Key Differences Between Similac Alimentum and Enfamil Gentlease
| Factors | Similac Alimentum | Enfamil Gentlease |
|---|---|---|
| Main use | Designed for babies with severe cow’s milk protein allergies. | Good for babies with lactose intolerance, mild cow’s milk allergies, or digestion issues such as reflux or colic. |
| Protein content | Extensively hydrolyzed casein protein, beneficial for severe cow’s milk allergies. | Partially hydrolyzed protein, ideal for babies with mild allergies or intolerances. |
| Carbohydrate content | Corn maltodextrin and sugar used as carbohydrate sources. | Corn syrup solids used as carbohydrate sources. |
| Fats and Oils | High Oleic Safflower Oil, Medium Chain Triglycerides, and Soy Oil. Does not contain DHA or ARA. No use of palm olein. | Palm olein, coconut, soy, and high oleic sunflower oils. Contains DHA and ARA, essential for brain development. |
| Prebiotics and Probiotics | Includes 2′-FL HMO, a prebiotic beneficial for the immune system. Does not contain probiotics. | Does not include either probiotics or prebiotics. |
| Best places to buy | Available at Target and Walmart. | Available at Target and Walmart. |
| Reputation | Trusted brand with over 90 years in the market. Known for hypoallergenic formula designed to reduce colic symptoms and cater to protein sensitivity. | Well-established brand known for offering a broad range of products with targeted nutritional benefits. Gentlease is particularly recognized for easing fussiness, gas, and crying. |
| Alternatives | Hipp HA, Bobbie Gentle Formula, Kendamil Goat, Nannycare, Kabrita. | Hipp HA, Bobbie Gentle Formula, Kendamil Goat, Nannycare, Kabrita. |
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In this blog post, we’ll focus on ‘Similac Alimentum vs Enfamil Gentlease’ – two popular sensitive baby formulas often considered by parents dealing with babies suffering from colic and protein sensitivity.
Let’s delve into what makes these formulas stand out and the key points that differentiate them so you can make an informed decision today.
Let’s get after it!
*Related read: Similac Alimentum vs Nutramigen | Similac Sensitive vs Enfamil Sensitive
Our Short Answer
This comparison has no winning formula, so it will depend on your baby’s needs, as Alimentum and Gentlease are designed for slightly different babies.
Choose Similac Alimentum if your baby has severe allergies to cow’s milk protein, as its protein is extensively hydrolyzed.
Choose Gentlease if your baby is lactose intolerant, has difficulty digesting lactose, or has digestive problems such as reflux or colic with conventional formulas.
We believe Gentlease offers a slightly more nutritious formula due to its inclusion of DHA and ARA, yet it appears to be prebiotic and uses palm olein.
Similac Alimentum does not offer DHA and ARA, but does not use palm olein and adds 2’FL HMO, a prebiotic beneficial to babies’ microbiota.
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Brand Reputation
Similac: Trusted for over 90 years, Similac Alimentum addresses protein sensitivity and reduces colic symptoms. Promotes healthier weight gain, fewer spit-up incidents, and lactose tolerance.
Enfamil: A top choice for generations, Enfamil offers targeted nutritional benefits. Enfamil Gentlease eases fussiness and gas. Committed to nutritionally complete products and innovation for baby’s changing needs.
Similac Reputation
Similac, owned by the pharmaceutical company, Abbott Laboratories, is a household name that has nourished babies for over 90 years.
Similac Alimentum is distinguished for its hypoallergenic formula designed to address protein sensitivity and significantly reduce colic symptoms within 24 hours in most infants.
The brand promises to deliver a difference you can see: healthier weight gain in prematurely born infants, fewer spit-up incidents, and better tolerance to lactose.
That has led to many parents trusting their products, reflecting positively on Similac’s reputation.
Enfamil Reputation
Enfamil, a product of Mead Johnson Nutrition, now part of Reckitt Benckiser’s portfolio, has remained a top choice for parents throughout many generations.
Enfamil offers a broad range of baby formula products, each specifically formulated to provide targeted nutritional benefits.
One of these is Enfamil Gentlease. This product is renowned for easing fussiness, gas, and crying within 24 hours.
It’s designed to be easy on a baby’s tummy and provide necessary nourishment for brain development.
Enfamil’s reputation rests on its commitment to delivering nutritionally complete products and constantly innovating to meet the changing nutritional needs of babies.
*Related: Enfamil Gentlease vs Enfamil Neuropro Gentlease
Nutritional Composition
Similac Alimentum: Casein hydrolysate protein for severe cow’s milk allergies. Carbohydrates from corn maltodextrin and sugar. Fats from high oleic safflower oil, soy oil, and medium-chain triglycerides.
Enfamil Gentlease: Partially hydrolyzed protein for mild allergies/intolerances. Carbohydrates from corn syrup solids. Fats from palm olein, coconut, soy, and high oleic sunflower oils, with added DHA and ARA.
