You may have heard us talk about DHA and ARA... but just what are they and why do we use them in our range? Let's take a closer look at these two important ingredients.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) are vital fatty acids that play an important role in our health throughout our life and are especially crucial for little ones. While the human body makes small amounts of DHA and ARA, infants actually make very little. While DHA is one of the omega-3 fatty acids (the healthy kind usually found in oily fish) ARA is part of the omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA); both are important for different reasons, with DHA crucial for brain development and ARA important for immunity and immune response.

Naturally found in breastmilk, DHA and ARA play an important role in early brain and eye development. And as both naturally occur in the mother’s milk, fortifying with these essential fats helps formula more closely resemble the nutritional content of breastmilk during this rapid time of growth. In fact, infant brains experience a rapid growth spurt, reaching half their adult size within 3 months of birth. While the brain certainly continues to develop through to early adulthood, physically, the brain has reached 90% of adult size by age 5. In addition to supporting your bub in its early development, some theorise it may also reduce the risk of ADHD and learning difficulties.

The LittleOak difference

We believe in wholesome, natural goodness, which is why we always let nature do the talking. While many brands source their DHA and ARA from fish oil (a common allergen), at LittleOak, we source our DHA and ARA from the most natural and sustainable algae sources. Even better? In many cases, our DHA is at levels that are 4-5 times higher than our peers.

If you have questions about our DHA and ARA, please contact our Careline. We are always here to help.

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LittleOak has been nourishing children for many years and feeds millions of infants, babies and children across the globe each and every day, in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. In the US, we're proud to have our FDA compliant Toddler Milk available for families.