Missing out

LIFE can be pretty hectic for new parents — the constant schedule of feeding, changing, bathing and sleeping can leave even the most organised people feeling flustered.

But while many busy parents relish the convenience of using shop-bought baby food instead of preparing separate meals for their infant, a new report claims that babies fed solely on this diet are missing out on vital nutrients and minerals.

Researchers from the University of Greenwich analysed a selection of the leading brands and found that many of the meals were severely lacking, with some meals providing only 3% of the calcium necessary for a growing baby, and on average the meat-based meals contained less than a fifth of the required mineral levels.

Quoted in the journal Food Chemistry, lead researcher, Dr Nazanin Zand said: “Babies have limited capacity to eat, therefore it is crucial that their foods are as nutrient dense as possible”.

But Dr Roslyn Tarrant, clinical paediatric and research dietician at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, says it is important that not all prepared baby food is tarred with the same brush.

“I don’t agree that ‘all’ commercial baby foods have a low nutrient value, it depends on the type of product and brand being referred to,” she says. “Many baby foods are fortified with nutrients but it is very brand and product-specific. Also, an infant or toddler’s nutrient intake over a 24-hour period is based on total food consumption during that time — so focusing on the nutrient intake of one particular food is not representative of their total 24-hourly nutrient intake.”

“For some parents, particularly for busy mums, commercially-prepared baby foods are an easy and convenient way of feeding infants and provide an additional option if home-made meals cannot be prepared.

“But complete dependence on shop-bought foods for infants is not recommended for several reasons — it’s always best to have control over what is going into a meal, so home-cooking prepares the toddler for proper family meals, she adds.”

Daniel McCartney of INDI (Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute) agrees and says while pre-prepared baby food is not always a bad option parents should try to feed children with home-made meals if possible.

“Obviously not all baby food products are covered in this study so it wouldn’t be accurate to say that it applies to all,” he says. “But while some products are very nutritious for babies, in an ideal world it is better to use home made food where possible.”

The meals don’t have to be elaborate or difficult to prepare, he says.

. For more dietary information visit www.indi.ie