Twice in the last month I have received enquiries from customers asking whether the Holle organic baby milks and formulas have the chemical fluoride added during their production.
I have consulted Holle's head of quality control and nutrition and can categorically confirm that the Holle organic baby milks and formulas do NOT have fluoride added. Furthermore, none of the organic baby food produced by Holle have fluoride added.
I am aware of the possible dangers of fluoride and am against 'mass medication' by adding it to our drinking water (luckily not everywhere in the UK or Europe) and to our toothpastes. When I first learned about fluoride many years ago I was indeed very shocked, especially considering that the aluminium industry tells us that their by-product is good for us humans while it is used to kill rats at the same time. I would recommend any parent look into the issue of fluoride in our food and drink and take action to protect their babies - who are, after all,extremely vulnerable and deserve a pure and wholesome diet.
Holle Baby Milks - The Nutritional Breakdown
When looking at the nutritional breakdown on any of the Holle organic baby milk packaging you will though find reference to fluoride in the list of nutrients in the formulas. So, what is going on - didn't I just categorically state that fluoride isn't added to the baby milks? I did, and that is perfectly correct. The fluoride trace content declared on the packaging is simply what naturally occurs in the milk derived from the biodynamically/organically raised cows that supply the milk to produce the baby formula. I should point out that fresh milk naturally contains traces of fluoride, as will most foods - just like many other trace elements.How Do the Holle Baby Formulas Compare?
One customer also mentioned in his email another well known brand of organic baby milks and formulas and his concern at the levels of fluoride in their baby milks. While I will not mention the manufacturer, I have checked the figures and can confirm a huge difference in the levels of fluoride present between their organic baby milks and those produced by Holle. The figures are as follows:- Holle - 0.56 µg per 100 ml made up follow-on infant formula
- Other brand - 36.0 µg per 100 ml made up follow-on infant formula
One statistic I looked at after I sent my earlier e-mail was how the Holle milk compares with mothers' breast milk in terms of natural fluoride content, and I found it was broadly the same amount.