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- It’s good to choose organic for your baby.
Babies have immature systems and need the very purest
and safest foods. A leading doctor has stated that
'choosing to feed your baby organically may be the
single most important way to give them the best
start in life'.
- The great news with organic foods is not just
that there are no pesticide residues or other 'nasties'
to worry about, but also that no food has higher
amounts of beneficial minerals, essential amino
acids and vitamins than organic food. It's purely
and simply the best!
- Take time before you start weaning your baby to
check out the fruit and vegetable sections in your
supermarket. You're likely to find organic carrots,
potatoes, parsnips, apples and pears which are excellent
first foods and can easily be cooked and then pureed.
- Try mixing up a teaspoonful or two of organic
Baby Rice with baby's usual milk. It is a good,
mild first weaning food by itself, and also serves
as a base for pureed fruits and vegetables.
- As they get older, babies enjoy feeding themselves
with finger foods. Choose organic – some non-organic
apples, bread, celery, etc. have been found by the
UK government to have high levels of pesticide residues.
(During growing and harvesting, non-organic apples
may be sprayed 16 times with 36 different chemicals!).
And many people agree that organic fruit and vegetables
taste better.
- Pieces of well-cooked scrambled egg (organic free
range ones) are also nutritious and easy for babies
to pick up and eat – ideal for babies who
want to feed themselves but who haven’t yet
mastered the art of the spoon!
- It’s very good for your baby to try lots
of different tastes, so enjoy offering a wide variety
of foods. Cook a mixture of organic vegetables,
e.g. carrot, potato, sweetcorn and peas, and puree.
Mash avocado and banana together – babies
love it! If you can find organic squashes, e.g.
butternut squash, and organic sweet potatoes, these
are very popular with babies.
- Think about introducing iron-containing foods
to your baby’s diet, especially if you are
breastfeeding. You can include purees of (organic)
meat and poultry, lentils or pulses. Organic meat
comes from trusted sources, from animals reared
properly, fed well and treated humanely. Also offer
a food or drink rich in vitamin C with your baby’s
meal – vitamin C helps the body to absorb
iron better.
- Breast milk or formula milk should be used as
baby's main milk drink up to the age of 12 months,
but it is fine to use ordinary milk in meals you
are preparing for your baby. But use organic milk
(whole full-fat milk, not semi-skimmed or skimmed)
– it tastes good and has also been found to
be higher in important nutrients, especially omega
3 essential fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins
E and A.
- Milk and milk products are excellent sources of
calcium for babies – vital for making strong
bones. Full-fat organic yogurts are available in
plain or fruit varieties and are easy for babies
to eat. Chunks of cheese make good finger foods.
Weaning chart for optimum health
The copy below is featured by kind permission of
Green Books, from The Organic Baby and Toddler
Cookbook
Our recommendations for weaning differ greatly from
usual weaning programmes - we advise delaying the
introduction of many foods which are difficult for
young babies to digest, and suggest introducing non-milk
foods firstly as raw juices between four and six months.
This is done to allow the baby's digestive system
to accommodate new foods gradually, to lessen the
likelihood of allergies, and to increase the ability
to pinpoint any allergens. Raw juices, which are rich
in enzymes, vitamins and minerals etc., are recommended
for life - from weaning.
0-4 months
Breastmilk only, or organic formula milk if unable
to breastfeed.
Weaning: 4-6 months
Mainly milk - introduce single, raw organic fruit
juices in small amounts (1-2 teaspoons), avoiding
acidic fruits. Give 2-3 small juice tastings a day
(10-20 ml each).
Weaning: 6-8 months
Mainly milk - 2-3 small fruit juices a day (can now
be blends). Introduce simple fruit purées -
start with a couple of teaspoons twice a day and build
up to 3-4 teaspoons three times a day, and then to
suit appetite. Offer a little filtered water between
meals.
Introduce single, raw organic vegetable juices in
the same amounts as for fruit juices. Slowly introduce
mild vegetable juice blends.
Gradually increase amounts of juice intake to 20-30
ml per tasting, two fruit juices and two vegetable
juices a day.
Introduce simple vegetable purées in the same
amounts as for fruit purées. Alternate fruit
and vegetable purées throughout the day. Introduce
raw fruit and vegetable finger foods (e.g. slices
of apple, pear, carrot and cucumber).
Establishing solids: 8-10 months
Milk, fruit and vegetable juices and purées,
raw finger foods, and a little filtered water. Introduce
blender salads.
Approaching toddlerhood: 10-12
months
Milk, fruit and vegetable juices, filtered water,
raw finger foods and three meals a day.
Toddlerhood
As for 10-12 months, but introduce healthy savouries
and puddings. Bear in mind that toddlers are often
more inclined to graze throughout the day than stick
to a three meal format. As this is a perfectly healthy
way to eat, ensure your child is getting enough nutrients
by ensuring a variety of food and drink.
Immune-boosting foods for weaning
During weaning, introduce foods with high levels
of vitamin A, C and E, plus the minerals zinc and
selenium:
- Carrots for vitamin A
- Mango for vitamin C
- Avocado for vitamin A
- Tofu for zinc
- Banana for selenium.
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