In this review
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Editor’s Note: Testing for this review was completed before the 11/2025 nationwide recall of ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula. Caregivers are recommended to stop using ByHeart immediately and monitor their babies for symptoms of infant botulism.
Choosing an infant formula can feel overwhelming. Whole milk or nonfat? Is organic important? Which brands are most like breast milk? Which will my baby actually drink? And maybe most importantly, which products can I trust to be safe and free from heavy metals and contaminants?
To help answer these questions about formula, we consulted Pediatric Dietitian Lisa Grentz (MS, RD, CD). She started with the importance of a whole milk base: it naturally “delivers more milk fat per milliliter” than skim milk-based formulas, “helping your baby meet energy needs and supporting growth without overfeeding.”
We combined Grentz’s expertise with our own testing to compare the top whole milk-based baby formulas: Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula, Bobbie Organic Whole Milk Infant Formula, ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula, and Kendamil Organic Infant Formula. We reviewed each hands-on for ingredients, quality, consistency, and price. Read on to find out our winner.
Should You Use Formula?
If you’re wrestling with the decision to combo feed, or formula feed, don’t stress. “I recommend infant formula when breast milk isn’t available, isn’t tolerated, or isn’t meeting an infant’s nutritional needs,” says Grentz, our Pediatric Dietitian, in addition to choosing what’s right for maternal mental health. “That includes low supply, poor weight gain, feeding intolerance, or suspected allergies.”
The most important factors when choosing a whole milk formula? That it’s modeled after breast milk, meets strict safety standards, and is affordable. How do our four brands compare?
Ingredients & Nutrition:
Nara Wins with Closest Match to Breast Milk
When choosing a formula, Grentz says, “look for products that closely mimic breast milk’s nutrient profile,” and ingredient makeup:
- A 60:40 whey-to-casein ratio for “gentle digestion.”
- 100% lactose as the only carbohydrate, since “that’s what nourishes beneficial gut bacteria.”
- DHA and ARA,“essential fatty acids that support brain, eye, and immune development.” EU-made formulas require the inclusion of at least 20mg of DHA per 100cal, while DHA is not required in U.S.-made formulas.1
- Prebiotics to “establish a healthy gut microbiome and support immune function.”
Here’s how the four formulas compared:
🥇 Nara checks all of our boxes with the formula that most closely resembles breast milk:
- Made with organic whole milk
- Has the highest milk fat percentage of any U.S. formula - a special designation from the FDA.2
- Features the ideal 60:40 whey-to-casein ratio
- Lactose as the sole carbohydrate (and no added sugars)
- DHA and ARA at levels that meet EU requirements
- Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) organic prebiotics for softer stools and a healthy microbiome.
“Nara’s unique milk fat profile brings its fat composition closer to breast milk than any other U.S. formula,” says Grentz.
🥈 Kendamil is whole milk-based and made in the UK, meets EU standards for DHA and ARA, and features a 60:40 whey-to-casein ratio. Like Nara, it includes prebiotics for gentler digestion. However, because Kendamil uses a mix of skim and whole milk, its milk fat percentage is lower than Nara’s.
❌ Bobbie is made with organic whole milk and a 60:40 whey-to-casein ratio, with DHA and ARA added. However, Bobbie’s milk fat percentage is lower than Nara’s and it features no prebiotics.
❌ ByHeart is made with whole milk and clean ingredients, but uses an 80:20 whey-to-casein ratio, which can digest too quickly and requires more frequent feeding. DHA content is lower than the EU minimum, and it doesn’t include prebiotics.
Formulation & Quality Standards:
Nara Wins with EU Manufacturing and Extensive Safety Tests
Heavy metal contaminants like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury have been found in baby formulas during third-party testing. These metals are known neurotoxins, and even small exposure can impact infant brain development. That’s why we reviewed USDA Organic and Clean Label Project certifications for all brands, in addition to third-party safety data and industry reports.
