Last week for our Ingredient Series, Christine wrote about the fats in Neocate. In this post, I’ll expand on that and explain DHA and ARA in more detail.

As you may know, the Neocate Infant formula is available in the original formulation and the updated formulation, which contains DHA and ARA.

Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, better known as DHA and ARA, are types of fats (lipids) called long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (often abbreviated as “PUFAs”). DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid and ARA is an omega-6 fatty acid.

These fatty acids are found naturally in human breast milk and several other foods. Fish, especially cold water fish, have very high amounts of DHA. Eggs are also a natural source of DHA, but to a lesser degree than fish. ARA is found mostly in animal products, such as eggs, meat and fish.

It has been known for many years that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA and ARA in particular) accumulate in the brain and eye of the fetus during gestation, especially during the last trimester of pregnancy.[1] More recent studies show that DHA and ARA may play an important role for brain and eye development during infancy as well.[2] Breast-fed infants receive DHA and ARA from their moms and studies show that breast-fed infants typically have higher blood levels of DHA and ARA in comparison to infants fed formulas without DHA and ARA. For this reason, and because of the important role DHA and ARA are thought to play with brain and eye development, many infant formulas are now fortified with DHA and ARA to more closely resemble the intake of breast-fed infants.

The DHA and ARA found in Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA are vegetarian and non-GMO (meaning they are not derived from genetically-modified sources). The source of DHA is C. Cohnii Oil and the source of ARA is M. Alpina Oil.

So now when you see the “DHA and ARA” banner on your can of Neocate (if you use the Neocate Infant with DHA and ARA), you’ll know exactly what it means!

We hope you found our Ingredient Series helpful. If you are curious about anything else in Neocate please ask us in the comments!

-Mallory

[2] Alan S. Ryan, James D. Astwood, Sheila Gautier, Connye N. Kuratko, Edward B. Nelson, Norman Salem . Effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on neurodevelopment in childhood: A review of human studies. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids - 26 February 2010 (10.1016/j.plefa.2010.02.007

We know that the diagnosis of a food allergy or GI condition can sometimes be overwhelming for families. Fortunately, there are many great support groups out there that can help you find your footing with resources, advice and stories from other families going through similar situations. Here are a few that we have found helpful.

Allergy Moms

Founded by Gina Clowes, AllergyMoms provides support for parents of children with food allergies. The Web site and monthly newsletter features articles, food allergy recipes and the latest news and research on breast-feeding, hypoallergenic formulas, eczema, reflux, anaphylaxis and school policy.

American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED)

APFED is an advocacy group for children and adults living with eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, eosinophilic colitis, hypereosinophilic syndrome, and other eosinophilic disorders. It is a great resource and provides accurate, up-to-date information on eosinophilic disorders and related problems. Not only does the organization increase awareness and educate patients and physicians, APFED also works to increase funding for research.

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)

FAAN was established in 1991 to share information vital to raising a child with food allergies. Throughout the year the group holds events to raise awareness about food allergies, including Food Allergy Walks in cities across the country. The FAAN Web site features an extensive database of allergy-friendly recipes, as well as links to other resources like local support groups and allergy camps.

Kids with Food Allergies (KFA)

Started by Lynda Mitchell, KFA is a nationwide nonprofit organization that offers online food allergy support groups, information, news, and allergen-free recipes for families raising children with food allergies. They have a new guide called KFA’s Starter Guide to Parenting a Child with a Food Allergy that is especially helpful when you are first trying to understand food allergies, diagnosis and treatment. You can also subscribe to their bi-weekly newsletter for the latest updates!

Reflux Rebels

Reflux Rebels was started by a group of mothers who all had children with reflux and food allergies. Their goal is to share the knowledge they have learned from their own experiences and provide advice to families going through something similar. The Web site features some helpful quizzes that can help you get an idea of what your baby’s symptoms mean and what treatment options are out there. They also run an active message board on BabyCenter for those of you looking to ask a question or just chat with other parents navigating reflux and food allergies.

We hope you find these groups helpful! There are also a number of local support and advocacy groups out there that are ready to lend a hand too. What groups have been good resources for you?

