Processed and fast foods
Foods such as processed meats and fish, takeaways and pre-prepared foods, drinks and snacks are often called convenience foods because it is time saving and readily available. Since new mums are frequently tired and have limited time on hand, processed and manufactured food seems like the obvious choice. There are a few reasons why many of these foods are not suitable for babies, such as the amount of salt added, and the sugar and fat content. It is important you know the difference between these types of foods and commercially produced baby foods. Commercially produced baby foods are subject to Food Standard Code regulations to make sure they are suitable to include in your baby’s diet, making them quite safe.
Sodium (or salt) is often added during food processing. Besides adding flavour to food, it is also used as a preservative. The sodium content of processed and manufactured food can be very high, providing up to 85 percent of the average daily sodium intake for adults and far exceeding the requirement for babies. So remember, it’s important then to limit the intake of pre-prepared foods, drinks and snacks which contain salt. Processed fish and seafood products (crumbed or coated fish, fish patties, fish fingers, surimi and other processed seafood) as well as processed meats (ham, salami, luncheon and minced meat patties) are high in sodium. When using margarine in baby’s food preparation, use low-salt margarine to help ensure the upper limit for sodium is not exceeded.
Fat is a component of food which is a source of energy. Excessive amounts especially saturated or trans fatty acids, can have detrimental health consequences to babies. Processed foods such as biscuits, bars, crackers and chips are often high in fat but also high in either sugar or salt. Processed meats also contain a high percentage of fat and saturated fat. Most of these foods contain unhealthy amounts of sugar and sodium as well, making it less desirable for inclusion in your baby’s diet.
Sugar can be natural occurring or can be added. Natural occurring sugars can be found in plants (vegetables and fruit) and milk. Processed sugars are often used by the food industry in foods such as drinks, baked products, confectionery and snack foods. These are often called ‘empty calorie’ foods because they provide lots of energy but no nutritional benefit. Foods high in sugar should not be given to babies.
To make sure that you make the best choices for your little one, you should read labels carefully. This can give you an indication of the ingredients, in particular the fat, sugar and sodium content.
Most takeaway and fast foods are not suitable food for babies due to their high salt and fat content.
Mums who need to look for ingredients or additives, sometimes have difficulty establishing the content of manufactured food. The manufactured food database can be very handy at providing information on these foods. It is clear that it is not a good practice to include processed and manufactured foods high in sodium, sugar and fat in your baby’s diet, so commercially prepared baby food in Australia and New Zealand are subject to Food Standard Code regulations, making them suitable for inclusion in your baby’s diet.
For more information, please call the Kariclub Advisory Service toll-free line at 0800 258 268.