I'm pretty particular in terms of food selections for my little Darling. Would avoid baby jar foods as much as possible. Here's some handy tips of what to avoid.
The 5 worst foods for babies
Soda
It seems too obvious to mention, but believe it or not, some babies are served soft drinks as early as 7 months of age, according to a survey of more than 3,000 families presented at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) conference in 2009.
Whether regular or diet, soft drinks provide absolutely no nutrients. Regular soda contains a ton of sugar, which can wreak havoc on your baby's teeth. And filling up on either type means babies eat and drink less of the nutritious food their bodies really need.
Juice
Sure, it comes from fruit, but that doesn't mean it's healthy. The fiber in fresh fruit is largely lost in the juicing process, and what's left is a whole lot of sugar. "Juice is basically a waste of calories," says pediatrician Ari Brown, co-author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year.
Using certain types of juice – specifically apple and pear – to sweeten your baby's food isn't a good idea either, says nutritionist Leanne Cooper, author of What Do I Feed My Baby: A Step-by-Step Guide to Solids. The sugars in these juices can speed up the food's passage through the digestive tract. "When food passes too quickly, the body doesn't have time to absorb all those lovely nutrients," says Cooper. It can also lead to diarrhea in some babies.
What about advertisers' claims that juice provides babies with necessary vitamin C? Don't be fooled. "Babies can easily get their vitamin C from one small serving of fruit," says Brown.
What should your baby drink instead? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies younger than 6 months drink nothing but breast milk or formula. Babies 6 to 12 months old can have small amounts of water, but breast milk or formula should still be their main beverage. After the first birthday, cow's milk is recommended.
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