5
OH-SO-MUCH-BETTER THAN CEREAL O’S
Taking the Toxins Out
(8 TO 10 MONTHS)
This is an exciting time of beginning independence for your little one. Part of your baby’s exploration of the world is the practice of bringing everything to her mouth (and if empty-handed, her own dimpled fingers or toes will suffice). Many parents are very concerned about how this behavior constantly exposes their babies to germs. Fortunately, most germs are helpful. You would, however, be wise to be wary of other unseen dangers: the ubiquitous toxins in her food and environment.
Toxins Take Stabs at Health
Due to our undeniably toxic environment, babies are born with a significant toxic load—before even taking their first breath of air.
Toxins should concern us for two reasons: 1) their effect on development, health, and the body and 2) their ability to influence genetics. Toxins can negatively influence genetic expression in ways we do not yet understand. If genetics load the gun, the environment pulls the trigger. See here for a deep dive into epigenetics.
MORE TOXINS THAN EVER! Chemicals in our food, water, and environment are on a sharp upswing, and babies today face the greatest toxic burden ever known. Kenneth Bock, M.D., in Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, writes an impressive description of today’s toxic realities, including hydrocarbons, pathogens, and waste in our drinking water; mercury, lead, diesel exhaust, and other pollutants in our air; mercury, garbage, and other poisons in our oceans; and chemicals, heavy metals, hormones, and antibiotics in our food.
Dr. Bock notes, “The total toxic burden on the average American [child] is measurably higher than it was even 10 years ago.” In the nearly two decades since these words were written, our environment now contains even more toxins, including a proliferation of electromagnetic field radiation (EMF/“electronics”), glyphosate (the primary ingredient in Roundup), genetically modified organisms, and various other chemical cocktails.
Doing what you can to reduce toxins, while nourishing your baby as best as you can, will go far to help protect her from the reality of severe toxic attacks on health.
PROCESSED FOODS WITH TOXIC ADDITIVES. Processed foods in the Standard American Diet (SAD) are dismantled, refined, bleached, and deodorized. What nutrients they have are mostly synthetic and are poor replacements for the real thing. The FDA maintains a list of more than 3,000 additives, 80% of which have not been tested for carcinogenicity, immunotoxicity, or neurotoxicity.
TOXINS FROM RADIATION-EXPOSED FOODS. Meats, produce, and seasonings are typically irradiated (treated with radiation) to extend shelf life, in addition to having been exposed to environmental radiation. In studies, animals fed irradiated feed experienced early death, reproductive problems, cancer, chromosomal abnormalities, liver damage, and vitamin deficiencies.
TOXINS FROM MAN-MADE DNA. Seventy percent of the foods consumed in the Standard American Diet are genetically modified. (See here.)
TOXIC SAD PRODUCE. Conventional farming today relies heavily on chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers). If you serve a nonorganic apple to your baby, you are also serving up an average of 16 different pesticides, applied at least 36 times.
TOXIC SAD WATER. Municipal (or tap) water has purposefully added toxic chemicals, like fluoride and chlorine, that kill friendly gut flora and disrupt metabolism. (See here.) Other, unintentional chemicals and toxins are also present in water—lead, hormones, antibiotics, and rocket fuel, to name just a few. Well water can contain chemicals that have leached into the ground or accumulated in rainwater.
TOXIC SAD ANIMAL FOODS. Most farm animals have it very rough these days. They are fed genetically modified, mold-ridden, inflammatory, pesticide-treated, GMO legume and grain-based “feed.” They are kept in giant overcrowded warehouses, rather than allowed to naturally graze outside. This unnatural diet and confinement-based lifestyle makes the animals so sickly that they require frequent antibiotics. Drugs, like steroids and growth hormone, are used to put extra weight on or to keep cows lactating. In fact, 70% of big pharmaceutical companies’ drug sales are made to our farm animals!
TOXIC SAD FOOD PACKAGING. Foods are abundantly packaged, stored, and heated in plastics. Some packaging is aseptic, killing even the beneficial bacteria that should exist in foods, while others, like most aluminum cans, contain chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor. These chemicals are often quite toxic to the human body. We urge you to reduce plastic food storage to whatever degree possible, opting for glass, stainless steel, or ceramic.
TOXINS IN VACCINATIONS. Whether the potential effectiveness of vaccinations outweighs the risk is for parents to decide, as is the schedule with which any vaccines are administered to their children, but no one disagrees that there are toxins within vaccines. See here.