-Sarah

This blog is a follow-up to Nita’s informative blog “Fats 101”. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read it first to gain a better understanding of all the different types of fats out there.

When reading the ingredient label, you may notice all the different types of oils used in Neocate. Why are there so many types? Each one is a source of a different type of fat, and a variety of fats are needed to maintain a balanced blend of fatty acids to help your baby develop and grow properly.

Sources of fat found in Neocate products include:

• Refined Vegetable Oil made up of:
  • Palm Kernel and/or Coconut Oil (source of Medium Chain Triglycerides)
  • High Oleic Sunflower Oil
• Soy Oil
• Canola Oil
• M. Alpina Oil (source of ARA)
• C. Cohnii Oil (source of DHA)

*Keep in mind that all of the proteins from these ingredients have been extracted. Since proteins are generally what cause an allergic reaction, Neocate should still be an appropriate choice for your little one – even if they have a soy, coconut or sunflower allergy.

Take a look at this very helpful chart which compares different sources of fat:

Source: www.canola.okstate.edu/nutrition/index.htm

I have this chart near me at all times to help me understand what exactly each fat ingredient contains.

You will notice how some ingredients have a very specific ratio of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats. Each fat found in Neocate was specifically chosen to ensure there is a balanced blend in order for your child to get the right amounts of essential fats needed to grow and thrive.

You may also notice that Neocate Infant, Neocate Junior and Neocate One+ all have different percentages of fat. This is because children need different amounts of fat depending on their age and medical conditions. For this reason, it is important to pick a formula that is tailored to your child’s specific needs.

Infants need plenty of fat for proper growth and development, so Neocate Infant contains 41percent fat. Once children get to be a little bit older, fat should be taken in moderation, so Neocate One+ has 32 percent fat. If your child has a GI or allergy disease, they might have issues with malabsorption of certain nutrients. Neocate Junior is specially formulated to account for this with 45 percent fat and higher amounts of other important vitamins and minerals.

Mallory will be diving deeper into the fatty acids DHA and ARA at the end of the month, so be on the lookout for that blog!

I hope this helps a bit with understanding the ingredients in the Neocate Infant formula. If you still have questions about these or any other ingredients, ask away!

- Christine

Summer camp is an invaluable childhood experience full of fun, learning and personal growth. However, for parents with children who have severe food allergies, sending your child away to camp can be very scary. How can you be sure there are safe food options? And what if there is an allergic reaction? Will the camp know what to do? These fears are legitimate but it doesn’t mean your child has to miss out on all the fun. Hopefully, this entry will offer some guidance on how to ensure a safe and enjoyable camp experience for your child with food allergies.

Childhood food allergy is an increasing phenomenon and awareness is starting to catch up. A few camps cater specifically to children with food allergies.

• One option is Camp Emerson (“the Food Allergy Specialist”), in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts. On the Web site, Camp Director Sue Lein writes, “The Food Allergy Camp Team meets individually with your family to respond to your child’s needs. Our goal is to ensure that your child is able to eat safely and enjoyably at Camp Emerson. We want your child to feel like ‘everyone else’ in the dining hall.”

• Another such camp is The Center for Courageous Kids. This camp, located in Scottsville, Kentucky, has different themes throughout the summer and fall, each catering to a specific childhood medical condition. This year, there is a retreat weekend dedicated to children with severe food allergies scheduled for September 17-19.  A unique feature of this program is that the whole family attends.

• The YWCA Outdoor Education Center in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) offers a program for kids with food allergies during session 4 of camp (July 26-30). On the Web site, the camp writes, “In partnership with Alberta Allergy Information Association, we are pleased to host a camp for children with severe food allergies. This camp, to be held during Session 4, will enable children with severe and life threatening food allergies to enjoy camp life in a safe environment.”

Next summer there will be many more options for campers with food allergies! Camp T.A.G.: A Safe Place for Food-Allergic Children and Their Siblings will open in various locations for the summer of 2011. The 11 cities chosen for the summer 2011 launch are: Joliet, Ill., Oak Brook, Ill., Minneapolis, Minn.., Houston, Texas, San Francisco, Calif., Raleigh, N.C., Philadelphia, Pa., Fairfax, Va., Silver Spring, Md., Long Island, N.Y., and North New Jersey/New York City.

