What is so secretive about baby food?
Turns out quite a bit.
It’s also amazing how much money and politics can affect our children’s food.
So if you think you know all there is to know about baby food, think again.
To all my fellow mamas buying their baby food, we’re going to be okay.
We just need to pay attention to the ingredients.
You have only one opportunity to establish the ideal foundation for a child’s future health."
It pays to be careful with labels.
One ingredient to watch out for is acrylamide.
Some apple baby foods even exceeded the maximum allowed amount of pesticides for children!
This becomes especially interesting when the government is forced to pay more for the WIC program’s baby food.
However, there isno clear scientific consensusthat they confer any health benefits to full-term infants or toddlers."
It’s important for consumers to continue to be on the lookout and question claims that aren’t proven.
Researchers fed traditional jarred baby food to rats who were predisposed to hypertension.
Researchers voiced concern about the amount of sodium found in processed baby food.
“This added [sodium] is unnecessary for the health of infants,” researchers explained.
“It may contribute to the later development of hypertension in genetically predisposed individuals.”
That means giving up some pretty delicious treats.
See ya later hot dogs.
Sorry bacon, well on second thought, we can still see each other sometimes.
However, I never thought about nitrates being in tiny jars of baby food.
Researchers from theUniversity of Iowa College of Medicinestudied nitrate levels in store-bought baby foods.
“Recently there was a study released where lead was found in 20 percent of baby foods sampled.
No amount of lead is safe for infants,” Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and mom of threeLindsey Cartertold me.
Potentially making your own baby food at home could reduce lead exposure by reducing processing."
TheFood and Drug Administrationrecommends never microwaving baby food in the jar it came in.
When microwaving baby food, always transfer it to a clean dish.
Then microwave it for about 15 seconds and always allow it to rest for at least 30 seconds.
Stir well to avoid any hot spots and test it out first.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to eat it.
Just give it a temperature test.
Safe baby food should feel lukewarm.
It’s expensive!
If you have ever shopped for baby food, you were probably shocked at the prices the first time.
If you buy organic baby food, then you really know you’re paying a premium.
Studies have shown that parents arewilling to pay moreif they feel the food is healthier for their baby.
Because the cost of baby food, especially organic, keeps rising, Carter recommends making your own.
Little jars, big business
Because baby food can be so expensive, it means big business.
That money is going somewhere, and it’s not just going to food giants like Gerber.
Smaller companies are coming up in the market and becoming wildly successful.
Agatha Achindu quit her job at aFortune500 company and drained her 401K to start Yummy Spoonfuls.
“It would only take an immigrant to do something like this,” Cameroon-born AchindutoldFortune.
“I took every penny out of our 401Ks.
It was everything we had.”
Well, Achindu’s gamble paid off.
She broke into Target, and her products are now in over 1500 stores nationwide and growing!
During the cooking and sealing processes, there arechemical interactionsthat can affect the texture and safety of the food.
It is vital that companies carefully monitor the entire environment.
Everything from temperature to moisture levels during the process makes a difference.
Once you bring the baby food home from the store, see to it you are safely storing it.
Never feed your baby food directly from the jar and then save the rest for later.
Check for furan
Never heard of furan?
However, those pouches come with a downside.
First, these pouches don’t teach our kids how to feed themselves.
“Food pouches are consumed through sucking, not chewing.
Children need to learn how to eat,” PediatricianDina Kulikwrote in theHuffington Post.
And while we parents love the no-mess factor, it’s not all positive for the baby.
“This is a vital part of learning about food and how to eat it.”
According to Dr. Kulik, pouches are fine sometimes, but don’t rely on them for every meal.
It used to be made for adults
Are you ready for this?
Why don’t we start making baby food for adults?"
In 1974, baby food giant Gerber started making larger portions of baby food forsingle adults.
Not surprisingly, this trend didn’t last long, and Gerber pulled its adult jars.
However, that fad is coming back around.
Replacing meals with baby food has become one of the latest celebrity diet secrets.
However, like many celebrity fads, this one is not sustainable.
“Baby food is lacking adequate amounts of fiber, fat, and protein to sustain a healthy adult.
Making your own, while time-consuming, can help avoid most of the worries addressed here.
