As soon as The Honest Company’s infant formula hit the market, we were flooded with emails asking, “Is this the Good Stuff?” After putting the Honest formula through our research and review process, our answer is…sort of.
Essentially, Honest’s formula is the same as the rest of the Jessica Alba product line: definitely well-intentioned, definitely better than most conventional stuff, not quite Sneaky Stuff, but not quite Good Stuff. When it comes to this formula, here’s what we discovered:
The Good
- It’s mostly milk. I like that Honest’s formula’s first ingredient is actual organic milk. The only other American-made formula I recommend to clients, Baby’s Only, has brown rice syrup (a sweetener) as its first ingredient, so this is a plus for Honest.
- It contains lactose. It’s also great that Honest formula contains lactose as a sweetener, which is most similar to breast milk, but which many companies have stopped using because it’s pricier than other forms of sugar. (Unfortunately, Honest also uses corn syrup to sweeten this formula—more on this below.)
- It skips some synthetics. The synthetic nutrients found in Honest’s formula are less in number than is the case for other organic formula brands. Some of these additives are not allowed in organic products in Europe, so it’s nice to see an American brand leaving them out.
- It doesn’t contain hexane residue. The biggest plus to Honest formula is that the DHA they use is actual fish oil rather than hexane-extracted oils from algae and fungus (as is the case with most formulas, even organic ones).
- It’s free of carrageenan. Honest’s formula is free of carrageenan (which is found in some organic formulas). Derived from seaweed, carrageenan helps stabilize formula, but numerous animal studies suggest that it leads to intestinal inflammation and colon tumors. The European Union has outlawed the use of carrageenan in all infant formula.
The Bad
- Corn syrup. The biggest bummer about Honest’s formula is that it contains corn syrup (cleverly called “organic glucose syrup solids”). Honest uses mostly lactose to sweeten their formula, but I assume they blend with corn syrup because the latter is much less expensive.
- Palm oil. Honest’s formula also contains palm oil, which is not properly absorbed by infants, and may contribute to decreased bone density. Even the European formulas I recommend (HiPP and Holle) contain palm oil, but it should be noted that Baby’s Only formula does not.
- Soy. Honest formula also contains soy oil and soy lecithin. I’m not into soy for babies, since it is a source of phytoestrogens, which may have negative health implications. Worth noting: Baby’s Only also contains soy, as does HiPP. Holle is the only soy-free formula, which is part of the reason it’s our number one formula pick.
- Synthetic preservatives. Honest formula contains two synthetic preservatives that some experts say should not be allowed in organic products: beta carotene and ascorbyl palmitate. Baby’s Only doesn’t contain these two, and nor do the European brands we recommend. I’m not convinced these are particularly harmful in the concentrations present in formula, but they aren’t natural and their effects are unknown.
Whichever Formula You Choose…Filter Your Water!
Tap water may be contaminated with chlorine byproducts, weed killers, insecticides, solvents, lead, BPA, phthalates…the list goes on. Fluoride is present in infant formula, and when combined with fluoridated tap water, infant exposure levels can exceed safe amounts. Invest in a good carbon water filter.
What Are the Best Infant Formulas?
After all the research I’ve done (I’ve written about formula here, here, and here), there are only four I would consider feeding my baby, and yes, Honest is among them. In order of preference, the best infant formulas, in my non-doctor opinion, are:
While difficult and expensive to obtain, the European formulas win out because they are both made with milk from grass-fed cattle, and have a simpler and more natural list of ingredients. I still consider Baby’s Only the best widely-available formula in this country, but Honest is a pretty close second, only losing out because of the corn syrup and palm oil it contains.
Baby’s Only remains our top choice amongst American formulas.
We feel that HiPP formula is superior to anything you can get in the U.S.
Holle remains our #1 choice for infant formula.
Honest Formula is better than most organic brands sold in the U.S.
Stay sane,
Erin says
Thank you so much for all the research and information. I’m a little confused. The Baby’s Only brand says toddler formula on the container. Is this safe for babies? I have a 6 month old.
Christina Ventura-DiPersia says
For whatever it’s worth, you can get the Lebenswert formula for 26 a box, delivered via subscription every 2 weeks, from http://www.organicbabyshop.com . They package the product very safely, always have a nice handwritten note with the product, and it’s the real deal. They are from Brooklyn, and I’m in southern N.Y. So when I order, I get it very quick. The other vendors that you have suggested are more money, and that adds up. I really trust these guys and have never had an issue and have had about 5 deliveries from them thus far.
Marlisa says
Milk is not good for us especially babies. It actually depletes calcium from our bodies because of the acidic environment it creates and calcium goes from our bones to balance our our body. Also, a ton of hormones are in milk. Milk is for baby cows to grow into a 400 pound cow; it is not meant for humans and cause all kinds of problems and diseases.
Adam Stark says
Hi there, as a health food store owner with a biomedical degree, expecting our first child, I find your website very, very good stuff indeed! The Hipp vs. Holle comparisons especially. I’m hoping to have a few containers of formula handy, just in case my wife has a hard time breastfeeding. You’re making that decision easier.
Having said all that, I’d like to suggest three corrections. I think you may have misspoke when you called beta-carotene and ascorbyl palmitate “synthetic preservatives.” Also, on another page, it seems as though a lot of people have written in to the comments to say the Hipp-aluminum connection is no longer as much of a concern, and you’ve acknowledged those comments. It may be time to move that acknowledgement out of the comments, and into the body of the article. Finally, when you write Sammy’s Milk, you might want to go into a little more detail on the recall. Our store stocks Sammy’s Milk, and I feel comfortable recommending it. As far as I understand, the product pre-recall and post-recall is the same product. It’s just a legal/labeling issue — and the fact they don’t test for Cronobacter. It’s worth speaking with them directly as to why.
Dwayne Johnson says
Hello to the team at Gimmie the Good Stuff,
This resource was a light in a dark place 2 years ago as my wife and I searched for better solutions that on the shelf infant/baby formula’s. Our son just did not have a good enough latch despite our every intention to have him solely breast feed. HiPP addressed our need to supplement and catered to his acute milk allergies.
My wife and I welcomed a baby girl a few weeks ago and despite our hope she too has struggled latching. It is sadly disappointing for my wife. She is more of any eager eater than our son, but spends hours feeding leaving my wife incapable of doing much else for a few hours. It is getting better, but like our son possibly for different reasons we’d like to use the right formula to aid my wife through this breast feeding journey.
Given some of the concerns with milk, acidity, calcium depriving, etc. this time around we are hoping to consider a non-dairy option. I notice a non-dairy option wasn’t covered at the time in this article, but wanted to find out since then has any research or thought been given to a finding a non-dairy infant formula.