instead of adding sugar, use vanilla extract to add flavor to baby formula as explained above. Another thing you can do is to change the baby’s formula. There are different formulas in the market

Adding vanilla to frozen breast milk

Frozen breast milk has a metallic taste and soapy smell that your baby can reject. You can add non-alcoholic vanilla to change the taste of the breast milk a bit.

Can we add honey to formula milk?

According to the AAP nutrition handbook, you should not give honey to babies under 24 months of age because it can contain a bacterium that is capable of causing infant botulism. It can also cause sweet tooth. However, once the child is over 2 years old, you can give them honey. Meanwhile, use non-alcoholic vanilla to sweeten their formula. Here are more safe ways to sweeten baby formula.

Can I add vanilla extract to milk for baby?

Yes, you can add a little vanilla extract to milk for the baby as explained above. Hypoallergenic formulas have bad taste and breast milk with high lipase also tastes bad. You can add a drop or two to your baby formula and breast milk to make them sweeter. However, do your due diligence to ensure that the vanilla extract is alcohol-free and check with your pediatrician for advice on whether to use it for your baby or not.

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