Baby’s first food, mother’s milk is also baby’s first raw food!
“Breast milk is, after all, the supreme raw food. It is fresh, nutritious, safe, free of contamination, and always the right temperature, and it comes in lovely containers” says Brigitte Mars, author of Rawsome!
But once babies start with solids here are a couple of foods to look out for or to avoid completely.
Wait with these foods
The follo
wing foods should be avoided for a younger baby:raw honey, citrus, tomatoes, berries, sugar, salt, strong spices, nuts (except almonds), and gas-producing vegetables (such as beans, garlic, onion, broccoli etc.).
No honey
Do not give honey to babies less than two years of age, as there is a slight danger of botulism; children over the age of two will not be susceptible to it. What is botulism? See below for information.
No tomatoes, berries and citrus
Naturally soft tomatoes, berries and other citrus fruits are too acidic for younger babies’ digestive systems. Because they are a leading allergen for babies, the general recommendation is to wait with citrus foods until the baby is a year old (and then use somewhat moderately).
No sugar
Even small amounts of refined sugar suppress the immune system. Fresh fruit and their freshly extracted juices together with soaked dried fruits are all excellent raw food replacements.
No salt
Salt can put a strain on an infant’s young kidneys. No salt before at least ten months. A baby’s bodily salt requirements are easily met from the fruits, veggies and small amounts of sea vegetables.
No onions or cabbage
Veggies from the alliums family (onions, garlic, shallots, and leeks) as well as the brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale) tend to be gaseous and therefore are best left out of baby cocktails as well.
No spices
Peppers and strong spices like cumin, curry and similar, should all be avoided.
No ginger
Potent cleansers such as ginger root, beets, or wheatgrass juice are best introduced after baby is well established on solids and only given in small amounts.
No nuts
With the exception of soaked almonds (soak in water over night), nuts also tend to provoke allergic reaction when introduced too soon.
What is Botulism?
Or botulinus intoxication is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulium. All forms lead to paralysis that typically starts with the muscles of the face and then spreads towards the limbs. In severe forms, it leads to paralysis of the breathing muscles. Person to person transmission of botulism does not occur.
By Åsa Paul-Johansson
On the Lime – Raw Foods
Fort Lauderdale area, Florida
