Tag: Infant gut microbiome

Mature human breast milk contains approximately 7% carbohydrates, making it a naturally sweet fluid vital for infant development. While the term 'sugar' often carries a negative connotation, the sugars found in breast milk are fundamentally different from added sugars in processed foods and serve critical functions for a baby's health.

Recent research reveals that in industrialized nations, as many as 90% of infants lack sufficient colonization of the crucial probiotic, *Bifidobacterium infantis* (B. infantis), a decline largely attributed to modern birthing and feeding practices. This beneficial bacterium, once a cornerstone of the infant gut microbiome, is primarily found in its natural state in a baby's gastrointestinal tract during the first few years of life. The good news is that supplementation and certain feeding methods can help restore its presence.