Organic Baby Food

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There is an old saying! They say, “Watch what you eat!” But it is more important to watch the foods that our babies eat than what we do. The reason is simple. They can neither digest everything we can nor is everything suitable for them. Nor can they withstand the harsh chemical residues of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers etc. used to grow the cereals and other ingredients used in these foods.

By now, you might be confused and thinking that what is left there that do not contain these harmful chemicals and what else you can feed your baby. The answer is simple. You have “Organic Baby Food” to help you out. Now, what is organic baby food and what are its differences with the regular baby foods. Let us learn here.

Regular Baby Foods: There are three basic ingredients of any baby food; cereals, milk and sugar. Where do they come from? Very simple! Cereals are grown in fields, milk is obtained from the cattle who feed on the cattle feed grown in fields and sugar comes from the juice of sugar cane which is again grown in fields. So, we have one thing in common. Directly or indirectly, they all come from the fields. And there, they use chemical fertilizers and pesticides indiscriminately to grow their crops more in quantity and protected from pests. But natural, these chemical residues seep in and remain in the food stuffs discussed above, despite several stages of processing. Again, few more chemicals in form of preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers etc. are added during these processes. That was the first step from where chemicals start entering our food. You will be surprised to know that highly toxic chemicals like urea (whose high accumulation can ruin your kidneys) are directly mixed with cattle feed to make them taste good and make the cattle eat more. This makes the milk creamier and sweeter (at the cost of the life of the cattle) which sells at higher price. These cattle are again injected with artificial hormone stimulating chemicals each time they are milked and also to bring untimely maturity in them. These injections are very dangerous and drug used in them can cause cancer, tumor, impotency, mental disorders, retarded brain and various genetic disorders. Sugar is also purified using bone charcoal and a few other chemicals (predominantly compounds of sulphur). That is not all! You still have more to see. When these raw materials are processed into baby foods, they are again added with (as they say, “Fortified with”) some compounds of iron, phosphorus, amino acids and a few synthetic equivalents of vitamins, artificial flavours, colours etc. So, anything hardly remains organic or natural in them. If anything is still left undone, then that is fulfilled by adding the fillers in them, which are nothing but highly processed starch and fats. So, your regular baby foods are actually lots of highly processed and sweetened chemicals, starch and fats which do more harm to your baby than doing him any good. Your babies may gain weight and height feeding on them, but these foods are robbing them off their life and vitality.

Organic Baby Foods: You must be very disappointed by now and must be biting your nails and thinking that perhaps there is no way out. But there is one and that is the way of Organic Baby Foods. The basic components of Organic Baby Food are no different from those of the regular ones, except that no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones and others are used in raising them. Ideally, the cereals that are used in these Organic Baby Foods should be grown using organic fertilizers and organic pesticides only (and no chemical ones); the cattle from which the milk is obtained should be fed on organic cattle feed and no injections should be given to them and every other thing used in them should be strictly organic. Further, no chemical preservatives, flavours, colours, fortifiers and vitamins should be added to them. They must be processed organically and packed likewise. These Organic Baby Foods may not be as tempting, tasty and colourful as their counterparts; but they are far more beneficial for the babies. They are all natural and organic and help your baby live a longer, healthier life full of vitality. One more thing! There are various categories of Organic Baby Foods, categorized according the different needs of different age groups, special needs, activities, health conditions, medical status etc. and hence should carefully be chosen. You may let your baby’s doctor prescribe one for you. Further, these foods are labelled as “Hundred Percent Organic”, “Organic” and “Containing Organic Ingredients”, which mean they contain hundred percent organic ingredients, at least ninety five percent organic ingredients and at least seventy percent organic ingredients respectively, as the case may be. Their prices also vary accordingly.

