This article provides a general overview about healthy baby foods. The first year after the birth of your baby is extremely crucial. This is because in that year the baby goes through many essential physical and mental changes.
The first year takes your baby from an infant to a jolly toddler. And hence, it is essential to give your baby the right nutrition. You might have noticed that babies crave food at regular intervals in this growing phase.
We know that commercial baby foods are readily available and easy to make. But often we see that commercial baby foods prove to be adversely harmful to your baby’s health. So, here in this article, we are going to discuss some healthy, homemade, and highly nutritious food items or recipes that give your baby all the important nutrition he/she requires.
Healthy Baby Food for A Four- Five Months Old
Until four months, your baby generally feeds on breast milk. But once the baby reaches the age of four, parents can start feeding their baby with some semi-solid or solid foods. At this age, the baby gets familiarized with eating.
You have to choose the food items wisely. Prepare a mashed meal with ripe pear, apples, boiled potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocados and bananas. Avoid citrus fruits at this age.
This fine smoothie of mixed fruits and veggies is high in iron, proteins and vitamins. They might not like it a bit at first but will get used to it within a couple of weeks. Also, keep on feeding breast milk now and then.
Healthy Baby Food For A Six Months Old
Your baby will need a little bit more in this stage. The liquefied mashed fruits and veggies and breast milk might not be enough. This is the age when you can introduce your baby to mildly solid food items. In India there is a ceremony called “Annaprashan” in which solid food is introduced to baby especially Kheer.
Babies require a bit more carbs in their diet at this stage. Prepare a semi-solid meal of pulses, rice, and vegetables. You can feed this two times a day. For one time a day, you can continue with the veggies and fruit slurp. Then again, continue breastfeeding your child.
Healthy Baby Food for Eight Months Old
After a couple of months, you can introduce more kinds of food to your baby. Porridge and oatmeal with lots of seasonal fruits makes a healthy, nutritious baby food that babies love to eat. This may include cow milk and other dairy products such as yogurt, paneer, etc. Continue the same diet for the six months old babies along with this. The food items at this stage can be a little more solid in texture but should be soft enough for the baby to chew.
This diet contains almost all types of minerals, vitamins, and other essential components that are required for the proper growth of the child.
Baby Food for Twelve Months Old Baby
At this stage when the baby becomes one year old, they get more accustomed to handling different kinds of food. Their digestive system has become a little more improved than a few months earlier. Moreover few teeth have also erupted that help in chewing food more better.
From this stage, you can accommodate some mild spices in the baby’s meal. Herbs and spices have the benefits that a baby needs.
By spices, you do not mean heat from chilies. Do not put any type of heat in the meal as it might upset the baby’s delicate stomach. Introduce mild and healthy spices such as cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cloves, garlic and ginger. All these spices have some great properties to offer such as some are anti-inflammatory, some are antiseptic, immunity boosters and some has properties that improve the digestive system of the baby.
Milk Plays Huge Role In A Baby’s Growth
For every infant and toddler, milk is the go-to food, especially breast milk.
Up to three to four months of age, a child only feeds on breast milk. There are commercial substitutes available but we do not recommend any processed food. Breastfeeding is the most important criterion to make a baby grow strong and develop a good immune system.
External milk can be introduced into the diet after the baby turns four months old. However, the external milk must be diluted with water and properly pasteurized. Quality milk is essential for the growth of stronger bones. It also makes the baby the energy required throughout the day.
How Can Commercial, Processed Baby Food Be Harmful To Your Baby
In recent times, heavy metal elements have been found in various commercial baby food items. This can be extremely harmful to your baby.
Researchers and child specialists found that heavy metal components such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic can have huge side effects on the mental growth of children. And hence, this increases the chances of autism and ADHD.
The food association organizations of different countries are now keeping a close look at commercial baby food products. But, as there are much safer options available, we still do not recommend those for your baby. You can easily prepare homemade meals for your baby that is highly nutritious and free from harmful substances. Make your kid’s plate colorful with different colored fruits and vegetables. this way you not only provide healthy baby foods but also help in sensory and motor development of your baby. Always check for allergies.
Are Organic Baby Foods Any Better Than Widely Available Commercial Ones?
Organic baby foods are made with food materials that are grown organically. Hence, the amount of pesticides and insecticides used in the raw materials of these food items are close to nil. Without any doubt, this makes organic baby food items safer than the widely available commercial ones. However, it is still not as safe as homemade baby food. You never know where the raw materials of these organic baby foods are grown and whether the soil there contains heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, etc. Also, organic baby food uses brown rice as their primary ingredient which has a greater probability of containing arsenic. On top of that, organic food items are much more expensive than all the other baby food options.
Bottom line
As a new mom when i asked about commercial baby food from my pediatrician she directly replied don’t be a lazy mom, give almost all seasonal grown to your kid and build your kid physically and immunologically strong. Preparing a meal for your baby gradually with his/her growth from an infant to a toddler is certainly very simple. You can give your baby all the essential nutrients he/she needs without inclining his/her diet towards processed harmful food items available in the market. Moreover introducing variety of seasonal healthy baby foods make your baby a fuss free baby. We hope that this article has provided you with complete guidance on benefits of healthy baby foods.