How Nutritious Are Prepared Baby Foods?
Generally, baby foods have more than adequate levels of vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrate. However, other ingredients such as sugar, salt and starch, which may have been added are usually unnecessary and often undesirable. This is because if babies get a taste for very salty or very sugary foods, then it is harder to wean them off these type of foods in later life. Admittedly more food is now produced which is less salty than it used to be, but sugar is still often added. Some people worry that this can give children a ‘sweet tooth’. Possibly the safest way of introducing solid food to your child is to mix food which you have pureed with some treats of prepared baby food. In this way you can ensure a balanced diet, which is not dull and can dlliver all the required vitamins and nutrients but without the risk of too much sugar and salt.
