Kabrita Goat Milk Toddler Formula Review

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kabrita. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve spent a decade researching infant and toddler formula for my Safe Formula Guide, and I’ve seen the industry make amazing progress in that time. One of the best developments has been the evolution of goat milk formulas. 

Goat Milk Formula: Worth Another Look

Until recently, goat milk formulas were kind of seen as the ugly duckling of the formula world. Some people, including pediatricians and other experts, have long considered goat milk formula to be nutritionally inferior, weird-tasting, and a second-rate choice only suitable for children who can’t tolerate cow’s milk. 

Kabrita’s unique Goat Milk Toddler Formula challenges these misconceptions and is helping more people consider goat milk formula as a healthy formula option for their toddlers. I’m glad to see this, because goat milk formulas offer some unique benefits you won’t find in other types of formulas.

Kabrita is made in the Netherlands and introduced their Goat Milk Toddler Formula to the United States market in 2014. I respect them for the fact that they’ve always been open to my nit-picky questions and critiques. I’ve also appreciated that they’ve make tweaks to their formula ingredients based on feedback from picky people like me.

The gist of my Kabrita review is that Kabrita’s Goat Milk Toddler formula is a great option for toddlers 12+ months old, including those who have cow milk sensitivities (not diagnosed cow milk allergy—that’s another matter you can read more about below). Thanks to a few key ingredients I’ll discuss here, this goat milk formula is designed to be more readily digestible, so it’s also a good consideration for little ones with digestive challenges.  

Kabrita Goat Milk Formula Ingredients

Lactose (Milk), Nonfat Dry Goat Milk, Goat Whey Protein Concentrate Powder (Milk), High sn2-Palmitic Acid Oil, Soybean Oil*, Galacto-oligosaccharides (Milk), Palm Kernel Oil, Sunflower Oil, and less than 1%: Tri Calcium Citrate, Mortierella Alpina Oil, Tri Sodium Citrate, Crypthecodinium Cohnii Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Hydroxide, Choline Bitartrate, Sodium L-ascorbate, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulphate, L-ascorbic Acid, Zinc Sulphate, Vitamin E Acetate, Inositol, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulphate, Retinyl Acetate, Thiamin Hydrochloride, Vitamin B6 Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Manganese Sulphate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin K1, D-biotin, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin D3, Cyanocobalamin.

Why Kabrita Goat Milk Toddler Formula is Really Good Stuff

If I were looking for a great formula for a baby older than 12 months, I would definitely consider Kabrita Goat Milk Toddler Formula. Here’s why:

1. Digestibility. Compared to cow milk, goat milk protein forms a smaller, softer, and looser curd in the tummy, leading to quick and easy digestion. Kabrita Goat Milk Toddler Formula also has added whey for a 50:50 whey to casein ratio that assists with digestibility.
2. Unique oil blend. Normally, I consider palm oil to be a questionable, although hard-to-avoid, ingredient (more on that below). That said, Kabrita is the only formula I know of that contains the beneficial type of palm oil. Kabrita goat milk formula uses plant-derived fats that match the structure of the most common fat molecules in breast milk. These fats (high SN-2 palmitate, a.k.a. “OPO fats”) have been shown to promote more healthy bacteria in the gut, reduce colic and gas, reduce constipation, and allow for better absorption of fat and calcium.
3. No GMO ingredients. I like that Kabrita goat milk formula contains no GMO ingredients, including non-GMO goat milk (per EU standards, because it’s sourced in Europe). 
4. Good carbohydrates. Kabrita uses lactose as the primary carbohydrate, which is important for energy requirements and naturally occurring in milk. I like that this goat milk formula does not contain corn syrup or maltodextrin, the latter of which is still often found in most organic formula, even those from Europe. 

