Organic Baby Food
Feeding your child organic baby food can limit your child’s exposure to potentially harmful toxins and preservatives in foods. Many parents will agree that feeding their infant organic baby food is not only healthier, but it also teaches the child, from a very early stage, that healthful nutrition is of the utmost importance. Compared to adults, the immune systems, hormonal systems, and central nervous systems of babies and children are more vulnerable due to their immaturity. Consequently, babies and young children may be more susceptible to the pesticide residues potentially found in non-organic produce. Also significant is the fact that babies consume more food per pound of body weight than adults in the beginning stages of their life cycles.
What to Buy?
In order to limit an infant’s exposure to harmful pesticides and synthetic ingredients, organic baby food should be bought as much as possible. There exists a wide variety of organic food products on the market to accommodate the different stages in a child’s life. A baby can start out with organic carrots, peas, and sweet potatoes for vegetables, and organic bananas and apples for fruit. Once the child is ready to move on to solid food, certain items, such as dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, apples, peppers, cherries, celery, grapes, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach and strawberries should be purchased organic. If the organic baby food on the supermarket shelves does not appeal to you, you can make your own by simply cooking organic produce and blending it into puree.
Understanding Labels
Choosing to use organic baby food is the easy part; deciphering food labels in the supermarket is another matter. The USDA seal is not found on all organic foods as it is not mandatory. However, the item must be at least 95% organic in order to bear the certified organic stickers. If the packaging claims it is 100% organic, then the item must contain only organically produced ingredients. If it is simply labeled organic, then 95% of the ingredients are considered organic, and the item cannot contain sulfites. If the product label states that it is made with organic ingredients, the product must contain ingredients that are at least 70% organic, and the label is required to identify the organic ingredients when a percentage is shown.
In addition to being allowed outside to scratch and forage, the organic hen’s feed, which usually consists of mostly organic cereals, must be certified organic. The use of antibiotics on organic hens is forbidden. In organic egg production, each hen rests in a nesting box which is placed above a belted system that collects the eggs. This automated system eliminates the farmer’s task of having to gather the eggs on a regular basis, a process that could possibly stress the birds and affect egg production. This also discourages the hens from laying eggs on the ground. Eggs that are laid on the ground cannot be sold as organic eggs. The organic hens are trained through light manipulation to lay their eggs in the nesting boxes. Only natural molting occurs on organic hens because the practice of forced molting is not permitted.
Organic cattle that are fed a grass-based diet may produce less milk, but the milk is more natural. Cows that are raised on more conventional feed may produce more milk, but producing more milk can add stress on the cow and potentially affect its welfare. A cow’s digestive system is complex and designed to absorb nutrients from grass, dandelions, and clover - a healthier diet than conventional feed. The food administered to an organic herd cannot contain GMOs, urea, solvent, or animal by-products. Organic milk producers will employ the use of homeopathy and herbal remedies to treat ailing cows instead of the more traditional antibiotics. However, if the animal’s illness becomes severe, traditional antibiotics or drugs may be used to ease the animal’s suffering, and the cow will be separated from the organic herd. Organic herds must be outside and allowed to graze as much as possible. When the weather is not suitable, such as in the winter months, the herd must be housed in a covered structure and given clean, dry bedding. Moreover, calves have a tendency to naturally groom one another; therefore organic calves must be kept in social groups.
Organically-managed dairy herds must be administered organic feed. The feed cannot contain growth stimulants, plastic pellets (considered roughage), or animal by-products. However, synthetic minerals and vitamins are allowed. The herd must not be overcrowded, and the cows must be allowed regular access to the outdoors in order to be exposed to fresh air and sunlight. All cows and goats are required to have access to a pasture in which to graze. Antibiotics and medications cannot be routinely used; they are to be administered only in cases whereby the animal’s life is in jeopardy. If a dairy cow requires treatment with a form of antibiotic, it must be removed from the herd and the milk cannot be used for organic purposes until the antibiotics have cleared from the cow’s system. Teat dips and milking sanitation chemicals are permitted; however, the required equipment must be doubly rinsed with clear and tested water before usage. Organic dairy herds are usually smaller, thus reducing the risk of disease, and also enabling grazing pastures to be selectively rotated. Because young calves are allowed to grow at their own natural pace, they build a natural resistance to disease and parasites.
Although organic vegetables are known to cost slightly more than their conventionally grown counterparts, some argue that the taste is well worth it. Organic vegetables are allowed to grow at their own pace, procuring nutritional elements from the soil at a natural rate, a development course that render them tastier. Pesticides and other chemicals can dull the taste of otherwise flavorful vegetables. Organic farmers employ the technique of crop rotation which helps to keep the soil rich with minerals and nutrients. The use of crop rotation, as well as other organic vegetable farming methods have shown to produce vegetables that contain 50% more vitamins and essential nutrients than conventional methods. Organic vegetables also possess higher levels of anti-oxidants, which aid in the prevention of certain cancers, heart disease, asthma and arthritis. People often wonder why organically produced vegetables are so costly. The main reason is that organic farming is significantly more labor-intensive than conventional farming. The prices reflect the cost of growing, processing, handling, transport, and storage.