COMBINED AND CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF TOXINS. Individual toxins are harmful enough on their own, yet they are often even more harmful in combination. In fact, so many exist that the possible combinations in the environment are too numerous to count or properly test. Studies show that what one toxin could do alone is made much worse by the presence of another toxin—making the reality of combined and cumulative toxic effects today that much more worrisome.
THE EFFECT OF THESE TOXINS ON BABIES IS THE 3C CONDITIONS!
Toxins in the body contribute to the 3C conditions, especially autism, asthma, allergies, learning disabilities (like ADHD), and cancer. Experts from the National Institute of Environmental Health report that even very low exposure to toxins in early life increases risk of behavioral problems and autoimmune conditions. For example, a study published in Pediatrics showed that children with higher levels of organophosphate pesticides (like glyphosate) were twice as likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Exposure to toxins early in pregnancy contributes to the likelihood of autism in unborn babies. From research published in Current Opinion in Pediatrics (April 2010), genetic variations account for “only a small fraction of [autism] cases.” This leaves environmental exposures to be a major contributor to the development of autism.
Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., M.Sc., chair of the Department of Community Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and director of the Center for Children’s Health and the Environment at Mount Sinai, provides several examples of toxins’ causal role in disease. He states that asthma is exacerbated by air pollution; developmental delays are caused by lead in paint and contaminated drinking water; and pediatric cancers are caused by radiation and benzene.
When children can no longer handle the toxic burden, then one or more of the 3C conditions manifest. Depending on the child’s inherent ability to handle the toxins, as well as to what particular cocktail of toxins she is exposed, the manifestation of toxic overload can be any of the 3Cs.
A Better Way to Reduce Toxins and Their Effects
Dr. Landrigan explains that the 3Cs (he calls them the “new pediatric morbidities”) are of “toxic environmental origin,” and therefore can “be prevented by reducing or eliminating children’s exposures to toxic chemicals in the environment” and in the diet [emphasis added].
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS. Take measures to reduce overall toxic exposure for your baby, paying attention to cleaning products, toys, bath soaps, sunscreens, lotions, clothing, and more. Ensure that soaps and products do not contain antibacterial agents, such as triclosan. Take shoes off when you enter your home (to avoid tracking in chemicals) and take great caution when your home is undergoing renovation.
MINIMIZE TOXINS IN WATER. We recommend filtered (and if filtered through reverse osmosis, ideally remineralized to reach a neutral or slightly basic pH level) water for all food and drink preparation. It is also best to use filtered water for bathing, either with a showerhead filter or whole house water filtration system.
MINIMIZE VACCINE TOXIC EFFECTS. Vaccines and their toxins become more of a risk for undernourished children. Nutrient deficiencies, particularly vitamins A, B12, and B9 (folate), can increase the risk of side effects from vaccinations, explains Russell L. Blaylock, M.D., neurosurgeon, nutrition researcher, excitotoxin expert, and author of Health and Nutrition Secrets. In two poignant examples, vaccinating vitamin A–deficient children resulted in high mortality versus vitamin A–sufficient children; vitamin A, B12, and folate–deficient children demonstrated likelihood to develop a severe brain and spinal cord–damaging condition. Providing your baby cod liver oil, liver, and butter regularly should ensure protective levels of vitamin A, B12, and folate.
Additionally, healthy gut flora (good yeasts and bacteria) help detoxify the chemical adjuvants in vaccines, including mercury (thimerisol) and aluminum, to name just a few. Gut flora is kept strongest and most protective when we eliminate or minimize steroids, antibiotics, and antacids. Additionally, a diet rich in fermented, unpasteurized foods replenishes and supports the microbiome of our gut. Further, vaccination should be delayed during any period of illness, or after antibiotic or steroid use.
At higher risk for vaccine injury are children with an autoimmune condition; a mother who has an autoimmune disease; birth by C-section; children who are formula fed; and children with tics, learning disabilities, poor diet, allergies, eczema, or autism spectrum disorders.
An article in Discover Medicine (2010) suggested one potential mitigation strategy: “Perhaps, the assessment of autoantibody and HLA status prior to immunization will serve as a marker for individuals at risk. More research is required to identify those individuals with an increased risk to develop [vaccine-caused] autoimmune phenomena.”
MINIMIZE TOXINS IN FOOD. Choose organic produce, particularly when consuming foods that are the most pesticide contaminated. (See here.) Washing produce with a vegetable/fruit wash containing grapefruit seed extract helps reduce external pesticides. Select organic grass-fed meat to consume the least pesticides and heavy metals, and to get the most nutritional benefits.
