Key Differences Between Similac Pro-Advance and Gerber GentlePro
| Feature | Similac Pro-Advance | Gerber Good Start GentlePro |
|---|---|---|
| Protein Source | Nonfat milk, whey concentrate | Enzymatically hydrolyzed whey protein |
| Carbohydrate Source | Lactose, nonfat milk | Lactose, corn maltodextrin |
| Fat Content | High oleic safflower, soy, coconut | Palm olein, soy, coconut, safflower |
| Prebiotics and Probiotics | 2′-FL prebiotic | 2′-O-Fucosyllactose prebiotic, B. Lactis probiotic |
| DHA Source | Schizochytrium sp. oil | Schizochytrium oil |
| GMO Ingredients | Non-GMO | Non-GMO |
| Artificial Growth Hormones | None | None |
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This article aims to compare two popular formulas in the US: Similac vs Gerber. We have chosen their two most famous formulas: Similac Pro-Advance vs Gerber Good Start Gentlepro.
We will analyze their ingredients and nutritional composition to help you make the best decision for your baby.
Let’s get after it!
Related read: Enfamil vs Gerber
Our Short Answer
Both Pro-Advance and Gentlepro are two general nutrition formulas for babies between 0 and 12 months.
As a generic formula, Similac Pro-Advance is better for the following reasons:
- Uses lactose exclusively
- It does not contain palm olein or palm oil derivatives.
- It has the prebiotic 2′-FL, which is found in breast milk and is very beneficial.
If your baby has mild digestive problems digesting cow’s milk protein, or digesting lactose, then Gentlepro is your best choice.
That said, we recommend you read about the alternatives further down in the article.
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Overview of the Two Formulas
Similac Pro-Advance: Designed to mimic breastmilk, contains “2’-FL HMO” prebiotic, DHA, lutein, and vitamin E for brain and eye development, no palm olein oil for better calcium absorption, gluten-free, non-GMO, no artificial growth hormones.
Gerber Good Start GentlePro: Aims for complete nutrition and gentle digestion, features Comfort Proteins, includes prebiotics, probiotics, and DHA for digestive health and brain-eye development, non-GMO, no artificial growth hormones, recyclable packaging.
Similac pro-advance
Similac Pro-Advance is designed to mimic breastmilk as closely as possible, using a unique blend of nutrients to support your baby’s development. This formula features “2’-FL HMO,” a prebiotic substance found in breastmilk, designed to help strengthen infants’ immune systems.
Similac Pro-Advance contains an exclusive mix of DHA, lutein, and vitamin E to enhance brain and eye development. Plus, the absence of palm olein oil ensures better calcium absorption for stronger bones.
This formula is gluten-free, non-GMO, and contains no artificial growth hormones.
Gerber good start gentlepro
Gerber Good Start GentlePro aims to combine the complete nutrition found in breast milk with the gentleness needed for a baby’s tender digestive system. The formula features Comfort Proteins, which are small proteins that are easy for babies to digest.
The inclusion of prebiotics, probiotics, and DHA mirrors the components found in breast milk and can help establish a strong base for digestive health and promote brain and eye development.
Moreover, this Gerber formula is made with non-GMO ingredients. It contains no artificial growth hormones, meaning parents can rest easy knowing that their baby’s formula comes from reliable, natural sources.
And for those mindful of their eco-footprint, you’ll love that the packaging is recyclable.
Nutritional Composition
Similac Pro-Advance: 2.07g protein (nonfat milk, whey protein concentrate), 10.5g carbs (lactose, nonfat milk), 5.6g fat (high oleic safflower, soy, coconut oil), includes DHA from Schizochytrium sp. oil.
Gerber Good Start GentlePro: 2.2g protein (enzymatically hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate), 11.2g carbs (lactose, corn maltodextrin), 5.1g fat (palm olein, soy, coconut, high oleic safflower, high oleic sunflower oil), includes DHA from Schizochytrium oil.
Protein Content
One serving of Similac Pro-Advance contains 2.07 grams of protein. The protein sources in this formula mainly come from nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate.
Gerber Good Start GentlePro incorporates 2.2 grams of protein per serving, slightly higher than Similac. The primary protein in this formula comes from enzymatically hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate derived from milk. This means that the protein in Gerber GentlePro is broken down into smaller parts, making it easier for babies to digest.
Both formulas have very different protein sources.
Pro-Advance uses the two standard sources of protein for conventional formulas: skimmed milk and whey concentrate. Its whey-to-casein ratio is 48:52.
Gerber however, uses hydrolyzed protein. This type of protein is pre-digested so babies who have issues digesting cow’s milk protein can manage it better. Its whey-to-casein ratio is 70:30, which is closer to the 60:40 of mature breastmilk.
