Organic foods, those produced without synthetic chemicals, are becoming increasingly popular as families look to reduce their exposure to hazardous substances. Because babies and children are more sensitive to pesticides and other chemicals commonly used to produce food, some parents choose to purchase commercially available organic baby food.
Benefits
Organic baby food can reduce the amount of pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones that your baby is exposed to. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that organic products be produced and handled without synthetic chemicals. They must also not be produced on land where synthetic chemicals have been applied within the past three years. If you want to be sure that your baby's food is produced without chemicals, the organic label can give you peace of mind.
Drawbacks
Organic baby food is more expensive than standard baby food. Although the USDA organic seal can assure you that your baby's food was produced without chemicals, Dr. Jay L. Hoecker, Mayo Clinic consultant, points out that the USDA does not claim or guarantee that organic foods are safer or better than nonorganic foods. In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend organic baby food over other products.
Labeling
Organic baby food products may be partially or completely made from organic ingredients. The USDA allows products that contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients to carry the USDA Organic seal. If the label of a product without a USDA seal reads, "Made with Organic Ingredients," at least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic, according to the USDA. Products containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients may only note organic items in the ingredient list rather than promoting themselves as organic on the label.
Considerations
Fruits and vegetables are important parts of your baby's diet. If you cannot afford to purchase organic baby food, or choose not to, do not pass up fruits and vegetables altogether. The Environmental Protection Agency sets maximum residue levels for pesticides used in foods, and the agency takes into account the sensitivity of babies and children to chemicals.
Homemade Food
If the rest of your family eats organic food, you may be able to save money by making your own organic baby food. You can puree the organic food that you buy for your family and serve it to your baby at mealtime, or you can make organic baby food in advance and freeze it.