Also, minimize processed foods. In 2018, a study showed that polysorbate 80 and maltodextrin erode the healthy mucosal gut barrier, which shifts gut bacteria predominance in favor of the bad kind, which leads to leaky gut. Sticking with few- to single-ingredient foods will help you avoid industrial-food-processing residues, chemicals, preservatives, GMOs, and other toxins (including nitrates, heavy metals, dyes, flavorings, etc.).
LOAD UP ON NUTRIENTS. Nutrients and nutrient-rich diets can reduce toxic effects. Here are just a few examples from scientific research and medical studies demonstrating protective nutrition:
Adequate B vitamins maintain sufficient glutathione and reduce oxidative stress to the brain (including impacting the brain’s ability to recover from physical impact, such as sports concussions, as do sulfur, magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids).
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), found in grass-fed products, including ghee, increases antioxidant activity, combating oxidative stress.
Sulfur, in foods like garlic, improves antioxidant status; the higher the sulfur content, the higher the antioxidant capability.
Antioxidants substantially protect against radiation.
Iodine reduces the toxic effects of fluoride, chloride, and bromine and helps the body excrete them. It also reduces risk of thyroid cancer from radiation exposure.
Adequate vitamin C reduces toxicity of methylmercury and radiation, including air travel and X-rays.
Adequate protein intake protects against methylmercury (the type we consume in food) and improves the ability to detoxify it.
Selenium renders mercury markedly less lethal to the fetus.
Molybdenum substantially decreases sensitivity to sulfites.
Taurine protects the liver and testicles from the toxic effects of cadmium.
The combination of sufficient vitamin D and its role in enabling the absorption of essential minerals together block the absorption of toxic minerals (such as lead, arsenic, aluminum, cobalt, and strontium).
Vitamin B1 and molybdenum protect against acetaldehyde (which dulls the brain and is carcinogenic), which often accumulates in high-refined carbohydrate diets typical of most children and adults today, and studies have shown acetyladehyde plays a role in autism and learning disabilities.
Calcium, zinc, and essential vitamins reduce the toxic effects of lead and excess manganese.
Methionine, taurine, zinc, vitamin C, and glycine together prevent the learning and memory impairment from lead exposure. Taurine and thiamine (B1) can reverse lead neurotoxicity.
Calcium, zinc, and essential vitamins reduce the toxic effects of lead.
Saturated fatty acids protect the liver from medications.
In short: NUTRIENT-RICH SUPER POWER FOODS REDUCE TOXIC DAMAGE!
DETOXIFICATION. The ability to remove toxins once ingested, inhaled, injected, or absorbed relies on many biochemical pathways the body has to render toxins safe and eliminate them. Detoxification methods vary but all rely on coenzymes (vitamins and minerals) and enzymes, and many of these pathways involve the liver and kidneys. Toxins tend to be stored in adipose tissue, and are eliminated through conversion to non-harmful molecules, or through excretion, as in sweat, bile, urine, or feces. Antioxidants help in detoxification, as part of the process can result in dangerous free radical by-products that antioxidants can neutralize. The two phases of liver detoxification are significantly supported by the following nutrients: vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, and E, bioflavonoids, quercetin, herb milk thistle, amino acids, cysteine, glutamate, lysine, carnitine, taurine, glycine, mineral calcium, and sulfur metabolites. Given this, we know that proper detoxification requires a nutrient-rich diet.
Antioxidants help disarm toxins. They are necessary to prevent and reduce the consequences of toxins, such as brain damage and inflammation, both of which make organs and systems unable to function normally (leading to disease). According to Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D., C.C.N., clinical nutritionist and author of Digestive Wellness for Children, “The average person is exposed to over 100 different chemicals [every day]. If we get enough antioxidants … from our foods, we can easily slough off most chemical toxins.”
Fruits, vegetables, and greens contain important antioxidants such as vitamin C and bioflavonoids, but you might be surprised to learn that animal foods contain many key antioxidants and the raw “materials” (nutrients) for synthesizing more, as mentioned in chapter 4.
Furthermore, eating probiotic-rich foods and probiotic supplements reduces the amount of toxins that can gain access to your baby’s bloodstream through his intestinal wall. When probiotic protection is adequate, heavy metals and other toxins are blocked by the probiotics, thus kept out of the blood, and will be excreted in the stool, as nature intended. As Robert Bernadini points out in The Truth About Children’s Health, “The amount of … [toxins] that wouldn’t harm well-nourished individuals may poison undernourished children” [emphasis added].