Your Concerns About Kabrita Goat Milk Formula

Here’s my take on some common questions and potential concerns about Kabrita’s Goat Milk Toddler Formula:

1. Taste. If you’re concerned that your baby won’t like the taste of goat milk, don’t worry– Kabrita’s Goat Milk Toddler Formula has a very mild flavor, and readers have told me that their toddlers love it.
2. Nutrition. That Goat milk is “not nutritious” is a misconception based on the fact that goat milk does not have the same nutritional profile as cow milk (goat milk contains less vitamin B12 and folic acid than cow milk, for example).Some people make the jump to saying that a goat milk formula therefore can’t be as nutritious as one made from cow milk. But this is silly–like all formulas, Kabrita’s Goat Milk Toddler Formula has added vitamins and minerals to meet nutritional requirements for babies and toddlers.
3. Non-organic. Although Kabrita’s formula is not organic, it’s produced according to European standards that limit the use of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. I’m satisfied with this standard. (For a variety of reasons beyond the scope of this post, it is very difficult to source certified organic goat milk.)
4. Hexane extraction. Most baby and toddler formulas contain DHA and ARA because these essential fatty acids are found naturally in human breast milk, and they make up the major long-chain fats in baby’s brain and nerve tissue.The most common types of DHA and ARA extracted by the solvent hexane, a known neurotoxin. While Kabrita uses hexane-extracted DHA and ARA in their goat milk formula, like many other formulas, it has been demonstrated that no hexane remains in the final product.
5. Palm oil. Stick with me as I explain this one—it’s a little complicated. First, the problem with palm oil: Palm oil gets a bad rap thanks to environmental concerns (global demand for palm oil is high and aggressive palm-farming practices are bad for the planet) and the fact that it’s high in saturated fat.Also, palm oil has historically been on my bad list because palm oil and palm olein have been shown to inhibit the absorption of calcium and fat. These ingredients are commonly added to formula to help replicate the high palmitic acid content of breastmilk. But the structure of the fat molecules in palm oil (and other vegetable oils) is different from that found in breast milk, and the fats are digested differently.BUT, there’s an important nuance here when it comes to Kabrita goat milk formula. Plant-derived fats that match the structure of the most common fat molecules in breast milk, like Kabrita’s fat blend does, have been shown to promote more healthy bacteria in the gut, reduce colic, gas, and constipation, and allow for fat and calcium to be absorbed better.  Long story short: the palm oil in Kabrita goat milk formula is good stuff.
6. Soy. I watch out for soy ingredients in formulas due to the concerns associated with soy—hormone disruption, allergies, GMO’s, and aluminum contamination (soy milk-based formulas tend to be higher in aluminum for reasons that aren’t entirely clear).I know that many of you scan for soy ingredients for allergy purposes. The good thing about the soybean oil in Kabrita goat milk formula is that it’s part of their good fat blend, and it does not contain the soy proteins that are the cause of most soy allergies. Also, it’s non-GMO according to EU standards.

Is Goat Milk Formula Safe for Kids who Don’t Tolerate Cow’s Milk?

I get this question a lot. The answer is—maybe.

Goat’s milk may be an alternative to cow milk because it’s less likely to trigger the food sensitivities that many people experience with cow milk. The composition of the proteins and fats in goat and cow milk varies enough to make goat milk less problematic and, overall, more digestible. 

For babies and toddlers, whose immune and digestive systems are still developing, this could make a big difference. So kids with sensitivities to cow’s milk might tolerate goat’s milk better, or even well.

But–if your child has a full-blown diagnosed cow milk protein allergy (CMPA), he or she could also react to the proteins in goat’s milk, which are similar. Kabrita is careful to say that their goat milk formula is not suitable for kids with a confirmed cow milk protein allergy.

My Kabrita Review in a Nutshell

I think that Kabrita’s Goat Milk Toddler formula is a great, safe formula option to consider for toddlers twelve months and up, including but not limited to those with digestive challenges and those who have cow milk sensitivities (but not a diagnosed cow milk allergy). Their goat milk formula is unique and straightforward, and Kabrita is deliberate about choosing high-quality, clean ingredients. 

Stay sane,

Maia, Founder & CEO

P.S. If you would like to try Kabrita, you can get a free 14-ounce tin of Goat Milk Toddler Formula and coupons here.

P.P.S.  Kabrita is in the process of getting FDA approval as an infant formula. Their goat milk formula does meet FDA nutritional requirements for an infant formula, and because of this, some parents do choose to give it to their babies. They recommend consulting with your healthcare provider before making feeding changes.