Kendamil vs Nutramigen: Which Baby Formula Should You Pick?

Key Differences Table Between Kendamil and Nutramigen

Criteria	Kendamil	Nutramigen
Primary Use	For babies without allergies or serious digestive problems.	Designed for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies and lactose intolerance.
Nature	Organic, breast milk-like formula.	Hypoallergenic.
Ingredients Origin	EU-certified organic milk from UK Red Tractor Farms.	Enfamil brand origin.
Protein Source	Whole cow’s milk protein (60:40 whey-to-casein ratio).	Hypoallergenic hydrolyzed casein protein.
Carbohydrate Source	Natural sugars found in whole organic cow’s milk (with GOS).	Corn syrup solids and modified corn starch.
Fat Source	Whole cream milk, plant-based DHA from algae, and organic vegetable oils (sunflower, coconut, and rapeseed).	Vegetable oils (palm olein, coconut, soy, and high oleic sunflower oils), DHA and ARA from Mortierella Alpina and Crypthecodinium Cohnii Oils.
Additives	No soy, gluten, palm oil, harmful chemicals, artificial sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives.	Lactose-free.
Prebiotics and Probiotics	Contains organic Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS) and real HMOs (prebiotics). No probiotics.	Contains LGG Probiotic for digestion and allergy management. No prebiotics.
Unique Features	Promotes sustainability and ethical sourcing. Vegetarian-friendly.	Offers fast relief for excessive crying in infants due to allergies, with results in less than 24 hours.
Recommended Age Groups	Offers formulas catered for 0-6 months, 6+ months, and 12+ months.	Provides complete nutrition for the first year. Allows transition back to regular milk protein formulas within 6 months.
Primary Benefit Over the Other	More natural, mimics breast milk, and caters to babies without digestive issues.	Specifically tailored for infants with food allergies and lactose intolerance.

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This article aims to help parents decide which formula to buy: Kendamil or Nutramigen. We will analyze their ingredients and nutritional composition and give you our insights so you can make the best decision for your baby.

Let’s get after it!

Related read: Kendamil vs Enspire

Our Short Answer

Comparing Kendamil and Nutramigen is very complicated as they are designed for different types of needs.

Kendamil is a formula aimed at babies without allergies or serious digestive problems.

Nutramigen is for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies and lactose intolerance.

This is our personal recommendation:

• If you are going to start offering formula to your baby and, therefore, you don’t know if your baby has special digestive needs, Kendamil is the best choice.
• If your baby has already been on another formula that is not hypoallergenic and has shown to have problems, then switching to a hypoallergenic formula such as Nutramigen or Hipp HA is appropriate. Consultation with a pediatrician is always recommended as they can analyze your baby’s specific needs.

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Overview of the Two Formulas

Kendamil offers organic, breast milk-like formula, prioritizing sustainability and avoiding additives. Nutramigen provides hypoallergenic solutions for food allergies, including fast relief and digestive support, facilitating transition to regular formulas.

Kendamil

Kendamil prides itself on its unique, organic formula that imitates breast milk’s natural nutrients. From a unique fat blend to immunity-supporting oligosaccharides, Kendamil seeks wholesome nutrition for your baby. The company uses EU-certified organic milk processed in-house to preserve its nutritional content maximum.

One of the key selling points of Kendamil’s formulas is their use of whole cream milk. This type of fat source mirrors the natural fats found in breast milk, promoting infant cognitive development. In addition, the brands happily boast a vegetarian-friendly formula, which includes plant-based DHA derived from algae and a sustainable vegetable oil blend.

The sustainability and ethical sourcing of materials stand at the forefront of Kendamil’s values, with ingredients sourced responsibly from UK Red Tractor Farms, known for their animal welfare-conscious farming methods.

Kendamil offers product lines catered to specific developmental stages:

• Stage 1 (0-6 months)
• Stage 2 (6+ months)
• Stage 3 (12+ months)

With no soy, gluten, palm oil, harmful chemicals, artificial sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives included, Kendamil strives to offer clean and naturally nutritious baby formulas.

Nutramigen

Nutramigen prides itself on its hypoallergenic baby formula, tailored for infants with food allergies, including cow’s milk. Originating from the trusted brand Enfamil, Nutramigen aims to provide fast relief from excessive crying in infants, with noticeable results in less than 24 hours.

Learn more: Baby Formula Allergies

One of the defining features of Nutramigen is its inclusion of LGG, the most extensively studied probiotic for allergy management, crucial in supporting your baby’s digestive health. Additionally, with Omega-3 DHA, similar to that found in breast milk, the formula promotes brain and eye development.

Nutramigen is lactose-free, providing complete nutrition for the first year. Its unique composition, featuring Corn Syrup Solids and Vegetable Oil blend, ensures that even babies with lactose intolerance receive optimal nutrition.

Highly recommended by pediatricians in the US, Nutramigen stands as the top choice for parents seeking an alternative for infants with cow’s milk allergy. The formula’s design ensures that babies can transition back to regular milk protein formulas within as quick as 6 months of feeding.