Common Sources of Environmental Toxins |
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HOUSEHOLD TOXINS |
FOOD TOXINS |
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• Chlorine bleach • Chemical cleaners • Perfumes and fragrances • Building/construction materials and solvents • Fluoride (toothpaste, grapes, wine, processed chicken, medications) • Fabric softeners • Petroleum jelly and mineral oil • Plastic/phthalates—store in glass instead • Cookware—nonstick and aluminum and microwave • Plastic toys • Candles with lead wicks • Paints with VOCs—volatile organic compounds • Paint thinners • Adhesives • Fabric softener • Cigarette smoke • Styrofoam • Microwave ovens • Teflon pans—source of fluoride • Aluminum pans and foil • Detergents and chemical cleaners • Antibacterial products: soaps, gels, cleansers • Water with chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, and/or lead • Lead in dishware, pipes, or paint • Carpeting • Mildew and mold in the home • Pesticide spraying • New cars (dashboard, upholstery) • EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) • Dry cleaning • Bromine in furniture, electronics, mattresses, pools, hot tubs • Asbestos • Formaldehyde • BPA (bisphenol A) • Deodorant with aluminum • Triclosan (antibacterial agent) • Nail polish • Soaps with parabens • Hairspray, hair gels, mousses with phthalates • Makeup with phthalates, lead, synthetic ingredients • Lice-killing pesticides • Shampoos |
• Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose) and artificially sweetened foods • Nitrites and nitrates—bacon, hot dogs, sausage, bologna • Sulfites—lettuce, dried fruits, fresh fruits and vegetables (especially in restaurants), processed potato products, corn by-products • Sorbic acid—cheese, frosting, dried fruit, dips • Colors and dyes (esp. yellow #5)—hundreds of processed, colored foods • Parabens—jelly, soda pop, pastry, beer, cake, salad dressing • Benzoic acid—soda pop, fruit juice, margarine, apple cider • Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also hydrolyzed vegetable protein and texturized vegetable protein—bouillon, Chinese restaurant dishes, chicken broth or flavoring; may also be in glutamate, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, hydrolyzed corn protein, autolyzed yeast, or yeast extract • EDTA—margarine, salad dressing, frozen dinners, other processed foods • Propyl gallate—frozen dinners, gravy mix, turkey sausage • Alginate—ice cream, salad dressing, cheese spread, frozen dinners • Bromates/bromine—baked goods, bread crumbs, refrigerated dough • Growth hormone in foods • Preservatives • Flavorings • BHA and GHT • Annatto • Emulsifiers • Table salt and baking powder with aluminum • Artificial flavors (like vanillin) • Trans fats (all hydrogenated oils—fully or partially) • Farm-raised fish with PCBs • Time-released pharmaceutical drugs • Mercury in fish • Aluminum cans, often lined with plastic • Antacids with aluminum • Fluoride tablets • Artificial fats • Nonorganic poultry and rice (may contain arsenic) • Genetically modified food • Chlorine in water • Fluoride in water • Fluoride in baby foods—chicken nuggets, nonorganic grape juice, highest in baby food chicken • Glyphosate—oats, almonds, wheat, corn, soy, in most processed foods, even some organic, Cheerios and Oreos highest |
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Based on and adapted from Nourishing Hope for Autism, by Julie Matthews
Common Sources of Environmental Toxins |
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HIDDEN TOXINS |
BABY CARE TOXINS |
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• Heavy metals • Lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum, arsenic; polluted air, water, soil, food • Lead in water supply from lead pipes • Aluminum in soy products, cookware, refined table salt, deodorants, antacids, baking powder, vaccines, IV solutions, IV medications, IV vitamins • Mercury-amalgam fillings, linked to Alzheimer’s and a number of other disease conditions • Toxins produced by yeast and fungus in the gut, such as ethanol and acetylaldehyde • Toxins produced by pathogenic bacteria, such as sulfites (from sulphate-reducing pathogens) • Toxins created by incomplete protein digestion, such as gluteomorphin and casomorphin • Pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, like glyphosate • Fluoride in medications: Prozac, antibiotics (Cipro), Prevacid, Flonase, Flovent, Lipitor, surgical anesthetics • Infant sleepwear and pajamas that are flame retardant (antimony) • Toothpaste with fluoride and artificial ingredients • Vinyl and PVC toys and lunch boxes—also contain lead • Plastic water bottles, food storage containers, baby bottles • Teethers with phthalates • Diaper bags (triclosan) • Arsenic-treated wood in playgrounds or desks (green-tinted) • Polyurethane in changing pads (learning disabilities, cancer, and infertility) • Chlorine in portable cribs and bassinet mattresses (learning disabilities, endocrine problems, infertility) • Phthalates in vinyl bath toys and polycarbonate plastic bottles (endocrine problems) • Talc/asbestos in baby powder (mesothelioma, lung irritation, respiratory problems, coughing, vomiting, pneumonia) • Petroleum/propylene glycol in baby oil (lung irritation, allergies, immune system problems) |
