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The pros and cons of substituting hydrolyzed collagen peptides for grassfed beef gelatin in homemade baby formula whether made from cow or goat milk.
Mothers who are unable to breastfeed or procure a sufficient quantity of quality donor milk to feed their babies are increasingly turning to a homemade baby formula recipe made with whole, unprocessed ingredients to fill in the gap.
This is because a growing body of research suggests that commercial formula is not only bad for babies, it may very well damage their health for life. Most recently, scientists discovered unlabeled and unregulated nanoparticle additives in every single powdered baby formula tested. This included Gerber, Enfamil, Similac and Well Beginnings products currently available on store shelves (1).
As the popularity of homemade baby formula continues to grow within health-conscious communities around the globe, so do attempts to make the process of whipping up a batch ever faster and more convenient.
One very obvious way to reduce the time required to make a batch of homemade formula is to substitute collagen peptides (aka, hydrolyzed collagen or collagen hydrolysate) for the gelatin in the recipe.
The Case for Peptides
Making baby formula would definitely be an easier process if peptides were substituted for gelatin.
The biggest reason is that peptides dissolve in liquid no matter what the temperature while gelatin requires warm to hot liquids. This would allow all the formula ingredients to be conveniently blended together in one step, which eliminates the necessity of warming the water portion of the formula in a small pan on the stove first (not a microwave) in order to dissolve the gelatin before adding in the other ingredients.
Using peptides instead of gelatin also eliminates the problem of the formula congealing slightly when refrigerated. While this problem is not a safety issue or really a problem at all, as it is resolved when a bottle of the formula is warmed up for baby, it can sometimes alarm parents who are making the formula for the first time.
From a nutritional perspective, collagen peptides have a very similar amino acid profile to gelatin and look and taste almost exactly the same. They are processed in a similar manner and are made from the same ingredients.
Both collagen peptides and gelatin remain hydrophilic even after cooking or heating too. This means that both attract digestive juices in a manner similar to raw foods. All other cooked foods repel digestive juices, making gelatin and peptides unique in how they benefit the digestive process.
Seems like a no brainer to make the substitution!
However, before you make the change in your home, here are some guidelines to consider.
When to Try Peptides Instead of Gelatin in Baby Formula
Of all the ingredients in the cow’s milk baby formula, gelatin is one of the top two that might potentially cause digestive upset for baby. The other ingredient is the nutritional yeast. Incidentally, gelatin is included in the goat milk baby formula recipe and bone broth baby formula recipe as well.
While most babies tolerate the gelatin just fine, when a parent emails me that their baby is gassy or fussy after feeding, one of the first things I typically suggest is to try removing the gelatin and/or the nutritional yeast from the formula and see if that helps.
If this is the situation for your baby where the gelatin is not well tolerated, then, by all means, try the peptides instead. The manufacturing of peptides is more intensive than the processing of gelatin, which breaks up the amino acid chains (protein) into smaller units. This can make them a bit easier to digest than gelatin for some people with, especially sensitive digestion.
Another reason to substitute the peptides for the gelatin is when the baby has an allergy to beef. While rare, this type of allergy is on the rise, and I have definitely had a few parents email me about it over the years.
Grassfed beef gelatin is the type recommended for the homemade baby formula (tested free of glyphosate residue). If an allergy is present, it may be prudent to try the wild marine peptides (tested for purity) instead.
When Not to Substitute Peptides
If your baby is doing well with gelatin added to the homemade formula, then it is not advisable to substitute the collagen peptides just for the sake of convenience.
While collagen peptides are a bit easier to digest than straight gelatin for some people, remember that extra processing is required to make peptides.
Providing baby with ingredients that are processed as little as possible is the optimal approach as long as the gelatin is not causing any issues.
In other words, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Stick with the original homemade formula recipe devised by the brilliant food scientist Dr. Mary Enig, co-author with Sally Fallon Morell of the nutritional classic Nourishing Traditions.
Hello Sarah,
I made homemade raw yogurt to give to my six-month-old son and added gelatin to it while doing so. I regret this because it adds another factor while experimenting giving him yogurt for the first time. The gelatin is the NOW brand, something I brought from the US when moving to France a couple years ago, and says best buy this month. I admit that I’m paranoid this evening as we’re having trouble getting him to bed (which happens often, but he’s particularly lacking sleepiness). Could glutamate in the gelatin cause problems?
