Many baby foods claim to be full of nutrition and allow your little one to fully grow. However, a recent study found that commercial baby food may not be all that it claims. Many commercial foods are sweet foods that actually don’t provide much extra nutrition.
In this study 462 baby food products in the United Kingdom were analyzed. Seventy-nine percent of foods were ready-made, spoonable foods, and 44% of the products were marketed for 4 months or older. Researchers recommend that children are breast or formula fed until 6 months, however, many have begun weaning as early as 4 months.
The spoonable foods had an energy content comparable to breast milk but the protein was only 40% higher than formula. Meat products contained the most amount of iron, but it still didn’t top that which is in formula milk. Researchers found that nearly two-thirds of the products were sweet foods. Having an increased amount of sweet foods when young could lead to a preference for sweet foods.
This study was done in the UK but is also applicable to those in the United States because many baby foods sold in the US are sweet as well. Homemade food may be a better option with increased nutritional value. Homemade takes more time and preparation but the benefits of increased health may be well worth it for your child’s health.
