I'm Back...

www.motherearthnews.com

An unintentional break happened for this blog for the past week and half. There were some things going on in life that needed my attention and so the blog fell to the side, but Monday we are back on track.

Some weekend reading/viewing for you. Whole Foods On A Budget posted today a helpful link for avoiding GMO's from Mother Earth News. Hop on over there and take a look at their helpful chart...

What is all this GMO stuff?

There is a lot of news right now about Proposition 37 in California and so I thought it might be helpful to give you some resources so you can understand what is going on. Here is a helpful article by Mark Bittman (author of  books like Food Matters and How to Cook Everything). Also great website with some helpful FAQ's: http://www.carighttoknow.org/.

Weekend Reading

Here are some links to some interesting articles that I'll be reading this weekend, perhaps you'll find them interesting too!

Arsenic in Rice?! (and baby rice cereal)

Helpful information on shopping places other than just your local grocery store: Whole Foods on a Budget

A great website about GMO's (Genetically Modified) along with their petitions to fight for a healthier, better America: Food Democracy Now!

The Truth About MSG

By now most people know that MSG is bad and are avoiding it. But, what many people don't know is that the food companies have come up with many ways to list it in the ingredients without us, the consumer, knowing that it is in fact MSG or closely related and therefore probably contains MSG (this is due to the fact that so many people have put up a fight to keep this bad additive out of food).

Here is a link to a site that lists the names that are used for MSG, including yeast extract, soy protein, and more: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html.

If you aren't aware about MSG, here is some basic information to help make you aware...

MSG, or Monosodium glutamate, can have a stronger affect on some people than others - if they have a higher sensitivity. MSG is "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA. There are many side affects associated with MSG, the most common being:

• Headache
• Flushing
• Sweating
• Facial pressure or tightness
• Numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Weakness

Children are more susceptible to the affects of MSG than adults. As MSG is a cheaper, very flavorful additive the food industry is putting a big fight for MSG - they claim it is fine for consumption and that very, very few people have reactions to it. Scientific studies have shown, however, that up to 40% of the population are having reactions to it. They are also starting to link MSG to other health problems and are doing studies on that now. Also, many countries have limited or have strict requirements concerning labeling with MSG. Recently, MSG has been approved for being sprayed on crops in California... no studies have been done yet related to this.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a staple for children and adults alike, providing a delicious and nutritious option that very few people dislike. The nutritional value of peanut butter is great - it is a high in protein, contains "good" fats (aka no cholesterol - just healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. In fact, studies have been shown that peanut butter may in fact lower your bad cholesterol levels while maintaining your good cholesterol levels), and is high in fiber. Pb also has B vitamins and vitamin E, is high in antioxidants, and good news for adults - it is said that eating nuts in general (including pb) twice a week makes you less likely to gain weight than someone who doesn't eat them. There are many diseases that pb has been shown to help fight against such as - heart disease, Alzheimers, cardiovascular, and even cancers.

Although peanut butter has these great values to it, you need to be careful which peanut butter you get as there are many that have sugar, salt, and oils added, which negate its value and can be the catalyst for other problems. For example, partially hydrogenated oils are added to many peanut butters to prevent the natural separation of oils - partially hydrogenated oils are trans fats. Natural peanut butter is the way to go, it's worth that extra step of needing to stir it. (Tip: store your unopened pb jars upside down, it will help when you go to stir it.) Really, the only ingredient you want in peanut butter is peanuts.

Here are some facts/information on various brands of "natural" pb:

Skippy "Natural" PB:
Added Ingredients - sugar, oil, and salt

Jiff "Natural" PB:
Added Ingredients - sugar, oil, salt, and molasses

Peter Pan "Natural" PB:
Added Ingredients - sugar, oil, and salt

Look on labels to find a peanut butter whose only ingredient is peanuts or, if you need a bit more flavor those with only salt as the additional ingredient. (Ex. Trader Joes unsalted or salted peanut butter or Whole Foods 365 peanut butter) Or, if you feel adventurous you could make your own! Here is a tutorial on how to make your own pb from Joy the Baker - based on all the information above, I would recommend choosing roasted unsalted peanuts and salting to flavor, if needed.

Serving Sizes for Your Child

Each child is different: some need more food, some less. Watch and learn your babies cues. This information should only be used as a guideline - a point of reference to get you started. I will note, though, that babies need less that parents usually think they do. 

I believe that more fruits and vegetables are always a good thing, and that they don't need quite as much grains and dairy. You will learn your child and know what they need. As they get older they will get better at communicating with you when they are hungry and when they are full. Try and give your child a variety of fruits and vegetables, let them try different textures and tastes. The more the try as a child, the more likely they will enjoy a variety of foods as they get older and become adults.

Babies:

As you start out your baby will have very little to eat... even as small as 1/2 Tablespoon. But as they learn to eat they will eat more. The good thing is that your baby will never let themselves starve... they will be sure to complain if they are hungry!

Most ice cube trays (if you're making your own baby food and freezing it in ice cube trays - a post to come soon about that!) make 1 oz. cubes. 1 oz. equals about 2 Tablespoons.

If you are worried about how much your baby is or isn't eating, call your pediatrician.

Generally a 6-8 month old baby would eat about these amounts each day:

1-2 Tablespoons cereal/grains
1/4 c. fruits (which equals to about 2-4 Tablespoons of puree) becoming  1/2 c. (4-8T)
1/4 c. vegetables (which equals to about 2-4 Tablespoons of puree) becoming  1/2 c. (4-8T)

Toddlers/Preschoolers:

According to the USDA (the creators of MyPlate):

Grains*: 

2-3 yrs. old	3 oz. equivalent
4-8 yrs. old	5 oz. equivalent

Fruits: 

2-3 yrs. old	1 cup
4-8 yrs. old	1-1 1/2 cups

Vegetables: 

2-3 yrs. old	1 cup
4-8 yrs. old	1-1 1/2 cups

Protein: 

2-3 yrs. old	2 oz. equlivalent
4-8 yrs. old	4 oz. equivalent

Dairy: 

2-3 yrs. old	2 cups
4-8 yrs. old	2 1/2 cups

* a "1 oz. equivalent"would be: 1 slice of bread, 1 small muffn, 1/3 cup dry oatmeat, 2 small pancakes, 1 cup cereal, 1/2 cup cooked pasta.

Organic or Not

As the awareness of pesticides in fruits and vegetables has been spreading, the desire to give our kids the best they can have grows. Below is the list of the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" to help you get started with making the choice between organic or not. Most of us cannot afford to get everything organic, as much as we'd like to. The "Dirty Dozen" list are those produce items that are known for having the highest levels of pesticide residue. There has also been released a list of the "Clean Fifteen", which are the produce that have the lowest levels of residue and so you do not need to buy organic.

These lists help as you start and try to buy healthier fruits and vegetables for your family.  To find more information on pesticides and the testing that has been done, go to the Environmental Working Group website: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/methodology/.


 source: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

2012 Dietary Regulations

Now I don't subscribe to the government and the FDA/USDA knowing exactly what we need daily, food wise. Especially when you take into account what they are and are not doing with our food supply here in America. That is a whole other point, though (well, a whole lot of other points). But, I am impressed with the new food "pyramid" they put out.

What I love about it is that fruits and veggies are to take up half your meal. It just makes sense. There is someone who has a pinterest board committed to putting up meal ideas to fit within these guidelines. It's got some good inspiration, but doesn't always work for younger kids, like toddlers. Good ideas for down the road, though...