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Is breast milk so different from infant formula? The ability to track which genes are operating in an infant's intestine has allowed University of Illinois scientists to compare the early development of breast-fed and formula-fed babies. They say the difference is very real.
"For the first time, we can see that breast milk induces genetic pathways that are quite different from those in formula-fed infants. Although formula makers have tried to develop a product that's as much like breast milk as possible, hundreds of genes were expressed differently in the breast-fed and formula-fed groups," said Sharon Donovan, a U of I professor of nutrition.
Although both breast-fed and formula-fed babies gain weight and seem to develop similarly, scientists have known for a long time that breast milk contains immune-protective components that make a breast-fed infant's risk lower for all kinds of illnesses, she said.
Originally posted by wigit
Some people are so against breast-feeding it's scary. Even you called it a bit tacky. Why?
Originally posted by rhinoceros
Ever heard of bioaccumulation and biomagnification? If not google those terms. Then consider that we're on top of the food chain. That's why one should not breastfeed in polluted areas of the world..
If you want the closest formula to human milk it is goat. Problem is that goat is not cheap.