Dietitian explains why instant baby foods are dangerous
Although instant baby foods are said to be more convenient, they come with a few disadvantages.
As a parent, I've always been fascinated by the instant baby foods we buy in stores for our little ones.
However, I found myself worrying about the freshness and just how healthy these foods really are?
One of the things that really concerned me was the long shelf life that these foods have. So, like any other parent who has their child's best interests at heart, I decided to dig a little deeper and spoke to Dietitian Sylven Masoga about the disadvantages of instant baby foods.
From a dietitian's perspective, “instant foods are discouraged for a number of reasons".
"The first reason is that these kinds of foods may pose a health risk. This is due to the additives in the food - additives in the form of colourants and preservatives which make the food look more appealing and to last longer on the shelves.
"These additives can cause your child to have food intolerance and/or allergies. So you may find your baby vomiting and/or having immune related issues."
Instant foods are high in salt, sugar, and fat
"Most of these instant foods have a high amount of salt, sugar and fat. Feeding your child such foods means giving them much more salt, sugar and fat than you normally would if you had prepared the food yourself. The sad part is that this could lead to your child being obese, or finding themselves dealing with diabetes and hypertension later in life."
Instant foods are not always home-friendly food
"Feeding your baby food you commonly eat in the house is not only nutritious, but can also save you lots of money.
Another thing to consider is that it's not always the case that the instant food that you buy is what you commonly eat in the house. So starting your child with these type of food may give them an unrealistic expectation of certain foods which you may not necessarily be able to feed them at a later stage when they are grown up. Therefore, it is important to accustom your child with the food that you normally eat within the household."
Also read: Dial back on the sugar at your kid's party with these tips