• Triclosan and chloroxylenol in fragrance, dyes, ammonia, formaldehyde, glycols, phenol, BHA/bhtare in antibacterial gels, soaps, and baby wipes (endocrine, immune, organ, and skin problems, cancer) • BPA and nitrosamines in teething rings and polycarbonate plastic bottles (brain, reproductive system, heart, and liver damage, cancer) • Formaldehyde in cribs, changing tables, mattresses, baby bedding materials, bubble bath (cancer) • Nitrosamines in bottles with latex rubber nipples (cancer) • Oxybenzone in sunscreens (allergies, hormone disruption, cell damage) • Parabens in bubble bath (cancer) • Fire-retardant chemicals, dyes, formaldehyde finishes, plastic (polyester, nylon, acrylic, Spandex) and cotton pesticides in baby clothes (cancer) |
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Common Baby Food Pitfalls
By simply making better-than-average choices regarding beverages and finger foods at this age, you’ll go far to protect your baby’s health.
JUICE IS JUST AN ILLUSION OF HEALTHFULNESS
The AAP reports that almost 90% of infants under 1 year of age are given juice—and some are consuming more than 16 ounces (475 ml) per day! Store-bought juice is naught more than sugar water. (Unfortunately, organic, 100% juice isn’t any better because it is still mostly sugar, lacking the fiber, enzymes, and nutrients of whole fruit.) It is bad for your baby in several ways.
JUICE DISPLACES NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS. Babies often get full from juice, such that they are no longer hungry for nutritious foods and drinks. Moreover, the addicting nature of juice means that children keep asking for it.
JUICE IS AN IMPETUS FOR TOOTH DECAY. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants younger than 12 months do not routinely have fruit juice “since it offers no nutrition benefit at this age” and is generally accepted as a contributor to tooth decay. Or at any age, we attest. The AAP also recommends babies and toddlers “not be given juice from bottles or easily transportable covered cups that allow them to consume juice easily throughout the day,” and recommends whole fruits over juice, due to fiber and other nutrients found in the whole fruit.
JUICE WEAKENS IMMUNITY. Studies show that sugar in juice reduces immune function by disabling critical white blood cells for 5 to 7 hours after ingestion, which makes them less able to fight off infection. The immune system is effectively “stunned” by sugar, fructose, honey, and even 100% juice.
JUICE CAUSES BELLYACHES AND DIARRHEA. The AAP warns that excessive juice consumption can be associated with diarrhea, flatulence, and abdominal distention and can lead to malnutrition. In My Tummy Hurts, Joseph Levy, M.D., warns that “juice abuse” causes diarrhea and promotes obesity.
JUICE IS A SOURCE OF HEAVY METALS. In 2010, a California study found that 80% of all juice (yes, organic too) contains the dangerous toxin lead! And since 40% of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) samples contain mercury, juice made with HFCS is likely to contain harmful mercury as well.
We recommend only filtered water or Souper Stock as additional beverages at this age. Offer them perhaps when hot outside and others are thirsty, in small quantities so as not to displace mom’s milk or formula.
FINGER FOODS TO FORGO
Cereal (like Cheerios) is the most common finger food babies eat to practice their pincer grasp. But under further inspection, cereal proves to be a harmful CRAP food!
CHEMICAL: PROCESSED GRAIN PRODUCTS ARE A SOURCE OF TOXINS. Due to the processing they endure, cereals are sources of allergenic neurotoxins, created via a high-heat process called extrusion, which denatures proteins. Whole grains are even worse, as they contain more protein to be denatured.
Many cereals and teething crackers that babies and children consume today contain dangerous levels of glyphosate. Additionally, cereals contain a class 2A toxin: acrylamides, most with over 500 times the safe limit.
Further, the high-heat processing that cereal manufacturing requires damages delicate fatty acids, rendering them rancid and toxic, and even destroys many of the well-intentioned added vitamins and minerals.
REMOVES BODY’S NUTRIENTS: CEREAL IS SUGAR LOADED. Even “healthy” cereals contain some form of sugar. Refined grains themselves are sugars to the body, but most cereals have multiple forms of added sweeteners.
