Benefits of DHA & ARA
Nutrients from breastmilk have a great impact on your baby. Some of the major components of breastmilk are digestible fatty acids, which are very important to your baby’s healthy growth and development.
Benefits of DHA & ARA
Fatty acids make up 60% of the human brain. Two of these fatty acids play a critical role in supporting your baby's brain and eye development: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) & ARA (arachidonic acid). Some experts believe that DHA & ARA are associated with the development of an infant's brain and her eventual ability to learn, judge, and concentrate.
Sources of DHA & ARA
Throughout your third trimester of pregnancy, you pass DHA & ARA to your baby through the placenta. Naturally, these nutrients are also passed on to your baby during breastfeeding. DHA & ARA can also be found in formula, and DHA can be found in infant cereals and purees with DHA when your baby starts eating solid foods.
Breastfeeding: How your diet helps
The levels of DHA & ARA in a woman's breastmilk vary depending on how much she eats of the foods containing the fatty acids. That’s why what you eat is so important to the health of your baby. DHA (an omega-3 type of fatty acid) is concentrated in the oils of cold-water ocean fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines. ARA (an omega-6 fatty acid) is found in dairy products, meat, and eggs.
How your formula helps
Babies who are formula-fed can also receive these essential fatty acids. Babies make DHA & ARA from the fatty acids linolenic acid and linoleic acid found in DHA-fortified formulas. Some studies have shown that infant formulas enriched with DHA & ARA can provide additional benefits for infants' brain and eye development.