Enfamil Infant and Similac 360 Total Care are both standard milk-based formulas designed for babies with no health issues, made from nonfat milk + whey protein concentrate and 100% lactose. However, they have different fat sources and a whey-to-casein ratio. Also, they don’t have the same prebiotics.
Mom’s Reviews Comparison:
Ingredients Comparison:
Both formulas use whey protein concentrate and nonfat milk (skim milk) as protein sources. Nonfat milk is cow’s milk but the fat has been removed.
The whey-to-casein ratio of regular Enfamil is 60:40 whereas 360 Total Care has a ratio of 48:52. The average ratio in breast milk is between 70% to 30% and 80% to 20% in early lactation and 50% to 50% in late lactation. The difference between them is that whey is digested quickly contrary to casein.
Regarding fat source, Similac 360 Total Care doesn’t use palm oil contrary to Enfamil Infant. Palm oil may reduce fat and calcium absorption which can lead to constipation. However, this is not always the case, many babies drink formulas containing palm oil and have no health issues.
Another difference between these two formulas is in the prebiotics, Enfamil Infant has two prebiotics whereas Similac 360 Total Care has 5 HMO prebiotics to help promote digestive health. Prebiotics are food for probiotics (good bacteria).
« HMOs are special prebiotics found naturally in a mother’s breast milk. They are the most abundant solid ingredient in breast milk after fat and carbohydrates. In breastfed babies, HMOs are scientifically shown to positively affect the microbiome. » says nutritionnews.Abbott
Related: Similac 360 Total Care Vs 360 Total Care Sensitive: What’s The Difference?
Nutrition Comparison:
In terms of nutrition, Enfamil Infant has more minerals, and vitamins E and C than Similac 360 Total Care Sensitive. However, the latter has a high inositol level the regular Enfamil while the average level in breast milk during lactation is 22mg /100 Cal.
“Inositol is an essential nutrient required by human cells in culture for growth and survival. Inositol promotes maturation of several components of surfactant and may play a critical role in fetal and early neonatal life. A drop in inositol levels in infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) can be a sign that their illness will be severe.”
Source: National Library of Medicine
Price Comparison:
In terms of price, Enfamil Infant is way cheaper than Similac 360 Total Care. The high price of the latter is due to its 5 HMO prebiotics. However, these features aren’t making a big difference. Thus, it’s better to start with Enfamil Infant because it has shown good results and it’s cheaper.
On average, a baby could drink from 7500 to 9000 oz per year. If we did a quick math we will find that parents will spend up to 11000 $ on Enfamil Infant 29.4 oz per year and 13000 $ on 360 Total Care 30.8. That’s 2000$ of difference!!
Or, you can switch to generic brands because they are way cheaper and approved by the FDA.
The table below shows a full comparison between Enfamil Infant and Similac 360 Total Care in terms of price, size, and rating:
| ENFAMIL INFANT | SIMILAC 360 TOTAL CARE |
|---|---|
| 12.5 oz 17.26 $ 1.38 /oz 21.1 oz 25.27 $ 1.20 /oz 29.4 oz 35.83 $ 1.22 /oz 32 fl oz 8.98$ 28.1 ¢/fl oz | 20.6 oz 35.99 $ 1.75 /oz 30.8 oz 44.88$ 1.46 /oz 8-fl-oz 16.82$ 2.10 $/fl oz 32-fl-oz 9.82$ 30.7 ¢/fl oz |
| 4.8 of 5.0 3133 reviews | 4.8 of 5.0 235 reviews |
Buy 12.5 oz HERE Buy 21.1 oz HERE Buy 29.4 oz HERE Buy Ready-to-use | Buy 20.6 oz HERE Buy 30.8 oz HERE Buy 8 fl oz HERE Buy 32 fl oz HERE |
Can You Mix and Switch Between Enfamil Infant and 360 Total Care?
Yes, you can mix and switch between Enfamil Infant and Similac 360 Total Care as you want because they are standard milk-based formulas with the same protein, fat, and carbs sources designed for babies with no sensitivity issues.
The Best One?
From this comparison, we conclude that both formulas are the same, they will give your baby the same nutritional value he needs. But, Enfamil Infant is the best in terms of price and feedback whereas 360 Total Care is good for parents who don’t prefer palm oil. prebiotics aren’t making a big difference the most important thing to consider is protein, carbohydrate, and fat sources.