Carbohydrate Content
In Similac Pro-Advance, you’ll find 10.5 grams of carbohydrates per serving, predominantly sourced from lactose and nonfat milk.
Gerber Good Start GentlePro provides 11.2 grams of carbohydrates per serving, slightly more than its competitor. This formula sources its carbohydrates principally from lactose and corn maltodextrin. Just as with Similac, the main carbohydrate is lactose, the natural sugar found in milk.
In both formulas, the main sugar is lactose, but Gerber GentlePro adds corn maltodextrin.
We usually prefer lactose-only formulas, but replacing some lactose for maltodextrin can be beneficial for those babies with mild lactose sensitivities.
Learn more: Maltodextrin in Baby Formulas
Fats and Oils
Similac Pro-Advance includes 5.6 grams of fat per serving, deriving from a blend of high oleic safflower oil, soy oil, and coconut oil. DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain development, is sourced from Schizochytrium sp. oil.
Gerber Good Start GentlePro has slightly less fat, at 5.1 grams. It gets its fats from different vegetable oils, including palm olein, soy, coconut, high oleic safflower and high oleic sunflower. As in Similac, DHA is sourced from Schizochytrium oil.
The most important different in fat content is the fact that Gerber Gentlepro uses palm olein. This ingredient is a controversial one because it has been linked with poor calcium absorption in some studies. Although it shares nutrients with breast milk, we prefer to avoid it if possible.
Learn more: Palm Oil in Baby Formula
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Similac Pro-Advance features 2′-Fucosyllactose (2′-FL), a breast milk prebiotic designed to help strengthen the immune system.
Gerber Good Start GentlePro goes further by including prebiotics and probiotics in their formula. They incorporate 2′-O-Fucosyllactose as their prebiotic, and B. Lactis cultures as a probiotic to further support your baby’s digestive health.
Best Places to Buy Similac and Gerber Formulas
Similac pro-advance
Buy Similac Pro-Advance at Target
Buy Similac Pro-Advance at Walmart
Gerber Good Start Gentlepro
Buy Gerber Gentlepro at Target
Buy Gerber Gentlepro at Walmart
What are the best alternatives to Similac Pro-Advance and Gerber Gentlepro?
Even though Pro-Advance and Gentlepro are good formulas, there are better alternatives in the market. Here are our favorites:
Alternatives to Similac Pro-Advance:
- Kendamil Organic: This UK-based brand jumps out as our top pick thanks to its use of whole milk and real HMOs from breast milk, making it a fantastic alternative for parents seeking wholesome, organic nutrition. *Read: Kendamil vs Similac
- Bobbie: If you’re shopping within the US and prefer a formula with clean and simple ingredients, look no further than Bobbie. The brand champions transparency in their sourcing and keeps the ingredients list as simple and pure as possible. *Read: Bobbie vs Similac Pro-Advance
- Holle: Praised for having some of the purest ingredients in baby formula on the market, Holle’s commitment to quality is backed up by its Demeter certification, the gold standard in biodynamic agriculture. *Read: Holle vs Similac
Alternatives to Gerber Good Start GentlePro:
- Hipp HA, Hipp AR, and Hipp Comfort: These three formulas from Hipp are superb alternatives to GentlePro. They are organic and have an impressive blend of prebiotics and probiotics, closely mimicking what would be found in breast milk. Specializing in formulas that are easy to digest, Hipp offers options to suit various digestive needs – Hipp HA for babies with the risk of allergies, Hipp AR for babies with reflux issues, and Hipp Comfort for babies with digestion difficulties. *Read: Hipp vs Similac
Last Words
We hope this comparison between Similac and Gerber helps you make an informed decision. We strongly encourage you to learn about the alternatives above before making a decision.
If you have further questions, comment below and we’ll get back to you in less than 24 hours.
Happy feeding!
We’re Maria and Alberto, a married couple and educators who are nutrition enthusiasts. Even before we had kids, we were already crazy about nutrition.
We’d read scientific articles, watch videos from nutritionists, and spend hours listening to nutrition podcasts.
Today, we continue doing this, but in a different way, as we’ve learned to sift through the noise and trends. Nutrition, like any other field of knowledge, the more you read and learn, the more you develop a comprehensive understanding of reality, and that’s what has happened to us.
Before having our first child, we focused on learning everything we could about child nutrition, using the same techniques we had already employed, backed by our extensive knowledge in nutrition.
Our mission is to help other parents with their children’s nutrition, to help them become the best versions of themselves.
If we are what we eat and drink, which is absolutely true, let’s do it right!
