Probiotic Foods for Infants: Good Bacteria for Tiny Tummies
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Walking down the aisles at grocery stores, you may have seen the words “probiotics,” “prebiotics,” and “live” or “active” cultures on food labels that look like healthy choices for babies and children. However, you may not be sure what those words mean or whether they are safe for little ones.
You may be wondering, “What really is a probiotic?” “Do babies need them in their diet?” “Is it best to get probiotics from foods, supplements, or both?”
In general, offering babies probiotic-containing foods may help promote overall gut health and regulate reflux, spit-ups, gas, and digestion. In this post, we’ll cover what probiotics are, why they are beneficial, and how to identify the best probiotic foods for babies.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms (i.e., “friendly bacteria”) found in foods and supplements, that, when consumed in adequate amounts, provide health benefits to the host. Some of the health benefits probiotics provide include aiding in digestion, adding to the friendly bacteria already present in the gut, and helping the body protect against harmful bacteria.
What are the benefits of probiotics?
Probiotics may help promote healthy digestion by maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. When an external factor, such as an antibiotic or virus, disturbs the gut microbiome, friendly bacteria work to return the body to a healthier state. Probiotics may also help support immune health, reduce the frequency of respiratory tract infections, and help with functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndromes.
Probiotic supplements can be helpful early in the course of diarrhea from acute viral gastroenteritis in infants and children. Some evidence supports the use of probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, but no evidence supports their benefit for treatment.
The administration of a specific strain of probiotics, called L. reuteri has been shown to reduce infant colic in breastfed babies. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are strains of probiotics that may help increase stool frequency by promoting peristalsis, or movement of food through the digestive tract, which can be especially helpful in babies and toddlers.
That said, we need more research to better understand good and bad bacteria, a child’s gut health, and the benefits of specific probiotic strains, dosing, and probiotic treatment regimens in babies, toddlers, and young children.
What are prebiotics?
If you have heard of probiotics, there is a good chance you have heard the term “prebiotics” floating around more recently. Prebiotics are types of dietary fibers or non-digestible carbohydrates that beneficially nourish the good bacteria already present in the colon or large intestine. In simpler terms, they act as fertilizer for the healthy bacteria in our digestive system.
Common kid-friendly sources of prebiotics include certain fruits and vegetables (like bananas, apples, berries, onions, garlic, and broccoli), whole grains, and legumes. These foods contain specific types of fibers such as inulin, oligofructose, and certain types of resistant starch that act as prebiotics in the gut.
Probiotics in Breast Milk?
One of the best and most accessible sources of both probiotic bacteria and prebiotics is breast milk. Breast milk naturally contains beneficial types of bacteria specifically tailored to contribute to the infant's gut health. These bacteria come from the mother's own gut and are passed on to the baby through breastfeeding, helping to establish the baby’s gut microbiota early on.
Breast milk contains natural probiotics and prebiotics called human milk oligosaccharides. These compounds promote the development of a healthy gut, which is directly related to a baby’s immune system.
**FUN FACT**: Did you know over 70% of our immune system is in our gut? Breast-fed infants have significantly more developed and diverse microbiomes.
However, breast milk may not be available for a wide variety of reasons, and in this case, choosing a formula that contains added prebiotics and probiotics may be beneficial.
Best Probiotic Foods for Babies
Introducing foods containing probiotics to babies can be beneficial for their digestive health, gastrointestinal tract, and immune system. Many probiotic foods, especially heavily fermented foods like plain yogurt and kefir, can have a tart flavor profile, so it may take several exposures before babies learn to accept the taste.
Here are some of the best probiotic-rich foods suitable for babies:
1. Yogurt
Choose plain, whole milk yogurt that contains live and active probiotic strains. Avoid flavored yogurts with added sugars. Start with small amounts to ensure your baby tolerates it well, then begin to build into meals and snacks by serving fruit and ground nut parfaits, stirring yogurt into savory dips and soups, blending into smoothies, or using as a topping for baked potatoes. Greek or Icelandic yogurts may be more manageable for babies as they are more dense and less likely to slip off the spoon during self-feeding.
**TOP TIP**: Look for the “Live Active Cultures” seal. Good bacteria are found in almost all yogurts, including plant-based versions, which are helpful for dairy-free children and anyone with cow’s milk allergies or intolerances.
2. Kefir
This fermented milk drink is rich in probiotics and can be introduced gradually to babies. When shopping for kefir, look for options with low or no-added sugars. Plain, unsweetened kefir is delicious when blended with fruit.
