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As parents, we want to make sure we're feeding our kids healthy foods, but we realize it isn't all that simple. There are some fruits, veggies, and meats that are best bought organic in order to steer clear of pesticides, growth hormones, and antibiotics.
Make no mistake, says Jennifer Glockner, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and creator of Smartee Plate, "overall, organic foods are not more nutritious than conventional foods," but when you feed baby organic food, you can feel confident it's not a GMO and that it has less pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics than its non-organic counterpart. "Just because fruits and vegetables are organic doesn't mean that they don't have any pesticides," she explains. "Some pesticides, unfortunately, exist environmentally."
An organic label means that fertilizers used in farming that food isn't synthetic, and it's not irradiated. The amount of pesticide residue "varies by geography and year," says Glockner. "Washing and scrubbing produce removes some pesticide residue from the outer surface but cannot remove residue that penetrated the produce during growth." It's also good to buy domestically grown produce, since imported produce may have a different pesticide profile.
Wondering why this is important for baby? Babies have different metabolism patterns, which means toxins are able to stay in their bodies for longer periods. Because they're young and their organs are still developing, exposure to chemicals and pesticides may affect development. Glockner says, "Kids eat more food relative to their body weight than adults do, so they get a higher concentration. And studies show that GMOs may cause more allergies in kids."
So if you're trying to limit baby's intake of bad stuff, but you can't commit to going completely organic, here's what you can focus on.
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