Genetically Modified (GM) Food vs. Organic Baby Food
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive January-June 2003:
Genetically Modified (GM) Food vs. Organic Baby Food
The easiest way to ensure that the baby food is guaranteed GM-free is to buy organic. Organic food is:
• Free from GM ingredients
• Produced without artificial pesticides and fertilisers
• From animals allowed to roam freely and reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs
Organic regulations also forbid the use of artificial colourings and flavourings and most of the artificial ingredients used in non-organic foods.
Whould you believe that Organic baby food is safer compared to ordinary baby food?
If YES why?
If NO why NOT?
I make my own baby food. Cheaper and better for them, IMO.
Is this a school project?
Hi Palmbchprincess and Feona!
Thank you for your comments!
I do agree with you Palmbchprincess when you say that it's cheaper and better to make your own baby food, i would do that myself, because i then know what i'm feeding my child with!
The food that you buy Palmbchprincess (vegetable and so on), are they organic?
Feona:
Yes it's true i'm doing my final year project and it's on baby food. I am really interested in this subject because i will have babies my self in very near future and i do want to know what food i'm going to feed my child with and if it's going to be safe, free from GM ingrediants and many other uneccesary ingrediance that is used by food manufacturing companies to produce the baby food.
I learned one thing that any food that we buy (baby food and including adult food)we have to check the labels!!!
Thank you again for you comments!
Regards,
Valentina
Valentina,
I buy fresh foods whenever possible, and wash them thoroughly, frozen is next in line, b/c it has more nutrients than canned. Canned fruits in only their own juices, no syrup, are good for out of season fruits. Canned veggies must have no salt or sugar added. I do not make a point to eat organic foods, I just don't see the difference. I give my kids what I eat in general, but I add nothing to their baby foods. If it is something bland like potatoes, I mix it with another veggie, like squash, which they love. Or just give it to them plain. I mix applesauce (homemade) or peaches with their cereal every morning, and give them banana chunks. I do occasionally feed them packaged baby food, b/c I haven't had much luck with pureeing meats. I buy Nature's goodness foods from Heinz. Now they are starting to eat spaghetti and stuff, so I just make them the same old spaghetti my DH and I eat. Like I said before, I'm not a health nut, not into organics and stuff, so mainly I just try to avoid preservatives and additives for them. The exception to that: butter crackers, and Goldfish. They snack on those daily b/c they are soft and melty when gummed, and my son almost choked on a biter buiscut that is made for babies. Plus the biter buiscuts make a horrible mess. If you'd like to know anything else my email is twinsmom603@aol.com
Crystal
We try to avoid added sugar and salt and additives but don't focus on organic or non GM at all. In fact, I think GM foods hold great promise for feeding more of the world with less farming impact.
Yes I do believe that organic baby food is safer than ordinary baby food, because as you said it doesn't have artificial pesticides etc.
I would like to buy organic baby food my self but I can't afford it because it's more expensive than ordinary baby food.
We buy Gerber baby food. That's what all of my DK's have started out on. So far they are healthy and happy. I don't focus on organic products either. Actually, for an unknown reason, if there were organic carrots and regular carrots sitting there in front of me, I would choose to buy the regular ones. I guess I just go w/what I'm familiar with and what I grew up on.
If available, I will buy low sugar and salt foods. Definately lower fat foods. Just haven't gotten into the organic thing yet.
Interestingly enough, my DS has choked more on the biter biscuits, that Palmbchprincess was talking about, more than any other food he has eaten.
Robyn,
I thought those were great at first, when he was just sucking a bit off them and losing interest. The only problem then was the mess. But once he got to the point where he was eating the whole thing, I was sitting 2 feet away and heard him gagging on the end of one. My DH had to help me pull it out of his mouth. Luckily he was fine, no CPR or anything, but I really think those are dangerous!!! At least I'm not the only person that has happened to!
I think that organic baby food is much more expensive than the regular baby food, and it just tastes the same, so, why bother buying organic, when i can just go for a cheaper alternative.
I personally don’t focus on buying organic baby food. I usually buy Heinz baby food because my little boy loves it. I don’t think organic baby food is safer than non-organic baby food, I just don’t see any difference in them.
I choose to buy organic baby food because it has a better taste and it is more healthy that non organic baby foods.
Would you all believe that organic food are worth the extra money?
No... do you really believe that? I don't, but that's JMHO. 
Hi Palmbchprincess!
I would say that feeding babies organic baby foods might be a better option, I suppose...
This is what i read from the Soil Association:
'Existing regulations on the amount of pesticide residues that non-organic foods may contain are based on 'acceptable' levels for adult consumption. Babies and young children, however, are at greater risk because the immaturity of their organic and body systems makes them more vulnerable to toxins.
A baby's digestive system is also more efficient than that of an adult at absorbing foods, enabling nutrients to be used more quickly, but also making the body more vulnerable to toxins. Immature kidneys are not as proficient at excreting harmful substances, so they may circulate in the body for longer.'
http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/Living/babyfood.html
For what reason you don't believe that organic baby food is not value for money?
Looking forward to your comment?
I want to see other people view as well!!!
Well. I remember a few years ago a recall on organic baby food.
I believe it had deadly bacteria in it. Hopefully that will not happen again.
Don't recall Gerber or beechnut having a baby food recall for baby food with deadly bacteria in it....
I actually do like organic food but just for information sake...
"Organic crops do not score better than traditional ones in terms of safety, nutrition, or the environment. In fact, sometimes they may not be as safe and they almost always cost more." from
http://www.acsh.org/press/editorials/organicfood021700.html
Valentina~
I don't think they are worth the extra money, because all foods I make my kids are carefully washed, peeled, and boiled. I'm confident this would rid them of any toxin residue. I may be wrong about that, but I never ate organic foods, no one I know was brought up on organic foods, and no children I know are being fed organic foods. We all seem perfectly fine, and it just seem silly to me. I should probably add that I am very money-conscious (Sp?). So I usually need to justify the expense if there is an acceptable alternative. HTH
Oh... and you have to remember, I make my own baby food, so colorings, additives, and other junk are not an issue, as it may be for jarred foods.
I did buy Organic baby foods for my kids. With my first I bought both, and he started to turn his nose up at the regular stuff. My guess was that the Organic was more flavorful. I also found a better variety of flavors with the organic brands. (That I attribute to where I live. Organic foods are a huge deal here.) I often buy organic fruits and veggies for us because I do taste a difference.
That said, I think making your own as Crystal said is the best. Then you have no question as to what is in it and how it was prepared.
This is my first child,so I am determined to
give him a better start with organic foods. I think giving babies organic baby food is the
only way to go. I don't want my baby to
ingest all of the hormones,chemicals and
additives that regular baby food is sure to
have in it.
No i don't believe that organic baby food is worth the extra money, because the food i've tested did not have a difference in taste. Both organic and non-organic baby foods taste the same. That's my opinion.
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