🥇 Nara is manufactured in Germany under EU regulations, which require stricter nutrient ranges than in the United States and mandates DHA. It’s also USDA Organic, Clean Label Project certified, and a winner of the Clean Label Purity Award and Pesticide Free Award – that means it’s independently tested for harmful chemicals including heavy metals, pesticides, and other contaminants. Nara’s formula undergoes more than 2,000 quality and safety checks per batch for contaminants and nutrient accuracy.3
Most other European-made formulas are not FDA-regulated – meaning American consumers won’t be notified about safety notices or recalls. Nara is FDA-regulated, produced in a German facility that has manufactured leading European formulas for over 70 years, and is imported into the U.S. for distribution. Nara also includes SRC screening to detect conditions that support botulism-related bacterial growth – something other brands like Bobbie are only starting to implement.
“These certifications go beyond basic FDA requirements and offer families added reassurance,” Grentz explains.
🥈 Bobbie is USDA Organic and Clean Label Project certified. Unlike Nara, however, Bobbie is manufactured in the U.S. - not subject to the EU’s stricter safety standards. Bobbie is starting to implement SRC screening following the ByHeart recall.
🥉 Kendamil is Clean Label Project certified and carries USDA Organic certification through the EU Organic Equivalency Program. It also uses grass-fed milk and passes pesticide testing.4 However, Kendamil also does not publish information on SRC screening.
❌ ByHeart holds Clean Label Project certification, though it is not USDA Organic certified. Recent Consumer Reports findings also noted lead amounts approaching daily limits.4 Grentz, our Pediatric Dietitian, called these findings “concerning, as even small exposures can impact brain development and behavior.”
Editor’s Note: On November 11, 2025, ByHeart recalled all of its formula nationwide, amid a multistate infant botulism outbreak.5 We do not recommend ByHeart formula.
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Consistency & Smell:
Nara and Bobbie Tie for Best Texture and Smell
How a formula mixes matters - clumps or foam can make bottles harder to prepare and less appealing to babies. We prepared each formula as recommended, and compared their texture and smell. The sweet, buttery scent of breast milk is a key feeding cue for infants that’s missing from most formulas, which typically have a metallic scent due to presence of iron and other minerals.6
🥇 Nara was creamy and smooth with almost no foam. The smell is mild and buttery - our moms noted it was closer to the natural scent of breast milk than the other brands we tested.
🥇 Bobbie ties with Nara - also smooth and easy to mix. The smell is lightly sweet, closer to breast milk instead of the metallic scent of the other formulas we tested.
🥉 ByHeart mixed well, but had an off-putting, metallic smell due to iron and mineral content. It’s not something we’d want to taste or feed our babies.
❌ Kendamil had a thicker texture with occasional clumping. Also had that strong, metallic smell.
Price:
Nara Wins with the Best Value
Formula feeding adds up quickly - on average, babies aged 4-8 months drink 5-8 prepared 4-ounce bottles per day. That’s about 3-5 days per 400g container of formula, or $3-$8 per day based on our brands.
🥇 Nara is the most affordable at $0.54 per 4oz bottle with Motherful’s discount - and still the best value at $0.89 for a monthly subscription without.
🥈 Kendamil is second at $0.77 per 4oz bottle, but with lower ingredient quality than Nara.
🥉 ByHeart is third at $0.95 per 4oz bottle.
❌ Bobbie is the most expensive at $1.08 per 4oz bottle.
Our Verdict: Nara Is the Best Whole Milk Infant Formula
Nara Organics Whole Milk Infant Formula wins our comparison of the top Whole Milk Infant Formulas of 2025. It has the highest milk fat percentage of any U.S. formula, EU manufacturing that meets stricter standards, and the best mixability and smell.
Our Pediatric Dietitian Grentz agrees: “Nara is my top recommendation for families seeking a clean, evidence-based, and thoughtfully regulated formula.”
For our editor’s family, switching to Nara made combo feeding easier and guilt-free. Her 7-month-old Miles is thriving on formula that meets strict quality standards, is gentle on his tummy, and closely resembles the composition of breast milk.
Ready to try Nara? Save 50% with Motherful’s exclusive discount (that’s just $14 per container):
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