This orange mash does not contain oranges! It has the yummy blend of carrots and pumpkins! Bright, tasty and packed with nutrition, this mash is sure to be a favorite with your child. Warm and filling, carrots and pumpkins are also a great combination for a fulfilling dinner.
Packed with beta-carotene, carrots are a rich source of vitamin A, which keeps your baby’s eyes healthy. Carrots also contain vitamins B and K. Pumpkins, too, provide a vitamin A boost, and a host of antioxidants which protect your baby’s immunity. The beautiful orange color adds to the already awesome mash!
– T. Colin Campbell, in his book, The China Study
Adopting a plant-based whole foods lifestyle is easier than you think. Imagine nourishing fruits, vegetables, nuts, sprouts, seeds and whole grains and delicious meals made with these – a diet abundant in nature’s bounty is a diet abundant in health. PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS are all your child needs to grow healthy.
And guess what?
Experts also say that a plant-based whole food diet is great for you during pregnancy, when you breastfeed, and for your baby through infancy, childhood and across the teenage years.
The plant-based whole foods lifestyle is a win-win.
If you are the mother of a just-born, or are expecting a child, you are in the best position to program your child’s perfect health. PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS are the best!
If you are a working mom, or if you are struggling to cook meals for your baby, buy PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS products that are consistent with this lifestyle. These are a convenient and healthy way to feed your child!
Since people tend to be comforted by foods they ate in their childhood, changing to a healthy diet later in life can take massive effort. The easiest way is to give them healthy foods in their childhood so they grow up to only crave those!
If you have already started to feed your child, don’t worry. It’s never too late to do the right thing. You can now start introducing wonderful PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS. Buy only products that are whole and PLANT-BASED. Simple!
Once they begin to eat in a healthy way, they will themselves reject unhealthy food. The younger they are, the easier it will be to transition them to a healthy diet. So hurry!
Teach them the idea of mindful eating, choosing fruits over fried snacks and coconut water over sodas. The taste and flavor of organic produce is more prominent than those that are genetically modified and sprayed with pesticides. Your child will appreciate the change.
If your child is already in preschool and is used to a certain diet by now, you can still make the healthy change!
Children grow up to understand that when parents feed them a healthy diet, it is an expression of love.
However, be prompt in making this lifestyle change, since the eating habits established by the time the child is 10 will last a lifetime.
As you make the transition, your child’s tastes will change, allowing the discovery of new flavors which were otherwise dulled.
Trust that you are doing the best for your child by feeding a PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS diet.
See Food For Every Age to discover the variety of foods to feed your child.
A PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS lifestyle is the perfect one for your baby (as so many doctors claim), but are you worried about your baby not enjoying the foods?
Consider this: everything you grew up liking, you were taught to like!
And just like you learnt to like some foods that were not good for you, your baby can learn to like the foods are good!
Unlike non-human animals, human animals do not possess the ability to sort good foods from bad ones.
We need to be trained to do so.
If your baby is still an infant, the process of training their taste buds is easier, since they develop flavor preferences at this age. Introducing only plant-based whole foods will instill an inclination towards such food at an early age. Your toddler will not only adapt to these flavors, but will also learn to love them into adulthood.
Offer them whole and fresh foods. This way, they will reach for PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOOD snacks and meals when hungry.
If your child is already used to eating the wrong foods, reduce the quantities little by little every day and increase PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOOD products slowly. Eventually, your child will be eating a plant-based whole foods diet and the change will have been imperceptible!
– Charles Darwin
A diet that nature has given us is a diet of health.
Doctors claim that animal products are a significant contributor to the pandemic of chronic diseases.
Thus, many doctors recommend a THE PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOOD diet devoid of heavily processed foods and animal products, including meat, milk and milk products, and eggs.
This is what health experts say about meat:
Studies have found that a high dairy intake is related to ear infections, allergies, constipation, acne, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and prostate and ovarian cancer.
And if you thought that wasn’t bad enough, hear this: eggs can burst your arteries. The number 1 source of cholesterol, eggs can form cholesterol crystals which can actually pop the walls of your arteries. Eggs are also full of harmful salmonella bacteria and other chemicals which cause heart disease and cancer.
