Is Baby Food Healthy For Your Baby?

We claim to understand the negative effects of processed food. But how many new parents give a thought and question themselves – is baby food healthy? Probably, the whole marketing and advertising gimmick of the baby food brands makes us believe that if babies are fed with these premixed and readymade formulae, they will grow healthy and strong. But it is time we took a step back and analysed this whole issue with a little more concern.

The baby food industry is huge with multiple players. Each one tries to outperform the other by coming up with something new. Promises are made towards the healthy development of the child. As every parent aims at giving the best to the child, packed baby food is considered ‘good’. But can it really be better than clean, safe and freshly prepared home food? It is doubtful.

Sometimes, packed baby food effects can be seen in the form of quick growth of the baby. We may consider this to be healthy, but is the baby gaining the required internal strength that it needs for a healthy life ahead?

There are a couple of concerns surrounding packed baby food. It does make us raise our eyebrows and wonder ‘Is baby food healthy’? Take a look at the following concerns and think for yourself.

Concerns
Processed: First and foremost, every baby food formula – milk or cereal – is processed. As we all know, the processing of food ingredients robs the food off its nutritional content. Every step in the process takes away a little and what is left hardly has anything of value. The package may say ‘real’ cereal, fruit and vegetable, but it actually is of little value. The real nutrition is lost long back.

Ingredient list: Read the ingredient list to know what you are feeding your baby. In the long list of ingredients, there will be many things you do not even know about. You will have no clue as to what ingredients such as tocopherol, disodium, monophosphates mean. How do they benefit the baby? What are all the additives for?

Unsure: Since you are unable to understand more than half of the ingredients in a pack of baby food, you will never be sure as to what you are feeding your baby. How comfortable will you be feeding the baby something you do not know? And then once again, ask yourself – is baby food healthy?

Picky eater: This may not be an immediate concern but baby food effects can be seen in later years. Since the baby becomes so used to the premixed formula, the tongue develops that very industrial taste. You surely cannot have your child survive on packaged food all his life. The need to switch over to home food is essential. But children used to packed food find it very difficult adapting to home cooked food. They grow up to become picky eaters.

So what is the solution to feeding healthy food to baby? It is simple. Turn to your kitchen. Initially, it may seem a little too much of work but it is worth the effort. As per the age of the baby, you can try out methods like mashing, grinding, steaming and boiling to prepare baby food at home.

Peel and cut an apple into small pieces. Add a little water and heat it till the apple is soft. Blend it when cool and let your baby sip on it.

Mash fresh banana, chickoo (sapodilla) and mango to help baby develop a taste for fresh fruits.

Wash, dry, roast and grind rice. Store it in airtight containers for quick preparation. Whenever you need to feed the baby, boil water, add rice, sugar and little butter. Cook for a while till the cereal is done. You will have your very own baby mix ready in no time.

Similarly, you can wash, dry, roast, grind and store other cereals and pulses to prepare mixed varieties.

Alternately, you can make a one pot meal with cereal, pulses and vegetables. When thoroughly cooked, you can mash the whole thing to suit the consistency.

Is baby food healthy? Yes, it is when prepared at home. You know what you are feeding your baby and are hundred percent sure about every ingredient it contains. You homemade baby food effects will be healthy and long lasting.