Availability: All major manufacturers of baby food are now venturing into production of Organic Baby Foods and they are now available in almost all big cities. Some known brands are;

Beech Nut
Earth’s Best
H.J. Heinz
Nestle
Gerbr
Note: The list of manufacturers given above contains names arranged randomly and not arranged in any order of popularity, market share, price, demand etc. Organic Facts has not tested the products made by these brands and does not guarantee the quality of their products.


Despite the fact that they cost more than the non-organic baby foods, the demand of Organic Baby Foods is rising steadily, the reason behind this being increasing awareness among the people about organic foods. You can also find and read about them and their ingredients in details on internet, and can also order them. But wherever you buy them from, please don’t forget to check two three things; first, the ingredients; second, the certification of authenticity and third, the expiry date.

Market Response: An inevitable substance like baby food is bound to sell well and an organic one, still better. So, there is a very good prospect of these Organic Baby Foods, if the companies come up with real genuine products and sell them at competitive prices.

Home Made Organic Baby Foods: These days, although ready made Organic Baby Foods are easily available, but they may not be available in the small towns (particularly in the developing countries) and in the rural areas. But you need not be disheartened still. There is another way out. You know that these ready made baby foods were not available even a century ago and in places like India, people could not even dream about it. So, what did they do then? Did the babies remain underfed and unnourished then? No, not at all! They used to make baby food at home and you too can do it (After all, the companies are selling these home made recipes only). All you will need is some organically grown cereals (preferably rice), some fresh milk from a trusted organic source and some sweetening agent (honey will do the best). Now, prepare some fine powder of the cereal, boil it well in milk, add some honey in it and it is ready. Here, let me give you a secret. This recipe is being used by the mothers of India to feed their babies for thousands of years and it is still preferred over the packed baby foods in many parts of India (particularly rural places) and Bangladesh. This is far better than the readymade baby foods in many respects. You can try other combinations too, such as hand made breads soaked well in milk, smashed and boiled organic potatoes, smashed organic bananas, organic vegetable or fruit puree (this is becoming popular these days as baby food) and many others. The choices are plenty, provided that the ingredients are all organic.

Certification Agencies: Some certification agencies are active in some countries, while there are none somewhere. But then there is one more thing that these agencies are not meant to monitor Organic Baby Foods in particular. They certify other organic products as well. In USA, the organic baby foods must have the USDA-Organic Seal to be certified as organic. In India, this responsibility is somewhat borne by FPO and NPOP, although they are not certifying agencies.

Social and Cultural Aspects: Organic Baby Foods received a warm welcome in places where people were more dependent on ready made packaged baby foods and but natural, their market is better in those places. But in places like India and its neighbouring countries in the subcontinent, packaged baby foods are not considered good (organic or otherwise) and they are often looked down. People prefer the home made baby foods to them. There is a common belief in these places that these packaged foods will make their babies weak and unfit for any physical labour (perhaps too much processing is the reason). This feeling is prevalent not only in rural areas but also in cities. The truth behind such beliefs is still a matter of research.

Benefits: Apart from getting protection from the diseases such as cancer, stone, tumors, untimely ageing, impotency etc. caused due to exposure to harmful chemical residues or metals over a long period; these baby foods are environment friendly too. They even save you some money in the long run. Sounds contradictory when Organic Baby Foods are costlier than normal ones? What about the medical expenses they save in the long run?

Caution: There are a few brands that use combinations of soy and other ingredients. Those based on soy should be chosen cautiously, because soy may not be suitable for all age groups or all health conditions. Further, soy is not safe unless it is highly processed to remove some toxins from it (and more the processing, lesser the chances of being organic). Some babies may even be allergenic to soy.

Finally: Organic Baby Food is the best food for your baby as long as it is really organic. So, don’t be in a hurry when you buy them. See well, read well and read the customer and medical reviews about a brand before you pick it. Go for the famous brands as they are less likely to cheat.

The Baby in You: When your baby is not watching you, you can taste a few spoonfuls of these Organic Baby Foods. Believe me; they taste amazing (I myself have finished half a packet)!

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