Since infant food contains crucial nutrients that help a baby's growth, it serves as the best alternative to breast milk. Nowadays, parents are more conscious of how proper nutrition affects their infant's growth and development. In various civilizations and cultures, the demand for packaged baby foods has increased due to growing urbanization, an increasing number of working mothers, and changing lifestyles. Astute Analytica projects that between 2022 and 2030, the global infant food industry will expand at a CAGR of 6.4 percent.
Manufacturers are introducing minimally processed, premium, and organic infant food and infant formula versions in an effort to boost sales owing to the consumers' rising consciousness. However, these rising sales have raised a number of concerns, including whether or not these foods are nutritious for infants. After six months of exclusive breastfeeding, it's usual for mothers to feel uncertain about what semi-solid meals to offer to their infants. The majority of people still believe some common myths about baby nutrition.
The Common Myths about Infant Food
Babies can get food allergies easily:
Only 8% of kids under the age of six experience symptoms of allergies, and only 2–5% see a doctor for a diagnosis, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI). However, it is best to wait until a child is three years old to introduce allergic foods in order to be safe. The top food allergies are fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts (whole or butter), egg whites, and shellfish (including cashews and walnuts). Using the 4-day wait rule before introducing any food is the best way to determine whether an infant has allergies or food intolerances.
Commercial food is healthier compared to homemade:
Commercial food has a way of making people believe that it must be superior to the ordinary meal that the larger family members put on the table each night for dinner. However, since it's unclear what exactly goes into factory-made food, the usual fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and grains people will find in the kitchen actually provide a much better alternative. Making infant food is also convenient and less expensive, which is even better. A good rule of thumb is to start with a stewed, strained, creamy texture and gradually work the way up to pureed, chunky, and finally bite-sized chunks as the baby gets older and more accustomed to solid foods.
Offer vegetables before fruit:
Vegetables are typically served before fruit to prevent a newborn from becoming accustomed to the sweet flavor and rejecting the stronger-flavored vegetables. There doesn't seem to be any data to back this up, and breastmilk is sweet in any case, according to certain feeding authorities. People are free to introduce foods in any order they wish, as long as they avoid choking hazards and "no-nos" that could cause allergies.
For kids, whole fat is best, for adults, low fat is best
Whole-fat milk should be given to infants under the age of two since their bodies demand a lot of energy and more fat for brain development. Low-fat milk is suitable for older toddlers and preschoolers because they often eat a varied diet and acquire fat from different sources. Give "healthy fats" like avocado without fear.
Infant can have allergies to Eggs:
Doctors advise delaying the introduction of eggs because they are one of the foods that cause allergies more frequently. Egg allergies often affect the proteins in the white, whereas allergies to the yolk are far less prevalent.
Because of this, giving babies a well-cooked egg yolk at six months of age is advised, but experts advise waiting until the child is a year old before offering a full egg. The doctor might urge to wait until the child is two years old before giving an egg if people have a family history of allergies.