GRAINS ARE HARD TO DIGEST. At this age, your baby is barely making the starch-digesting enzymes needed to digest grains (see chapter 4). Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye grains, is particularly hard to digest.
GRAIN FOODS LEAD TO AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease most closely associated with gluten ingestion, and it is becoming more prevalent. Early gluten introduction has been shown to play a role in the development of celiac disease, as well as other autoimmune disorders. According to Interdisciplinary Toxicology, an estimated 1 out of every 20 people in North American and European populations suffer from celiac disease. Toxins, leaky gut, and diet are at the root of this epidemic.
ADDICTIVE: CEREALS ARE A SOURCE OF DIETARY OPIATES. A special enzyme (called DPP-4) is needed to digest gluten. Because babies don’t yet have this gluten-busting enzyme, the gluten can get “stuck” in a partially digested form. Called gluteomorphin, it acts similar to other opiates—morphine and heroin—clouding and fogging the brain, hindering development and perception, and altering behavior. Gluteomorphins are just as addicting as other opiate drugs, so your baby can get physically hooked on cereal and wheat.
When eating cereal with pasteurized milk, another potential dietary opiate enters the mix. A lack of DPP-4 can also lead to poorly digested pasteurized casein from the milk, which results in caseomorphins (other dietary opiates). Flour-based foods and dairy products, together, increase the intake of sources of dietary opiates.
Souper Stock and fermented foods increase stomach acidity and thus stimulate digestive enzymes, like DPP-4. Also, the gelatin in Souper Stock eventually increases the amount and activity of enzymes that break down gluteomorphin and caseomorphin. Feeding your baby Souper Stock (and cultured foods) will pay off when grains are finally introduced—he’ll be better able to fully break down potential dietary opiates into their “kinder” amino acid building blocks. Limiting toxins will further help, since toxins deactivate these important enzymes.
PROCESSED: PROCESSED, REFINED GRAINS. Flour used in cereals is typically refined, meaning the whole grain is broken apart, the nutrient-rich portions removed, and then it’s “fortified” with synthetic vitamins and minerals, additional sugar, flavorings, colorings, and more franken-food constituents.
The toxic, depleting, inflammatory, allergenic, and addictive nature of breakfast cereals make them a very poor choice for babies, as well as for children and adults. Can you do better than “O’s” for your baby? Absolutely!
Safeguard Your Child Against Toxins with Optimal Nourishment
Toxins are everywhere, but you can do something to help! Toxins are rendered less damaging and effects are decreased in well-nourished children. By providing a diet based on Super Nutrition, you are minimizing the impact that toxins will have on your child’s health.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT THIS AGE
SELF-FEEDING. Between 8 and 10 months, your baby will develop the “pincer grasp,” which means touching an opposing finger together with his thumb, allowing him to grasp smaller objects. It is now time for some finger-friendly foods, giving your baby a chance to practice this new grip and become more confident with self-feeding. Even if your baby isn’t yet interested in feeding himself, let him get used to holding an extra spoon as well as touching, feeling, even squishing foods.
MORE TEXTURE. Even though your baby may not have teeth yet, his hard gums can mash foods, and he can eat more textured foods. At 8 months, food purées and mashes should be thicker than they have been so far, with very soft, squishy lumps. By 9 months, foods should be chunkier, though chunks should still be soft and smooshy. Once babies can tolerate these chunkier foods well, without choking (usually around 9 months), it is time to consider adding finger foods.
HOW MUCH? By 8 months, meal sizes will still vary based on your baby’s hunger and nutrient needs, but on average will consist of 1 to 4 tablespoons (15 to 55 g) of a food (which is 1/4 cup [55 g], or two frozen cubes). Some babies will be hungry enough at a meal to consume 1/2 cup (115 g) of food. Follow your baby’s hunger signs and stop feeding when she loses interest.
Continue nursing about 5 times per day, or give 25 to 32 ounces (700 to 950 ml) of formula in 24 hours. By 9 months, meals become more important to satisfy nutritional needs, though nursing and bottles are still important for complete nutrition, comfort, bonding, and to satisfy your baby’s suckling instinct. If your baby is not interested much in food, you may need to reduce the quantity of mom’s milk or formula.
HOW MANY FOODS PER MEAL? During this age, meals will start to be made up of more than one food. Always serve an animal protein or fat with each meal. Continue to introduce new foods every 3 to 4 days.
