Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula: Less Gas, Less Stomach Irritation
Written: May 22 '06 (Updated May 31 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Gas is minimal; Good nutritional content
Cons: Price is a little higher; Not always easy to dissolve
The Bottom Line: This soy- based formula is good for all babies, but it is especially useful for babies who are lactose intolerant.
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Similac Isomil Advance Value Size! Soy Formula Wit... |
Baby formulas are a product I have become very familiar with over the past several months. I have been sampling different brands and styles, trying them out on my little one to see which one is most nutritious, which one is easiest to digest, and which one she likes best overall. One brand name I know well is Similac, and one of the types of Similac I have used over the past several months is Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula with Iron, a powdered baby formula with DHA and ARA- two special ingredients that are also found in natural breast milk.
Facts About This Product?:
Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula with Iron is a powdered baby formula product sold in a canister can. The formula is sold in two sizes: 12.9 ounce (365 gram) and 25.7 ounce (728 gram). The can opens without a can opener, making it convenient to use.
To prepare a bottle of formula, all you do is measure the powder using the small plastic scoop inside the can. Each unpacked scoop (approx. 8.7 grams) is good for making 2 oz. (60 ml) of prepared formula. With the warm water poured into a bottle, the proper amount of powder is then added and the mixture is shaken. This dissolves the formula into the water, making it ready for feeding. Each mixed bottle should be consumed within 24 hours for best results.
Ingredients:
Similac Advance Soy Formula with Iron is made using corn syrup solids, soy protein isolate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Soy Oil, sugar, Coconut Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Less than 2% of: C. Cohnii Oil, M. Alpina Oil, Potassium Citrate, Calcium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Choline Chloride, L- Methionine, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, M-Inositol, Mixed Tocopheryls, d- Alpha- Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Sodium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid, Phylloquinone, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin D3, Potassium Iodide, and Cyanocobalamin.
Nutrients:
Each 5 oz. serving contains the following nutritional breakdown:
Protein……….2.45 grams
Fat…………...5.46 grams
Carbohydrate..10.3 grams
Water………...133 grams
Linoleic Acid……..1 gram
Vitamins and minerals contained in each 5 oz. serving include 300 IU of Vitamin A; 60 IU of Vitamin D; 1.5 IU of Vitamin E; 11 mcg of Vitamin K; 60 mcg of Thiamine; 90 mcg of Riboflavin; 60 mcg of Vitamin B6; .45 mcg of Vitamin B12; 1350 mcg of Niacin; 15 mcg of Folic Acid; 750 mcg of Pantothenic Acid; 4.5 mcg of Biotin; 9 mg of Vitamin C; 12 mg of Choline; 5 mg of Inositol; 105 mg of calcium; 75 mg of phosphorus; 7.5 mg of magnesium; 1.8 mg of iron; .75 mg of zinc; 25 mcg of manganese; 75 mcg of copper; 15 mcg of iodine; 44 mg of sodium; 108 mg of potassium; and 62 mg of chloride.
Final Thoughts:
Similac is a baby formula I am very familiar with, mainly thanks to the generosity of the Similac company and the numerous coupons I received last year when my little girl was born. I mainly use Similac Advance Formula with DHA and ARA, but I have sampled a few other Similac products, just to make comparisons and to see if any one is superior to the others.
The main reason people buy Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula with Iron is because it is milk free and lactose free. This type of formula is a necessity for babies who are lactose intolerant but it can also be served to babies that are not lactose intolerant (like mine) and some pediatricians even recommend it as an occasional departure from regular formula in order to take advantage of the different nutrients. The inclusion of DHA and ARA makes this formula every bit as good as the regular version with DHA and ARA. For those who are not familiar, these are two special compounds similar to the compounds found in breast milk. They are fatty acids and are also known by their longer names- docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid respectively. They offer a good (although not perfect) substitute for the nutrients found in natural breast milk.
Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula with Iron has some other advantages besides the DHA and ARA. According to the manufacturer, this formula is supposed to help eliminate feeding problems like fussiness, gas, and spitting up. Well, I can agree with them on the latter two qualities: less gas and less spitting up. With the regular Similac formula, I noticed more bubbles in the bottle after shaking. There are not as many bubbles in this Similac style, and that translates into less gas and less mess. But less fussiness? Well, I don’t see any difference in that area. If my little one is in a fussy mood, drinking lactose- free formula isn’t going to change her demeanor one bit.
Like other baby formula, I have found that Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula dissolves best when combined with hot (not boiling) water. I have gotten into the habit of microwaving filtered water in a plastic container first, adding the formula, shaking, and then transferring to bottles. I then refrigerate the bottles until they are cool enough to serve. Without using water with the right temperature, it can prove to be very difficult if not impossible to get the formula to dissolve. And this fact is truer with this Soy based formula. It takes hotter water and a greater effort it get it dissolved.
Checking the nutrients, one can see that Similac Isomil Advance Soy Formula has generally the same levels of nutrition as other types of Similac with a few minor differences. Among the larger differences are Riboflavin (90 mcg here, 150 mcg with regular Similac), Vitamin B12 (.45 mcg here, .25 mcg with regular Similac), Niacin (1350 mcg here, 1050 mcg with regular Similac), Calcium (105 mg here, 78 mg with regular Similac), and Phosphorus (75 mg here, 42 mg with regular Similac). Also, this Soy formula contains sugar- something that regular Similac and other baby formulas try to avoid.
Similac sells this formula in two different can sizes: 12.9 ounce (365 grams) and 25.7 oz. (728 grams). The smaller size can will produce about 96 oz. of formula and it sells for about $13. The larger size can will produce twice as much formula for a cost of about $24. There isn’t much financial incentive to buy the larger can but there is the incentive of convenience. Since the smaller size produces only 96 ounces of formula, it won’t last very long and this is especially true as your baby continues to grow. After several months have passed, the small can will likely last only three to five days.
Overall, Similac Isomil Advance Formula with Iron and DHA/ARA is good alternative to regular baby formula and it is an essential formula for babies who are lactose intolerant. Similac recommends this product for babies from age zero to twelve months and while even Similac admits (right on the package) that mom’s breast milk is best, this soy formula with its DHA and ARA is a decent substitute. It has all the vitamins and minerals your baby needs to grow healthy and strong without the milk and lactose that can upset some baby’s stomachs.
For More Baby Product Reviews, Be Sure to Click on the Links Below:
Baby Formula:
Similac Advance DHA/ARA
Nestle Good Start Supreme DHA/ARA
Enfamil Lipil with Iron
Bright Beginnings with DHA/ARA
Baby Diapers:
Huggies Supreme Diapers
LUVS Diapers
Pampers Baby Dry Diapers
Huggies Diapers
Baby Foods:
Gerber Finger Foods
Gerber Multi- Grain Cereal
Baby Merchandise:
Graco Snugride Baby Car Seat- Windsor
Kolcraft Cuddle ‘N Care Rocking Bassinet
Cosco Alpha/Omega Elite Baby Car Seat
Graco Open Top Three- Speed Swing
Baby Cleanup:
Johnson’s Bedtime Lotion, Bedtime
Huggies Baby Wipes with Shea Butter
Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
Johnson’s Bedtime Bath
Recommended:
Yes
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