Lets talk baby food, what is actually in the food marketed for your little one?
There are hundreds of different brands out there with fortified this and enriched that... everything claiming the best health for your baby. But what is the best thing to actually give to your baby?
If you decide that baby foods made from a company is the way to go, make sure you are checking the labels and ingredients, it may not just be fruit or vegetable puree. Many baby foods are full of other additives and preservatives, but also added sodium and sugars. This is unnecessary for an infant and is not healthy for an infant at this stage of life.
Many parents choose to make their own baby food, which is a great way to ensure that no extra ingredients go into your baby's food. However, for some the time it takes is not feasible, and that is okay. So what should you look for?
Your best option in this case, is finding a baby food brand that has the least amount of ingredients as possible. We aren't talking just carrots with beets and tomatoes vs single ingredient, were talking sugar sweeteners fruit juice concentrates, rice flour, corn starch, etc. In fact, it has been found that 1/3 of all baby foods have sugar concentrated fruit juice or sugar sweeteners. These foods are fillers and the concentration may cause issues with bowel regulation.
Also, on another note, 60% of these companies market baby foods to infants less than 6 months of age. The American Association of Pediatrics states that infants should be given breastmilk exclusively for the first 6 months of life and given complementary foods with feedings thereafter. They recommend breastmilk as the best choice for nutrition, but for parents feeding formula, a baby should still not get complementary foods until after they turn 6 months. Therefore marketing that baby food is for infants below the age of 6 months is not accurate. Many companies take advantage of parents looking to provide good nutrition for their baby.
If you have more questions about what to feed your baby after 6 months of age, Mamas Maternal Health can help guide you to make the best decisions for you and your baby! Check out our website to find out more.
Until next time!
Mikayla and Cassie
Mamas Maternal Health Registered Dietitians/Lactation Counselors
References:
Baby food is too sweet
Photo by Derek Owens on Unsplash
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