Breast milk is known to be very good for babies, but not all families can breastfeed due to medical or practical reasons.
For a long time, scientists have been trying to make baby formula that's almost as good as breast milk.
Let's find out more about the discovery that can change everything.
A new discovery that might help babies
Recently, researchers at the University of Kansas found something interesting.
They discovered that adding a special part of milk to baby formula could help children's brains develop better.
This part is called the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM).
In their study, babies who were given formula with MFGM for a year had higher IQs when they were 5 ½ years old.
These kids were also better at some tasks like thinking quickly and understanding things with their eyes.
They also did well in tests of skills like following rules and controlling themselves.
All kinds of milk from mammals, like cows and humans, have these fat globules surrounded by a special part that has many good things for our health and brain.
More about the study
Usually, when they make baby formula, they take this part out. But now, researchers are seeing that it might be really important for babies.
This study builds on earlier research from 2019 that showed that babies who had formula with MFGM did better on tests when they were younger.
Scientists still need to figure out which part of MFGM is making these benefits happen.
But it's clear that this special part of milk can help kids even after they stop having formula.
This shows that what babies eat when they are very little can have a big impact on how their brains develop as they grow up.
