Rethinking Plant-Based Infant Formula: A Step in the Right Direction, But Are We Asking the Right Questions?

The evolution of plant-based infant nutrition is an exciting and necessary shift in the industry. Parents today are looking for dairy-free alternatives that align with their ethical values, health concerns, and dietary restrictions. Grow with Iris and founder Camilla Langfield have taken on the ambitious challenge of creating a plant-based alternative to traditional formulas, recognizing the critical need for an option free from dairy and common allergens like soy.

Langfield’s commitment to research, funding, and innovation deserves recognition. With over ￡550,000 in funding and R&D support from Innovate UK, the brand is actively working to find the best plant-based protein for infant nutrition. And as Langfield herself has acknowledged, it might not be pea. That level of self-awareness in product development is rare and commendable.

But this is where we need to pause. Because while innovation is necessary, not all plant-based ingredients are created equal. Pea protein, a popular choice in plant-based foods, may not be the best solution for growing infants or even adults. And date sugar, despite its natural origins, is still a processed sweetener that doesn’t belong in a formula designed for early development.

This isn’t an argument against plant-based nutrition. It’s a call for a more thoughtful approach, one that prioritizes whole-food ingredients, bioavailability, and long-term health outcomes over marketable labels and trends.

Pea Protein: Convenient, Yes. Optimal, No.

Pea protein isolate has become a darling of the plant-based industry. It’s widely used in protein powders, meat substitutes, and now, emerging infant formulas. But convenience doesn’t equate to nutritional superiority, especially for young children.

Peas contain lectins, natural compounds that plants produce as a defense mechanism. These lectins can disrupt digestion, cause inflammation, and interfere with nutrient absorption, issues that should be of major concern when formulating an infant’s primary source of nutrition. Processing peas into an isolate doesn’t necessarily remove these compounds; in some cases, it can concentrate them.

For adults, this might be an serious inconvenience. For infants, whose digestive systems are still developing, it’s a significant concern. A formula should be built around what the body can absorb and utilize most efficiently, not just what fits a trending plant-based narrative.

Langfield and her team are already exploring other plant-based protein options, a sign that they’re willing to adapt and refine their formula. This is exactly what innovation should look like—continuous questioning, rigorous testing, and a commitment to finding what truly works rather than settling for what’s available.

Date Sugar: A Sweetener with a Friendly Name, But is it Necessary?

At first glance, date sugar sounds like a more natural alternative to refined sweeteners. After all, dates are whole fruits, rich in fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. But date sugar isn’t the same as eating whole dates. Once processed, it becomes a concentrated source of sugar without the fiber and full nutrient profile that make whole dates beneficial.

Sugars, regardless of their source, should not be a staple in infant nutrition. Early exposure to added sweetness can condition young taste buds to crave sugar, which can impact their future eating habits. Additionally, sugar spikes insulin levels, which is not ideal for an infant’s metabolic development.

A plant-based formula doesn’t need processed sugar to be palatable. Whole-food sources of carbohydrates, such as sprouted grains or natural fats from seeds and nuts, can provide sustained energy without the metabolic drawbacks of added sweeteners.

A Smarter Way Forward for Plant-Based Infant Nutrition

Langfield’s work in pushing the boundaries of plant-based infant nutrition is necessary and commendable. But true innovation isn’t just about creating an alternative—it’s about creating something better. That means questioning every ingredient, every process, and every assumption about what plant-based nutrition should look like.

If the goal is to match the complexity and digestibility of breast milk, formulas must be built around ingredients that are gentle on digestion, rich in essential nutrients, and bioavailable in their whole form. That means exploring whole-food-based plant proteins rather than isolates that concentrate anti-nutrients, avoiding processed sweeteners in favor of naturally occurring, slow-digesting carbohydrates, and focusing on gut health and long-term metabolic balance, not just short-term market trends.

The plant-based nutrition space is filled with opportunity, but it’s also filled with shortcuts. The brands that succeed in the long run will be those that push beyond convenience and into true, whole-food innovation.

Grow with Iris is on the right path, but the best plant-based infant formula has yet to be made. With continued research, transparency, and a commitment to whole-food excellence, the future of infant nutrition could be truly revolutionary.

And that’s the formula worth investing in.

I trust you’ll enjoy and benefit greatly from these insights???For user centric plant-based content, make sure to follow me @dffrntwrdBG