Whilst organic foods are not necessarily better for your baby’s health than what conventionally grown foods are, you may prefer to choose organic foods for environmental reasons, or because organically grown animals tend to have much better welfare standards. But if you would rather save a few dollars by going for none organic varieties, then you do not need to worry about harming your baby.
Organic baby formula
premium organic baby formula; Kendamil Stage 2 is produced using organic milk that comes from free range cows that are fed organic food. These cows are also not routinely treated with antibiotics, as other cows often are.
Most scientific experts agree that breast milk is the best thing to give to a baby before six months. However, if parents choose to use baby formula instead, then it is entirely up to them, as to whether they opt for an organic or organic version
There has not been that much research into whether organic formula is better for babies than regular (none organic) formula. What is true though is that all baby formula is produced to very strict rules and regulations, which control everything from the nutritional value to the amount of pesticides used in them. So it is highly unlikely that organic formula is significantly better for a baby. However, it may well be better for the cows though, as organic cows are generally thought to have better welfare standards.
Organic milk
Once a baby reaches six months of age, they can be given a small amount of cow’s milk in their food, along with foods that are made from milk like cheese, yoghurt etc. Once they are one year old, they can be given cow’s milk as their main drink, too.
There is not a great amount of research that says that organic milk is better for babies than none organic milk. That being said, organic milk does tend to contain much more omega 3 fatty acid, which is known to be beneficial for a baby’s brain development.
It is not clear whether a small amount of extra omega 3 fatty acid that a baby would get from organic milk would be enough to make a difference to their overall health and / or wellbeing. Once a baby is able to eat solids, then oily fish is a much better source of omega 3 fatty acid, along with other important nutrients.
One big scientific study did show that babies that drank organic milk were much less likely to develop the skin condition, eczema. However, there have been other studies that have not been able to find the same link. This goes to show that more research is needed in order to be sure, but it may be worth considering organic milk if asthma, eczema or other allergic conditions do run in the family.
Organic fruit and veg
Organic vegetables and fruits are grown using a minimal amount of fertilisers and pesticides. However, there are strict government regulations on the amount of fertilisers or pesticides that can be present in our food. This means that even conventionally grown (e.g. none organic) food should only contain very small amounts, and these levels are considered safe for babies to consume.
It is worth keeping in mind though that organic food can still actually contain very small amounts of pesticides and other chemicals. This means that whether you are buying organic fruit and vegetables or not, you will still need to wash or peel the fruit and vegetables prior to feeding it to a baby.
There is no good evidence to suggest that organic fruit and vegetables are healthier for babies than the conventionally grown (none organic) varieties. Equally, blind taste tests have suggested that there is no difference in the way that organic food tastes in comparison to none organic food.
If you are at all concerned about the environment, then it is worth checking where in the world that your food comes from. Some organic produce is grown in far away countries, meaning that it has to travel a long way for it to reach the grocery store. In this instance, consuming none organic, but locally produced food, might actually be the better option for the planet. Some people also believe that local food tastes better too, given the fact that it has a shorter distance to travel, thus making it much fresher.
Organic meat
Organic meat comes from free range animals that are fed organic feed, and are not routinely treated with antibiotics. There is no clear evidence to suggest that it is any healthier for babies to eat.
Organic meat does tend to have higher amounts of omega 3 fatty acids in it. That being said, much more research needs to be done in order to find out if this really has any benefit for babies. Once a baby is on to solids, oily fish still remains the best way to give them the omega 3 fatty acids that they need.
Although it makes no real difference to your baby whether you give them organic meat or none organic meat, there are two wider encompassing reasons why many people choose the organic option:
- Animal welfare – organically grown animals spend more of their time grazing in the great outdoors, and are generally considered to have much happier lives than those animals that are conventionally grown on farms.
- Antibiotic resistance – experts are concerned that by overusing antibiotics in animals, it could lead to bacteria becoming resistant to these antibiotics. This could make antibiotic medicines less effective in humans. Conventionally (none organic) grown animals are routinely treated with antibiotics in order to prevent disease, while organically grown animals are only treated with antibiotics when they are actually ill. This means much less antibiotic use, and lesser danger of antibiotic resistance occurring.
Apart from the link between organic milk and a decreased risk of eczema, there is not much evidence to suggest that organic food has any special benefits for babies.