3. Cottage cheese and some other cheeses like Swiss, provolone, gouda, cheddar, edam, and gruyere
Soft, pasteurized, spreadable cheeses are an ideal soft texture for babies. Harder cheeses like Swiss and gruyere can be served in shreds or paper-thin slices. Hold off on serving harder cubes or sticks of cheese until about age 2, when toddlers have had more practice chewing.
4. Miso
A traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, miso can be heavily diluted and added to soups or other foods for babies. Miso is high in sodium, so it’s best to only use a tiny amount.
5. Sauerkraut
Fermented cabbage is a good source of probiotics. Ensure it is finely chopped or pureed for babies to help prevent choking.
6. Kimchi
This Korean fermented vegetable dish can introduce diverse probiotic strains to your baby's diet. Again, ensure it is finely chopped and introduced gradually.
7. Sourdough bread
Sourdough bread can be easier to digest than other breads thanks to the natural fermentation process that creates lactic acid bacteria. Serving strips or pieces of lightly toasted bread to a baby or toddler is ideal. Lightly toasting the strips helps keep the bread from falling apart and making a mess in the baby's hands—just avoid over-toasting, as this can over-harden the bread and make it difficult for babies to manage.
Are Probiotic Foods Allergenic?
Some probiotic foods, including cheese, kefir, yogurt, sourdough bread, miso, and tempeh, contain top allergens. While research suggests that offering top allergenic foods early and often during infancy can help reduce the risk of food allergies, it is important to start slow and offer allergenic foods for the first time without other new foods, so that you can watch for any signs of allergic reaction.
If your baby already has a diagnosed food allergy or is at high risk for food allergies, talk with your child’s pediatrician, registered dietitian, or allergist about a plan for allergen introduction.
How to shop for the best baby-friendly probiotic foods
When you’re at the grocery store, look towards the bottom of the ingredients list on the food labels of products you’re interested in buying. This is where you can find evidence of which probiotic strands are in the product.
Look for the “Live Active Cultures” seal, which indicates the presence of probiotics. Some of the most common groups of friendly bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
In the United States, the amount of live microbes found in a probiotic supplement or food is seen as Colony Forming Units (CFUs) on the label. Some labels are more detailed than others when it comes to quantifying these different strains of bacteria, which can be confusing. It is important to know that there is currently no set amount of CFUs that is recommended.
And remember, as you build food sources of probiotics into your baby’s diet, think about what else you can add to round out the meal and/or snack. For example, adding crushed berries and some ground flax seeds* to cottage cheese or yogurt results in a balanced meal and provides an excellent source of iron, vitamin C, and fiber.
Should babies take probiotic supplements?
As a pediatric dietitian and infant and toddler feeding expert, building probiotic-rich foods into the diet is always my first recommendation for supporting a healthy microbiome in babies and children. But if you have kids, you likely already know that serving probiotic-rich foods doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your child will eat them, especially if your child tends to be a picky eater. (Click here if this sounds familiar - you can download my free guide to navigating picky eating like a pro).
Probiotic supplements have not been shown to be harmful in healthy, term babies or in healthy children and they tend to have few (if any) side effects. However, we don’t have enough evidence of their clinical efficacy to support recommending the routine use of these dietary supplements.
**It’s important to note that while probiotics are generally considered safe, they should not be given to acutely or chronically ill children or premature infants due to the potential risk of illness or complications.**
That being said, sometimes a probiotic supplement is needed. For example, if a baby is struggling with chronic constipation, digestive issues, or colic and management has been challenging, a probiotic supplement can be helpful.
Before offering your baby any probiotic supplements, always consult with your child’s pediatrician and/or registered dietitian first. Ask for recommendations for a reputable brand that contains living cultures of the specific strains that address the health conditions you are trying to improve.
Best Probiotic Supplements for Babies
If your pediatrician or registered dietitian does recommend a supplement for your baby, make sure you look for reputable brands with specific strands known to be beneficial to infant health, such as B. infantis and L. reuteri. Check the ingredients list to make sure the supplement does not contain any unnecessary additives, artificial colors, or allergens that your baby may be sensitive to.
Here are a few that I like:
Can a baby have too many probiotics?
Introducing too many probiotics or introducing them too quickly can overwhelm a baby's digestive system, leading to symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort. Probiotic supplements or foods marketed for adults may contain strains or concentrations that are not suitable for infants. It's important to choose probiotics specifically formulated for infants and follow recommended dosages.
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Thanks for reading!