Doctors recommend exclusive breastfeeding till 6 months of age. After that, you can begin solid food once a day to complement breast milk. It is typically at this age that your baby will be able to push the solid food to the back of the throat with the tongue.
You should continue breastfeeding till your baby is a year old. If it suits you and your baby, you can even continue after that.
Watch out for these behaviors as signals indicating that your baby is ready:
At first, your baby may not be fully able to swallow what you feed, and food may dribble out of the mouth and onto the chin. It is also likely that your baby may refuse solid food since the taste and texture is new, which is normal. Keep trying to introduce small amounts every few days. Some babies are slower to take solids than others – watch out for the signs of readiness, and don’t hurry. After a while, your baby may be ready for finger foods that can be eaten independently.
Mash a ripe banana with breast milk for your baby’s first food. Buy organic brown rice cereal made especially for babies, and prepare it with breast milk. Fruit and vegetable purees and smoothies are convenient, easy and colorful. Closer to a year, your baby can start eating soft pieces of fruits such as pears and vegetables like pumpkin and sweet potato.
Here’s wishing your baby a healthy and happy start to a lifetime of plant-based whole food!
This nutrient-rich meal contains the vitamin boost of brown rice and the mineral-dense goodness of many vegetables. One of the best solid foods to begin your baby on, this is a wholesome, filling dish.
Brown rice contains fiber, which keeps your baby’s digestive system clean. It also contains minerals and anti-oxidants, making it the perfect first food for the baby! Broccoli is a superfood containing the perfect balance of protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber! Butternut squash is high in vitamin B6, which strengthens your baby’s immune system. While leeks are rich in vitamin K, potatoes are dense in many essential minerals. The pumpkin in the cereal also provides a vitamin A boost. All in all, this is a heady mix of health!
This gorgeous smoothie combines the vitamins, minerals and fiber of bananas and blueberries to create a power-packed breakfast idea! Watch your baby scoop up this delightful treat with glee!
Bananas are sweet and give the delicious consistency characteristic of a smoothie. Blueberries brighten up the color and provide a tangy flavor!
Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, and also A, B and C vitamins. Rich in dietary fiber, they ensure that your baby’s tummy is full! Blueberries are packed with phytonutrients, vitamin B6, vitamin C and folate.
They make this smoothie tasty and nutritious!
This meal brings together the goodness of brown rice, carrots and peas, in a wholesome, filling and healthful meal. If your baby is 8 months and above, this meal is a delightful choice of nutrients! It is also a very quick and easy meal to make.
Brown rice is filling because of its high content of dietary fiber. It is nutritious due to the antioxidant and mineral content. Baby Natura’s Brown Rice With Carrot Cereal contains the power-packed nutrition of carrots. High in beta-carotene and other vitamins, carrots also contain essential minerals. Green peas are a good source of vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and K. They also contain dietary fiber and minerals such as manganese, copper, phosphorus molybdenum, zinc, magnesium, iron and potassium. Carrots, peas and brown rice equal perfection!
Are you wondering how will you follow this diet given your hectic schedules?
Following a PLANT-BASED WHOLE FOODS diet is not difficult anymore. Look for products that are certified plant-based whole foods. There is a variety of products available that reduce the need and time for cooking while helping you adhere to the principles of this lifestyle. These products come as packaged meals – cereals or purees, or snacks such as puffs, chews and rusks. You can also buy off-the-shelf smoothies that are delicious and healthy. These are convenient and easy ways to provide healthy food to your baby!
You can also complement these dishes with other fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, herbs, nuts and seeds.
Reading Labels for a guide to understanding the products you buy.
If your baby has just started solid foods, you’ll probably be wondering how much you should be feeding your baby.
Just ask your baby! Babies are born with a brilliant system which regulates how much food they need – they eat when they are hungry, and till they are full! Simple.
Signs to look out for to know your baby is full:
Respect the wisdom of your baby’s body. Your baby has its own appetite, just like we do. Do not force-feed your baby or develop a tendency of overeating. At first, babies will only eat a spoonful or two, and in the meanwhile, breast milk is providing sufficient nutrition. Do not insist on feeding a particular quantity for fear of malnutrition. There will also be days when your baby eats more than usual, and less on days of teething or other discomfort. Just go with the flow.