Nutritional Composition

Kendamil uses whole cow’s milk protein (60:40 whey-to-casein ratio) and natural sugars, with fats from full cream milk, DHA from algae, and organic vegetable oils.

Nutramigen has hypoallergenic hydrolyzed casein protein, carbohydrates from corn derivatives, and vegetable oils including palm olein and soy, catering to babies with allergies and lactose intolerance.

Protein Content

The protein source and content vary drastically between Kendamil and Nutramigen.

Kendamil uses whole organic cow’s milk as its protein source. With every 100 ml of Kendamil formula, there’s 1.4g of protein, further divided into 0.8g of whey protein and 0.6g of casein protein, mimicking the whey to casein ratio found in mature breast milk (60:40). This combination ensures more easily digestible food for your infant, promoting rapid growth.

On the other hand, Nutramigen employs casein hydrolysate derived from milk as its primary protein source due to its hypoallergenic qualities. The proteins are broken down into smaller particles to make them easier to digest by babies with food allergies. Each 5 fl oz serving of Nutramigen provides 2.8g of protein.

In a nutshell, Kendamil uses whole milk with a 60:40 whey-to-casein ratio, and Nutramigen uses extensively hydrolyzed 100% casein protein.

Hydrolyzed protein is pre-digested, so babies with allergies can manage it without issues.

Carbohydrate Content

Carbohydrates contribute primarily to the energy requirement in infant formulas.

Kendamil sticks to natural sugars found in whole organic cow’s milk, yielding 7g of total carbohydrates per 100 ml of the formula, with 6.5g lactose and the remainder made up of organic Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS).

Contrary to Kendamil, Nutramigen formula derives its carbohydrates from corn syrup solids and modified corn starch—it contains 10.3g of carbs per 5 fl oz serving.

Opposite carb sources in both formulas. Nutramigen is designed for babies with allergies and lactose intolerances, while Kendamil is for babies without severe digestive issues.

Typically, lactose is the preferred sugar for formulas, but it will always depend on your baby’s needs.

Fats and Oils

Fats are indispensable for infant development because they serve as an energy source and contribute to brain development.

Full cream organic cow’s milk is the primary fat source of the Kendamil formula. This presents a more natural fat source called MFGM (Milk Fat Globule Membrane) that mirrors the fats found in breast milk. Additionally, Kendamil includes DHA from marine algae and a mixture of vegetarian-friendly organic vegetable oils: sunflower, coconut, and rapeseed oil.

Nutramigen uses different vegetable oils (palm olein, coconut, soy, and high oleic sunflower oils) for its fats. Both DHA and ARA acids derived from Mortierella Alpina Oil and Crypthecodinium Cohnii Oil are included in Nutramigen’s formula due to their role in brain and eye development. Each serving contains 5.3g of fat.

Undoubtedly, Kendamil has a much better fat blend than Nutramigen. It adds MFGM, fats from whole milk and the perfect organic vegetable oil blend without palm or soy oil.

Nutramigen uses the standard fat blend of Enfamil Formulas with palm olein and soy oil, which is not ideal.

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Kendamil offers organic GOS and HMOs as prebiotics but lacks probiotics. Nutramigen includes LGG Probiotic for digestion and allergies, without prebiotics.

Probiotics and prebiotics play significant roles in promoting healthy gut microbiota, leading to improved digestion and immunity.

In the case of Kendamil, the product offers organic Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS) and real HMOs, which serve as prebiotics in babies’ diets, promoting beneficial gut bacteria growth. Kendamil has no probiotics.

Nutramigen stands out for its inclusion of LGG Probiotic, one of the most extensively studied probiotics that support your baby’s digestive health and allergy management. However, Nutramigen formula doesn’t have prebiotics.

Best Places to Buy Kendamil and Nutramigen

Kendamil

Nutramigen

Buy Nutramigen at Target

Buy Nutramigen at Walmart

What are the Best Alternatives to Kendamil and Nutramigen?

While Kendamil and Nutramigen have much to offer, it is always wise to be aware of alternatives if these brands do not meet your child’s needs.

Kendamil Alternatives

• Bobbie: Boasts a simple and pure ingredients list. It’s considered one of the best US formulas due to its commitment to high-quality ingredients. *Read: Bobbie vs Kendamil
• Holle: Known for its Demeter certification indicating biodynamic farming practices. Holle is praised for its pure and natural ingredients, providing a clean option for baby formula. *Read: Holle vs Kendamil

Nutramigen Alternatives

• Hipp HA: Renowned for its design focusing on babies with allergies. Their blend of probiotics and prebiotics help foster healthy digestion. *Read: Hipp HA vs Nutramigen
• Similac Alimentum: A hypoallergenic formula designed to alleviate food allergies. It’s known for effective results in managing cow’s milk allergy. *Read: Alimentum vs Nutramigen

Last WOrds

We hope this comparison between Kendamil and Nutramigen helps you make the best decision for your baby. Remember, when in doubt, always talk to a pediatrician. If you have any questions, leave a comment, and we’ll get back to you in less than a day.

Happy feeding!