Going organic
The choice of food you introduce to your baby is a personal one. We all want what’s best for our baby, especially when it comes to food. And for most parents, this means foods that are fresh and with optimal nutrients. Which is why some parents choose to feed their baby organic food.
What is organic food?
Organic food is food that’s natural, not genetically modified (DNA has not been altered), and more importantly doesn’t use pesticides i.e. fungicides, herbicides and insecticides, in its farming or unhealthy artificial additives in production.
Why choose organic food over conventional food?
For some parents, the choice to feed their baby organic is usually based on their knowledge of organic foods, their current lifestyle, how accessible produce is, as well as affordability.
One good reason to choose organic food over conventional is the use of pesticides on agriculture products like fruit, vegetables and grains. This is especially important for babies and children as they are still developing and tend to be limited in the foods that they eat, therefore this can increase their exposure to pesticides. Research shows that pesticides are linked to all sorts of health problems, for example cancer, asthma, reduced fertility, ADD, allergies, and possibly behavioural and learning disorders. The effects on your baby may not be known until much later on.
In addition, the benefits of feeding your baby organic food include:
- Foods can simply taste better, as they are fresh and picked when ripe.
- Higher in nutrients i.e. antioxidants as some research suggests.
- Eating fruit and vegetables in season as opposed to conventional fruit and vegetables which might be stored, as well as sprayed with pesticides and after harvest waxes to make them last longer and available, all year round.
- Minimised exposure to potential toxins in non-organic feed, which applies to meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.
- Organic farming and production promotes an eco-friendly environment.
Possible reasons why it’s easier not to choose organic
There are various reasons why this might be the case. They include:
- Organic food is too expensive. Yes this might be the case due to the labour involved in farming however, shop around as prices vary. Farmers markets and co-op stores can be cheaper than supermarkets and health food stores.
- My supermarket has very limited organic produce and I don’t have time to shop anywhere else, especially with a family of young kids. You could try shopping online for some of your organic fruit and vegetables. Quality is usually good and prices can be competitive.
- Organic produce I’ve seen doesn’t always look very good. When buying organic produce it should always look fresh, otherwise don’t buy it. The longer something fresh sits on a shelf, the fewer nutrients it will contain. Fresh organic produce may contain imperfections. For example we are so used to buying fruit and vegetables that look perfect otherwise we won’t buy them. Organic fruit and vegetables don’t have the waxes and sprays therefore may not look as perfect as you like.
If I don’t feed my baby organic food, will that matter?
What’s important is to feed your baby a variety of fresh healthy foods that will help develop healthy eating habits early on. Adding variety in the diet means there will be less chance of one type of pesticide build-up. The impact of not including fresh fruit and vegetables in a baby’s diet will have a far more negative impact than the amount of pesticides found, according to the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP).
Important tips when selecting produce to feed your baby:
- If buying organic food, look for the certification that guarantees what you’re buying is actually organic.
- If a product is labelled organic, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. For example, an organic fruit bar might have organic ingredients but may also be very high in sugar, which is not suitable for babies.
- If it doesn’t look fresh, don’t buy it. This applies to all produce. Mould and decay in fruit and vegetables are usually where pesticides are concentrated.
- Shop around for your produce as prices vary. Organic produce can be expensive due to expensive labour costs in farming.
- Shop at a farmers market to chat to farmers about their produce and buy locally grown fruit and vegetables from them. Less mileage on fruit and vegetables usually means less chance of after harvest pesticides and waxes used for the long trip.
- Always wash all fruit and vegetables before eating. If non-organic and you want to leave them unpeeled, scrub well or soak where possible.
Whilst choosing organic food to feed your baby has its benefits, the main aim for you as a parent is to be able to feed your baby a varied and healthy diet of fresh produce.
By Cherie Lyden – Nutritionist and Mother – www.lydenvitality.com.
