Living Your Healthiest Life - Lion heart Clinic

When you’re caring for a baby, convenience matters, and store-bought baby food jars and pouches seem like an easy option. They’re packed with fruits and vegetables, right? But here’s what many parents don’t realize: these purees aren’t nearly as wholesome as they appear. To make them shelf-stable, fruits and vegetables are first boiled down using ultra-high heat by exporters, creating a processed pulp. Baby food manufacturers then buy that pulp, mix it into their own recipes, and reheat again with even more high heat. Each round of heating strips away water-soluble vitamins and enzymes.. key nutrients that are sensitive to heat, light, and oxygen. What’s left behind is a sugary, nutrient-poor syrup that no longer resembles real food. These purees often lack the fiber, fat, and protein babies need to slow down blood sugar spikes. In fact, many contain more sugar than parents expect, and studies have shown that sugar content is often under-reported on labels (are we shocked?). Over time...

Introducing solids is a big moment in a baby’s first year - and with it comes many questions: When should we start? What should we offer? Purees or finger foods? One approach that’s gained some popularity is baby-led weaning . Unlike traditional spoon-feeding where the parent controls the pace and amount, baby-led weaning allows the baby to self-feed from the very beginning. The baby is offered soft, age-appropriate finger foods and encouraged to explore, touch, taste, and eat at their own pace. The idea behind baby led weaning is simple: babies are born with the ability to regulate their hunger and fullness. By allowing them to take the lead, we can help protect that intuitive relationship with food. Rather than coaxing “just one more bite,” baby-led weaning encourages mom and dad to trust that their baby will eat what they need. With baby-led weaning , there’s often less pressure and more opportunity for the baby to develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Picking up food...