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Beginning naturally

Feb 5, 2010 | Jennifer Barrett | Salt Lake Tribune

Heather Evans wouldn't dream of putting anything in her baby's mouth that wasn't all-natural and organically grown.
    After all, 2-year-old Zoe was born three months premature, and Evans blames the pesticides in our soil, the pollutants in the air and the hormones administered to our livestock.
    "If the creatures and the insects and the flowers are coming out earlier" because of changes in our environment, "why not babies?" she says.
    The Holladay mother isn't alone. As more parents become concerned about chemicals getting into their children's diets, sales of organic baby foods have soared, climbing 19 percent in 2006 - double the amount for organic food in general, according to research firm ACNielsen. That despite the fact that prices can be double or triple the cost of regular baby food.
    The marketplace has taken notice, and now most parents can find organics everywhere from the neighborhood grocery store to Wal-Mart and Costco, including some from traditional baby food makers like Similac and Gerber.
    The foods also appeal to parents of children with special dietary needs. Sara Baese, whose 18-month-old son Spencer is allergic to dairy products, said she trusts organic producers and sellers to be more careful with their labeling. She demonstrates by pulling a package of sliced turkey from her grocery cart, pointing to a label that says in bold letters: "Contains

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no casein," a milk derivative.
    "I can read everything on the label. There aren't any 'oxides' or weird words I can't pronounce," said the Salt Lake City mother. "You go to Smith's and ask if there are caseins in this, and they don't really know."
    Many people buy organics not just for the perceived health benefits, but because they say they taste better. Now, special niche products are targeting foodies, who don't want to feed their kids the bland pap found in most jars of baby food.
    HAPPYBABY frozen foods offer dishes like "Baby Dhal," "Yes Peas," "Thank You Carrots," and "Sweeter Potatoes." The company uses ingredients that actually do sound tasty, like organic red lentils, organic cinnamon and organic coriander.
    Parents who are really particular about the provenance of their food can order Homemade Baby menu items like "Yummy Yammies" - made by hand by a "Le Cordon Bleu trained chef" - and have them FedExed to their home.
    Organic baby foods may make parents feel better about their kids' diets, but at a cost.
    While there is no clear evidence showing that organics are better for baby, one study raises concerns. Organic diets reduce children's exposure to two common pesticides used in growing produce, according to a study by an Emory University researcher that was published last year in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
    Swapping organics for non-organics dropped the amount of pesticides to "non-detectable" levels in kids' urine in just a matter of days, the study found.
    "The use of organophosphorus pesticides in residential areas has been banned or restricted by recent regulatory changes," said researcher Chensheng Lu in a news release. "This helps minimize children's exposure. But still, few restrictions have been imposed in agriculture."
    Scientists still don't know how pesticides affect children, but as Lu pointed out, no one knew for years how lead exposure could harm a child.
    To be certified as organically grown, foods must be produced in soil that has not been treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers for at least three years, said Pauline Williams, a registered dietician for Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.
    "From a nutritional standpoint, organics are not necessarily superior in nutrition. They don't have a different nutritional or caloric value" from non-organic foods, she said.
    Parents who want to limit their kids' pesticide exposure have options other than buying organic.
    "Eat a wide variety of foods that come from a wide variety of places," Williams said. Eating a varied menu means less exposure to one particular pesticide, since growers often use the same type of pesticide for the same type of food. She also recommends eating the same food in different forms: canned, fresh, frozen and raw.
    Williams also recommends washing fruits and vegetables - even foods with peels, like bananas and oranges - in cool, running water for 10 to 30 seconds.
    And she has another idea: Don't buy baby food at all.
    Parents can take whatever fruit or vegetable the family is having for dinner, throw it into the food processor with a little water, and have a delicious, healthy meal for baby within seconds. Once a child is a year old, he or she can eat anything the family is having, even if it's cooked with oil, salt and spices.
    (Up until 6 months, a baby should have breast milk only, Williams said. After that, parents can introduce one new food at a time. Egg whites, peanut butter and cow's milk should be withheld until 12 months to reduce the chance of developing food allergies.)
    "It's OK for a child to have a small amount of fat and a small amount of salt. Just make sure it's a healthy fat, like olive oil or canola," she said.
    Parents can also consult a guide created by the Environmental Working Group, which ranks produce according to pesticide levels. The guide says the lowest pesticide levels are found in asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya, pineapples and sweet peas.
    The highest levels are in apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach and strawberries.
    Preparing your own baby food may not be as trendy as buying prepared ethnic dishes like organic Baby Dhal. But it is "tried and true," said Janet Stewart, whose mother relied on natural, homegrown and handmade as much as possible, including a mustard pack for the chest whenever the kids came down with a bug.
    Stewart raised her own children on produce grown in her Sugar House garden, which she credits with helping her younger daughter outgrow allergies.
    Now 19 and 22, her children are healthy, strong and continue to eat a healthy diet, she said.
    "I truly believe the longer you can keep it natural for your kids, you can eliminate all kinds of problems down the road," she said.