Some babies do have issues with gelatin. That and the nutritional yeast are the two ingredients that sometimes have to be removed if baby doesn’t tolerate well.
Thank you, Sarah. I don’t give him the homemade formula, though.
He seemed to truly have a reaction to my homemade raw yogurt with gelatin. He would normally have been rubbing his eyes and ready for bed, but he was hyperactive, not rubbing his eyes but once or twice during three hours, and we finally got him to sleep at 10 pm. And I only put 30 ml in with his 230 ml bottle! He clearly though it tasted gross too, so I had to dilute it more to get him to drink it. I too find that that gelatin (NOW brand) has a funky taste.
Be VERY careful what brands of gelatin or collagen peptides you buy. MANY are testing super high in glyphosate residue. I would suggest ONLY buying a brand that has certified testing that their product is pure.
I have been giving this raw milk formula to my baby since she was born. She is now a month old and experiencing some discomfort and constipation what would you advise? Thanks in advance…
Thank you Sarah! I first ordered the marine collagen, but I went ahead and canceled and ordered the Grassfed version. I’ll try this out and also do trial and error with the nutritional yeast until I find the right recipe for my little one. Thank you for all your feedback and your quick response!
Cathy
Also, which peptides should I purchase? The marine collagen or the collagen Grassfed one?
Thank you,
Cathy
I would suggest the grassfed collagen.
Hi Sarah, I’m definitely going to try peptides instead of the gelatin. My baby was responding well to the formula in the beginning, but lately he’s been having digestive upset. Now when I use peptides, do I also add the powdered lactose in the blender ? No need to dissolve in heat correct? Add everything to blender at once? Just want to make sure I understand.
Also, what would be a substitute for nutritional yeast? Incase that’s what’s bothering my little one. Or would I just cut back to 1 teaspoon?
I just ordered the peptides now, for when I make today’s milk should I NOT add the gelatin since I don’t have the peptides yet?
Thank you in advance,
Cathy
Yes, you can dissolve everything in the blender at once. There is no sub for the nutritional yeast. Cut back or eliminate it if it is giving your baby problems.
Please DO NOT order Great Lakes peptides by the way. Someone I know tested them and they came back high in glyphosate residue.
Thankyou so much for responding so quickly to my question! I will keep up with just breast milk and a nutrient dense diet, I appreciate your advice !
Hi Sarah thank you for the article! I have a turn baby who was born with in Turin uterine growth restriction. We’re home from the NICU and I’m exclusively pumping breast milk to feed her. Doctor say she needs more calories and I don’t want to do formula in my milk. Do you have any suggestions of how much collagen I might add to my breast milk? Also do you know if a little bit of molasses milk mixed into my milk would be all right? Or if you have resources to add these questions I greatly appreciate it! Thank you
Molasses milk is NOT ok. It was not recommended by nutritionist Dr. Mary Enig who developed the homemade baby formula. Nor is it a good idea to add collagen to your breastmilk. Taking ingredients from the homemade baby formula in isolation and adding to breastmilk is not a good practice.
If you don’t want to make the homemade baby formula and mix with your breastmilk, then I would suggest eating a lot of foods that are high in good fats such as pastured eggs, nuts, and grassfed cream. This will naturally make your breastmilk richer for your baby. In China, breastfeeding women are encouraged to eat up to a dozen egg yolks a day … no wonder children from this area of the world tend to be so smart! Their mother’s breastmilk is loaded with the types of fats that build the fast growing infant brain.
Hi there,
I have an 12month old baby boy who was raised on Organic Dairy powdered formula by Earths Best. He’s eating more and more solids now but I have found that his 9oz bottle At night isn’t enough to keep him satisfied. Do you think collagen added to his night bottle would be okay to do?
That is a question for your doctor!
Can I use a non dairy option, instead of cows milk, goats milk, raw milk, camel milk? Just wondering my options
Yes, here’s the recipe. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-hypoallergenic-baby-formula/
I got an infant that was starved the first month of birth before we got him. He only gained 2 ounces from his birth weight. The doctors gave him a high calorie formula that we cannot get for a little while. Can I add some collegen to the baby formula for a few extra calories?