Protein Content
Protein is an essential nutrient for growth and development in infants.
Similac Alimentum uses casein hydrolysate derived from milk. This form of protein is broken down into tiny pieces, virtually eliminating allergic reactions in babies sensitive to cow’s milk protein. It has a protein equivalent of 2.75g per 5 fl oz.
Enfamil Gentlease uses partially hydrolyzed nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate solids as protein sources. Partially hydrolyzed proteins are easier to digest and are, therefore, better tolerated by a baby’s developing digestive system. The gentlease formula provides 2.3g of protein per 5 fl oz.
The difference between both formulas is that Alimentum is extensively hydrolyzed while Gentlease is partially hydrolyzed.
This means Alimentum is better for babies with severe cow’s milk allergies, and Gentlease works for those with mild allergies or intolerances.
*Read: Partially vs Extensively hydrolyzed formulas
Carbohydrate Content
Carbohydrates act as a significant energy source for growing babies.
In Similac Alimentum, corn maltodextrin (39%) and sugar (9%) serve as carbohydrate sources, providing a total carbohydrate content of 10.2g per 5 fl oz.
Enfamil Gentlease gets its carbohydrates from corn syrup solids, providing a slightly higher carbohydrate content of 10.8g per 5 fl oz.
Corn syrup solids in baby formulas are derived from corn syrup, a simple and easy to digest sugar.
Since both formulas are designed for babies with allergies or intolerances, none use lactose as their carb source.
This is normal for sensitive formulas. The use of starches or maltodextrin is entirely normal in formulas with reduced lactose content or no lactose content.
Fats and Oils
Fat is a critical macronutrient for infants’ brain development, energy needs, and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Similac Alimentum obtains its fats and oils from High Oleic Safflower Oil (9%), Medium Chain Triglycerides (9%), and Soy Oil (8%), providing a total fat content of 5.54g per 5 fl oz.
Enfamil Gentlease draws its fats from a blend of palm olein, coconut, soy, and high oleic sunflower oils, resulting in a total fat content of 5.3g per 5 fl oz. Notably, the formula also includes Mortierella Alpina Oil as an arachidonic acid (ARA) source and Schizochytrium Sp. oil as a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) source.
We are in a bind in terms of fat content.
On the one hand, Alimentum does not use palm olein but has no source of DHA or ARA.
On the other hand, Gentlease adds palm olein to its formula and DHA and ARA, two critical fatty acids.
As much as we dislike the use of palm olein in formulas, the addition of DHA and ARA means that Gentlease has the edge in this regard.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Similac Alimentum: Contains 2′-FL HMO prebiotic for immune system development, but no probiotics.
Enfamil Gentlease: Does not include probiotics or prebiotics.
Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria that help maintain a balanced gut flora in infants, aiding digestion and boosting immunity.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, serve as food for these probiotics, assisting in fostering a healthy gut microbiome.
*Read: Prebiotics and Probiotics in Baby Formula
Similac Alimentum includes 2′-FL HMO, a prebiotic that contributes to developing the immune system. However, it doesn’t contain any probiotics.
Enfamil Gentlease formula does not seem to include either probiotics or prebiotics.
Best Places to Buy Hipp HA and Gentlease
Similac Alimentum
Buy Similac Alimentum at Target
Buy Similac Alimentum at Warlmart
Enfamil Neuropro Gentlease
Buy Enfamil Gentlease at Target
Buy Enfamil Gentlease at Warlmart
What are the best alternatives to Similac Alimentum and Enfamil Gentlease?
Although both Similac Alimentum and Enfamil Gentlease are good sensitive formulas, there are other alternatives on the market we recommend you consider. Some of our favorites include:
Bobbie Gentle Formula: Bobbie offers a recipe that respects EU ingredient standards, a great balance of lactose, and DHA from algae oil. An essential aspect of this formula is that it’s organic and GMO, soy, and palm oil-free. *Read: Bobbie vs Gentlease
Hipp Specialty Formulas: Hipp HA and Hipp Comfort are specially formulated to cater to babies with a sensitivity to cow’s milk protein. They feature hydrolyzed protein and are nutritionally complete, providing all the essential nutrients your baby needs. *Read: Hipp HA vs Gentlease | Hipp HA vs Alimentum
For babies who don’t have cow’s milk protein allergies, we highly recommend trying out goat’s milk formulas. Kendamil Goat, Nannycare, and Kabrita are excellent choices. Goat milk formulas are generally easier to digest than formulas based on cow’s milk, and they are naturally rich in vital nutrients. *Read: Kendamil Goat vs Nannycare
Last Words
We hope this comparison between Similac Alimentum and Enfamil Gentlease has helped you make an informed decision.
We strongly recommend looking at the alternatives since be genuinely believe that organic formulas are the way to go in infant nutrition.
See you around!
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!
