Baby Organics

Baby Organics – Embracing an Eco-friendly Lifestyle for Your Baby

“Baby Organics” is a growing phenomenon seen among parents of newborns where the new parents want to ‘Go Green’. Not just with baby food, but in all areas of their lives including clothes, diapers, furniture, natural cleaning supplies, etc. Parents are making a refreshing choice to embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle. While various studies may support this choice in some areas, the basic logic seems to be that going organic just makes good sense.
While the research is not conclusive there are theoretical consequences for minimizing exposure to chemicals and toxins that are known to have negative health impacts which could lead to cell damage, cancer, heart disease and neurological changes in the child’s future. New parents taking on the responsibility of caring for their newborn are weighing the pros and cons and choosing to make a lifestyle change that will have the most positive impact on their child’s life while minimizing risks for their child.
In considering baby foods specifically, the CDC reported that the “main source of pesticide exposure for U.S. children is, in fact, from the food they eat.” Pediatrician Lawrence Rosen, M.D. states, “In infants and toddlers, the brain and nervous system is much more susceptible to neurological toxins. There are literally anatomical and physiological reasons why there’s more of an effect with a smaller dose, plus we now believe there are both cumulative and synergistic effects, so that small but repetitive doses over time may have a significant impact.” Additionally, where a child’s lungs and other organs are still developing, early chemical exposure has now been shown to be a potential trigger in children for environmental allergies.
While organic foods are often associated with a higher cost, the potential health benefits are outweighing these costs for many parents seeking to make positive lifestyle decisions for their children. Since organic foods grown and processed without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides the degree of chemical residue present in organic foods is less than those grown through non-organic farming. Since infants are far more susceptible to small amounts of chemicals, the degree to which exposure can be minimized is an important factor in making choices about what to feed your baby.
Choosing to offer a child organic baby food from the beginning not only is environmentally friendly, tastes better and provides for a balanced diet, it also sets the child up for lifetime of eating healthy. Review the following 6 criteria to consider when choosing an organic baby food.
1. Nutritional value – Check to see of the baby food is certified as USDA Organic on the label. To use the USDA organic label, baby food must be 95 percent organic. If a baby food is 100 percent organic that may also be stated on the label. Baby foods that say they are ‘Organic’ alone on the label are between 70% and 94% organic and cannot display the USDA label. Any foods less than 70% organic can only designate organic ingredients in the ingredients list but cannot prominently display the word organic on the label.
To achieve the benefit of minimizing chemicals and toxins in the food, seeking out baby foods that are Certified USDA Organic is suggested. Additionally some baby foods may display that they are gluten free and have no artificial colorants or flavors. Some baby foods may also state specific nutrients, vitamins or superfoods that are in the ingredients.
2. Type – Consider the type of food as compared to the age of child to choose a type that the child can easily digest at their age. Typically, solid foods are suggested for children older than 9 months. Cereals that the body can easily break down are suggested for children younger than 9 months.
3. Allergies – Check with a pediatrician to determine if based the child’s medical history if there are any foods that the child should avoid until they are more fully developed. Many babies are allergic to natural products such as peanuts for example which can cause swelling, congestion and in some cases even more severe reactions.
4. Weight – Choose foods that are healthy and balanced with the desired calorie content the child’s needs. While some children may require high calorie count foods to thrive, other children require lower amounts of calories to maintain the correct weight range for their age and size.
5. Flavor – Children are often drawn to certain natural textures and flavors. Choosing baby foods that your child likes can make the feeding process easier. It is still important to avoid artificial flavors and sweeteners. Helping children get used to the natural taste of vegetables will help to support healthy food choices for their entire life.
6. Storage – Does the food and its packaging travel easy? Is it portable and does it store well? Is the food easy to dispense from the container? Can the container be used reused and/or recycled? All these are important questions for families seeking to shift to an organic lifestyle. Be sure the packaging displays that it is BPA free to avoid chemicals from BPA packaging leaching into the food.
A suggested brand for organic baby food is Happy Baby Organics. Happy Baby Organics has built their business on the delivery of an organic option to baby food. Happy Baby has options for cereal, beginning solids, and toddler foods and snacks. Since the company’s launch in 2006, Happy Baby Organics has been consistently rated as one of the top producers of organic meals and snacks for all ages.
If you are choosing to become part of the “Baby Organics” phenomenon or already are, making wise choices about the products you feed your child and the products that are in your home are part of shifting to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Choosing to ‘Go Green’ can be done slowly over a series of small changes that can make a big difference. Additionally reducing waste, recycling, using canvas bags instead of plastic, using natural bath and body products, natural cleaners and reducing chemicals and toxins in your environment are all a part of this lifestyle shift. Living an eco-friendly lifestyle is worth the effort to make the change. Not only is it beneficial to you and your baby, but living an eco-friendly lifestyle also benefits the environment, leaving your child with a better world to live in.

Best regards,

Online Organic Health Store