The food industry is plagued with chemically-produced and processed food. One of the important subgroup in the enormous food industry is the niche of baby food. Since the world’s population is continuously increasing in number, babies are added every minute. Babies are at high risk in ingesting chemically-produced and processed baby food.
According to the Environmental Working Group, who conducted a study on the different brands of baby food and residues of pesticides and chemicals were found. All of these can be ingested by the child that may cause detrimental health problems.
However, organic baby food is becoming more and more popular. The industry of organic baby food grows at a rapid and incredible speed. Parents are suddenly raising organic or green babies. While organic baby food is only a small portion in the whole food industry, it manages progress each year. Although organic baby food costs more than 30 percent compared to the non-organic type, parents still opt to buy the organic variety.
The Problem of the Non-organic Baby Food
There are a lot of varieties of baby food that are widely available in the market. Some of these are the non-organic baby food.
Non-organic baby food may contain the pesticides used in farming for the ingredients since many baby foods are derived from fruits and vegetables. The fruits and vegetables are exposed to different kinds of insecticides and pesticides. Non-organic baby foods have longer shelf-life because of the additives and preservatives that are added in the baby food.
These chemicals are proved to be harmful in a child’s health. Children who ingested pesticides are at greater risk of developing a wide range of diseases and illnesses. Some of the illnesses that can be acquired by the baby are cancer, developmental problems, neurological diseases and reproductive impairment.
Pesticides used in plants to ward off insects and pests that aim to destroy the plants are proved to be harmful in a person’s health, especially to babies who have weak immune system and vulnerable bodies to a wide variety of diseases. Pesticides are developed to kill insects; however, it is also poisonous to humans once ingested. Some people developed some sort of irritation when came in contact with pesticides.
The primary concern of the medical experts as well as of advocates of organic-produced products is that pesticides are significantly linked to cancer. A study showed that some patients with cancer have traces of pesticides in their bloodstreams. There are also a wide array of diseases and impairments that are being linked to pesticides such as mental disorders and degenerative diseases.
Benefits of Eating Organic Baby Food
Upon knowing the aforementioned risks and effects of pesticides used in non-organic baby food products, a lot of parents are turning to organic baby food to feed to their babies. Many parents claimed that the additional 30 percent in prices of organic vs. non-organic baby food are worth it if they save their babies from undesirable diseases that will cost them more than the 30 percent additional cost of organic baby food.
Organic baby foods are food products that are produced without using artificial fertilizers and pesticides and not being injected with antibiotics and growth hormones. The plants are not also altered by genetic modification or engineering. Organic farmers only use natural pesticides and fertilizers to their crops and produce as not to affect the quality of the food.
Eating organic foods can render wide ranging benefits. Babies will largely benefit in eating organic baby foods. Babies digestive and immune systems are quite immature making it hard for them to fight off the harmful elements and foreign agents that get through the body. Eating organic baby food will save the babies from the carcinogenic and toxins that are in the plants.
Organic baby foods also have a higher level of nutrient content compared to non-organic food products. Moreover, babies tend to develop future eating habits when they are still young. If a baby learns to taste artificial and chemically-processed food more often, then most likely he will develop an inclination to that kind of foods.
By patronizing organic baby food, you will also contribute to the environment. The different processes that are employed in manufacturing non-organic baby food proved to be noxious to the environment. The use of pesticides largely contributes on the worsening state of air pollution; fertilizers, on the other hand, affect the quality of soil, making it no longer appropriate for farming because of its acidity.
Organic Baby Foods
There are a lot of organic baby foods that you can purchase in the market. You will know that what you purchased is organic when you see the stamps of organic certification of some organizations such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and/or Quality Assurance International on the food labels. Some of the organic foods that are out in the market are the following:
for babies that are old enough to swallow solid foods, organic cereals are the perfect breakfast for growing kids. Organic cereals contain high levels of different vitamins and minerals that are needed by the children for their optimum growth and development. Organic cereals are made from grains that are produced without using pesticides and artificial fertilizers.
there are a wide array of organic-produced fruits and vegetables in the market. Organic fruits and vegetables are enriched with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals of the produce. Chemicals are being absorbed by the fruits and vegetables.
the meat from cattles that are fed with fresh, green grass are considered as organic. The cattle industry popularly used corn and grains to feed their livestock and it affects the quality and nutritional value of the meat.
As a responsible parent, we should watch what our children eat in order to make sure that they get all the adequate nutrition they deserve and to save them from suffering from unwanted diseases. Choosing and eating organic food products is the best choice of starting a healthy lifestyle. Train your baby to eat healthy while he is still young by giving him organic baby food products.
Source:
http://www.theorganicfoods.net/organic-baby-food
