Infant feeding in the early years, as we have already mentioned, is very important for the proper development of babies and children and serves to lay the foundations for future health.
That is why it is always recommended that babies receive food as natural as possible. This recommendation includes making homemade dishes, controlling the fresh ingredients so that they maintain most of their properties.
In this way the industrial potitos are (or should be) relegated to the specific moment in which there is no time or possibility to offer a meal made at home. More when a recent study concludes that adequate nutrition cannot be guaranteed in children who usually consume industrial pots. The study was carried out in the Amadeu Torner CAP of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. To carry it out, they made standard homemade purees (those that pediatricians usually recommend) and a nutritional analysis of these purees and another one of commercial purees of three different brands that can be easily found in any food trade were carried out.
Why homemade food is better
Values such as the energy provided by each, the content and quality of carbohydrates, the content and characteristics of lipids and protein content were compared and the following data were extracted:
- They saw that if the homemade fruit purees are replaced by the fruit jars, the calorie content increases significantly (35% more calories), which can cause loss of appetite for the next meal.
- Regularly eating industrial vegetables with meat or fish makes a lot less calories were ingested than with a homemade porridge (nothing less than 40% less energy).
- Potitos have less fat than homemade porridge, something like 50% less. However, the percentage of saturated fats, which have a greater atherogenic load (ability to generate atheroma plaques in the arteries) is 50-60% higher.
If a child feeds only on industrial pots ...
If a child was offered a meal only with industrial preparations, most of the energy would be given by dessert. If a usual diet with pots is followed, children receive a contribution of carbohydrates of long chain lower than recommended (those provided with the "main course") and an excess of simple carbohydrates (those provided with dessert)
The simple carbohydratesFor those who do not know them, they are the ones that digest the fastest, passing into the bloodstream in a matter of minutes. This causes the body to secrete more insulin than usual to transfer excess glucose from the blood to the cells to produce energy with this glucose.
By the time a baby (or a person) takes too many simple carbohydrates, cells are unable to continue transforming glucose into energy and these carbohydrates become fat, which can increase blood triglycerides or cause cardiac complications.
Summarizing
Once again the shortcomings of the small pots and industrial pots are glimpsed and the need for manufacturers to work towards more nutritious and balanced food for our children
We agree that today there is little time to make food even for oneself and many parents turn to these preparations, but we must try to offer our children a meal as healthy as possible since they are in a delicate moment of growth. and maturation of all its systems. It is up to us to offer adequate fuel.