Super Nutrition Food Categorizations for 8 to 10 Months |
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SUPER POWER |
PURE |
• Fish roe • Raw yogurt or kefir • Raw butter • Grass-fed, organic heart and liver • Lacto-fermented veggies, roots, and fruits • Organic animal fats |
• Organic fruits • Organic vegetables • Organic pastured meats • Organic coconut milk • Organic yogurt and kefir • Organic butter • Organic eggs |
OKAY |
CRAP |
• Organic baby food (stage 2 to 3) • Nonorganic, non–Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables, washed • Non-processed, non-pastured meats • Nonorganic butter |
• Breakfast cereal • Processed baby meats • Teething biscuits, crackers, cookies • Baby food with added sugar, juice, fruit concentrate, or anything other than fruit, vegetable, or meat • Juice (organic or nonorganic) |
Recipes to Help Protect Against Toxins
Between the ages of 8 and 10 months, nutrient needs remain ever critical. Requirements for absorbable iron, zinc, and copper are still high. Protein needs are not quite half met through nursing or formula intake, so animal foods continue to be a very important part of your baby’s diet. For a more complete list of acceptable foods at this age, see the Food Introduction Timeline.
FEEDING AT 8 MONTHS
At around 8 months of age, you can start introducing gelatin, fish roe, some new veggies, a few fruits, and a wide variety of meats cooked in Souper Stock. Meals usually continue at twice per day until 9 months. Often, they are still accompanied by nursing or bottles or are fit in between feedings. The above chart shows the feeding pattern we suggest.
Finger Foods at 8 months
Fish roe
Chunks of soft avocado
Chunks of very ripe banana
Jigglers (shown here)
Very ripe and soft cantaloupe, mango, or papaya chunks, slightly mashed
Cut up, cooked carrots or soft squash chunks
PATTERN |
8 MONTHS |
Early AM |
Milk/homemade formula |
Midmorning |
Milk/homemade formula + snack |
Midday |
Milk (new food every 3 to 4 days) |
Afternoon |
Milk/homemade formula |
Evening |
Meal |
Nighttime |
Milk/homemade formula |
FEEDING AT 9 MONTHS
By the time your baby is around 9 months old, meals will usually progress to 3 times per day. They may now be made of multiple foods and aren’t always accompanied by formula or nursing. The above chart shows the feeding pattern we suggest.
Finger Foods at 9 months, as your baby is ready:
Very, very ripe peeled pear or peach chunks
Baked sweet potato mashed with butter and rolled into easy-to-pick-up balls
Diced small, stewed apples or pears
Very ripe and soft cantaloupe, mango, or papaya chunks, slightly mashed
Cooked, peeled zucchini and parsnips
Chopped or minced liver
PATTERN |
9 MONTHS |
Early AM |
Milk/homemade formula |
Midmorning |
Bottle or nursing and small meal |
Midday |
Meal |
Afternoon |
Milk/homemade formula |
Evening |
Meal |
Nighttime |
Milk/homemade formula |
◁ HEARTY STEW
Despite the trend toward lean meat preference, organ meats, while lean, are often disregarded. Many indigenous cultures include dishes of heart, tongue, liver, and kidneys. Native American lore includes the practice that like helps like; for example, to keep your cardiovascular system healthy, eat heart, and to keep your ability to detoxify well, eat liver.
Dietary heart is an excellent source of carnitine, taurine, B vitamins, and the antioxidant CoQ10, all of which individually show remarkable cardiovascular benefits, and they neutralize the toxic damage of free radicals (found in environmental toxins, secondhand smoke, and other pollutants), but packaged together, significantly improve cardiovascular and overall health. The combination of these nutrients have stunned researchers with their heart-health benefits.
Carrots, when cooked, have a better antioxidant supply, as reported in 2002 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, which states that cooking carrots increases their levels of beta-carotene. Other vegetables that have enhanced antioxidants through boiling, in particular, include spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, and peppers.
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, coconut oil, or lard
1/2 pound (225 g) beef heart, minced
1/2 pound (225 g) ground beef, optional
2 ounces (55 g) beef liver, optional
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
21/2 cups (570 ml) Souper Stock
Boil the carrots until soft and drain.
Brown the onion in the fat in a skillet over medium-high heat until the onions are mushy and well cooked, about 10 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and add the meat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until brown, leaving the liver light pink inside. Add the carrots and sea salt and stir together.
Fill the pan with enough stock (or filtered water if stock is not available) to cover the meat. Lower the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer until the meat is very tender, 2 to 3 hours.
