(Nathaniel chugs his umpteenth glass of raw milk while Micah looks on)
I hope you got inspired yesterday to feed your little ones optimally! Let me explain why I have chosen to hold off on grain products for Nathaniel, who is 2.5.
The reason Nathaniel has not yet had grains isn't because they are bad, but because his body is not ready to properly digest them. Until children get their 2 year molar teeth fully in, (he has one left to go!) their bodies do not produce the enzyme amylase, which is necessary for the digestion of grains. Their bodies do, however, produce enzymes necessary for the digestion of proteins and fats. Until those molars come in, the only enzyme they are given to break down carbohydrates is lactase, necessary for the digestion of lactose. (Raw milk also contains lactase).
With the incredible rise in food allergies that we see today, it seems likely that part of the cause is the widespread feeding of grains early on. The reason for this is because babies have immature digestive systems, and they will essentially "absorb" whatever you give them. However, their bodies will create antibodies to something that is not right for them to handle, which will give problems later on. Because of this, I feel it is far better to wait until their bodies are naturally equipped to properly digest the foods that are given.
Why should we be in such a hurry to give grains, if they are only going to tax their bodies, thereby stealing time and energy away from proper growth and development? Not to mention that undigested foods ferment in your colon. Life and death begins in the colon, so let's set our kids up for lifetime health and success in this area!
In the next few posts, I'll be discussing exactly what foods I introduce and when, along with recipes and sample menus. Again, happy baby feeding! :)
5 comments:
VERY informative post. I'm really excited to read your next one!
That picture of Nathaniel and Micah is TOO CUTE!!
Thank you lovely ladies!!!
This is really interesting and makes some good points. Our LO, Peter, has reflux so we've had to thicken his bottles with rice cereal from 6 weeks :( Not my ideal, but it's done wonders for him as far as keeping the reflux under control so he can sleep better and eat without screaming at me. I'm curious what you would suggest for someone in our situation? I had originally planned to introduce avocado and bananas around 4-6 months whenever he seemed interested but I find us in a completely different situation!
I'm wondering where you got the information about the age children begin producing amylase? I've read the "Nourishing a Growing Baby" article from Weston A Price, but I'm trying to find some more information.
Thanks!!
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