Not everyone can attend a special food allergy camp so another option is to work with local camps to accommodate your child’s food allergies. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network has created “Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies at Camp” to help you through the process. The guidelines are divided into responsibilities of the parents, the camp and the campers and lists proper preparations and procedures to protect children with food allergies during camp.

Be sure to sign up soon! Camp application deadlines are fast approaching and you want to provide ample time for any special accommodations. Know of any other food-allergy friendly camps? Make sure to post them here!

Happy trails!

-Mallory

To start off our ingredient series, I wanted to review the basics about fats and why they are an important part of a person’s diet. 

The main purpose of fats is to serve as a storage system. They can also be used as an energy source if the body is depleted of necessary carbohydrates. Fats provide more calories (9 calories/gram) than both carbohydrates and protein (4 calories/gram), but this doesn’t mean they are bad and should be avoided!  As you probably know, there are both good and bad fats.

Bad Fats

Saturated and trans fats are known as the “bad fats,” as they are linked to raising cholesterol levels and are attributed to increased risk for heart disease.  Examples of bad fats include butter, animal fats, fried foods, all those yummy pastries, stick margarines and shortenings.  Although these fats are known as the “bad fats” they are still okay to have in moderation, so it’s not necessary to strike them completely from the diet! 

Good Fats

There are two types of unsaturated fats – polyunsaturated or monounsaturated.  They are known as the “good fats” and aid in lowering cholesterol levels and are beneficial in fighting heart disease. Examples of good fats include vegetable oils, avocados, peanut butter, nuts, seeds and fatty fish like salmon and trout. If you want to learn more about good and bad fats, the American Heart Association has some fun facts.  

Triglycerides

Now that we know the basics of fats, I wanted to briefly discuss triglycerides. Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food as well as in the body.

There are two types of triglycerides — Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) and Long Chain Triglycerides (LCTs). Both refer to the length of the carbon chain of a fatty acid. 

• MCTs are comprised of 6 to 12 carbon chains and are considered saturated fats. They are beneficial in the treatment of constipation or as a natural laxative and are digested more easily than LCTs. 
• LCTs have a carbon chain greater than 12 and can be monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats.  LCTs have been studied and shown to repair the gut if it’s been damaged. ¹

Normal fats and oils contain LCTs and MCTs.  Both types of triglycerides are beneficial and should be incorporated into your child’s diet.    

DHA and ARA

Next, I wanted to touch on DHA and ARA which has been a hot topic for some time now.  DHA and ARA are polyunsaturated fatty acids which are naturally found in breast milk.  Studies have shown that they aid in brain and vision development, and are most effective when provided in the diet for up to 6 months of age.  With this, it was also found that formula fed babies were getting less DHA and ARA than breast fed babies, so now most formulas have a formula option with DHA and ARA. ^{2, 3, 4} This means, if your little one needs to be formula fed, now you can ensure that he or she is getting enough DHA and ARA that is needed to meet their needs!  

Now that we know the basics of fats, look out for Christine’s blog next week when she will continue this topic to discuss the fats found in Neocate! 

- Nita

References:
1. Warner BW, Vanderhoof JA, Reyes JD. What’s new in the management of short gut syndrome in children. J Am Coll Surg. 2000 Jun;190(6):725-36. 2. Birch, EE, Hoffman, DR, Uauy, R et al. Visual Acuity and the Essentiality of Docosahexanoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid in the Diets of Term infants. Pediatr Res. 44:201-209, 1998. 3. Birch, EE, Garfield, S, Hoffman, DR et al. A Randomized Controlled Trail of Early Dietary Supply of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Mental Development in Term Infants. Develop Med Child Neurol. 42: 174-181, 2000 4. Hoffman DR, Birch EE, Castañeda YS, Fawcett SL, Wheaton DH, Birch DG, Uauy R.  Visual function in breast-fed term infants weaned to formula with or without long-chain polyunsaturates at 4 to 6 months: a randomized clinical trial.  J Pediatr. 2003 Jun;142(6):669-77.