Purée the meat with the vegetables and stock or, if your baby is ready, cut the meat into very tiny bites and serve with stock.
YIELD: Dinner for family, or 3 to 5 servings for baby
NOTES
Note which foods in this recipe your baby has not yet had, and introduce them individually. Otherwise, omit untried ingredients and limit the stew to previously tolerated foods.
If you’ve served beef before, introducing heart at the same time is fine since heart is also beef muscle meat.
You can simmer chopped heart overnight in a slow cooker of Souper Stock, with carrots, celery (must be well cooked to mushy), and onion, along with a pinch of Celtic sea salt, marrow bones, and a small bit of vinegar.
Additional seasonings like pepper and tarragon can be added at age 1.
◁ GELATIN, JAM, JIGGLERS, AND CUSTARD
There’s gelatin and then there’s gelatin. The gelatin we are referring to is not the bleached, artificially colored, over-sweetened Jell-O brand to which you might be accustomed. Unprocessed gelatin is pure and whole and provides important amino acids, and serves as a fortifying and nourishing gift to the digestive tract. We recommend gelatin powder sourced from responsibly farmed, pastured (grass-fed) animals, such as Bernard Jensen, Great Lakes, and Vital Proteins.
The beauty of gelatin is you can vary the ratio of gelling powder to liquid to end up with different consistencies, from jams to gummies. The following table is a guide to get the result you desire. Remember to always allow the gelatin to bloom (let sit in a small amount of cold liquid for 10 to 15 minutes), which will make it easier to dissolve when added to the hot liquid. For babies at 8 months, we suggest jam to loose-jiggler consistency. Gummies are firmer and should be served when your baby is closer to 10 months or older.
GELATIN POWDER |
LIQUID/FRUIT MASH |
|
JAM |
2 teaspoons (5 g) |
2 cups (475 ml) |
CUSTARD |
3 teaspoons (7 g) |
2 cups (475 ml) |
JIGGLERS |
6 teaspoons (14 g) |
21/2 cups (570 ml) |
GUMMIES |
8 teaspoons (18 g) |
1/2 to 3/4 cup (120 to 175 ml) |
You can use filtered water, fruit mash, mom’s milk, or homemade formula as the liquid to enhance nutrition. We have provided a few of our favorite recipes on the following page.
FRUITY JIGGLERS
2 cups (322 g) pears or (300 g) apples, peeled and cored and chopped
6 teaspoons (18 g) gelatin
Use a juicer to make fresh juice from whole fruit. Two pears or apples will be about 21/2 cups (570 ml) juice. Simmer the juice, minus 1/2 cup (120 ml), in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the gelatin evenly over 1/2 cup (120 ml) cool fruit mash or liquid (1/2 cup filtered water can be also used). Set aside for 10 minutes until the gelatin has absorbed the liquid. Stir to ensure it dissolves.
If you don’t own a juicer, heat the fruit in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until liquefied, about 1 hour, then purée the apples and/or pears with an immersion blender, if needed. Slowly stir the gelatin mixture into the hot fruit liquid, ensuring the gelatin fully dissolves.
Pour into an 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20 cm) glass dish or other shallow glass container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Slice into small finger-fun cubes for your 8-to-9-month-old baby. The jiggler should melt/dissolve easily in your mouth.
YIELD: Sixty-four 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
NOTES
Tropical fruits cannot be used to make gelatin; because they are so enzyme rich, their busy digestive activity will break down (predigest) the gelatin and it will never “set.”
Use apples or pears and introduce berries at 10 to 12 months.
You can also use stock and veggies to make savory jigglers.
FRUIT GUMMIES
(AT AGE 18 MONTHS OR OLDER, WHEN YOUR BABY IS READY)
8 teaspoons (18 g) gelatin
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh squeezed, homemade orange juice
In a small saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the chilled orange juice. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before heating. Slowly heat the mixture.
Continue stirring over low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved—it will be thick and somewhat syrup-like. Remove from the heat and quickly pour into molds or even a small glass dish (grease with coconut oil).
Put in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Remove and pop out of molds or cut into squares if needed.
YIELD: 8 gummies
NOTES
Vitamin C powder, probiotics, and other vitamins or supplements can be added into the mixture during heating to make homemade vitamins.
We do not recommend using store-bought juice (see discussion on juice, shown here).
COCONUT CUSTARD
4 ounces (120 ml) coconut milk or coconut cream
3 teaspoons (7 g) gelatin
4 ounces (120 ml) mom’s milk or homemade formula
Sample coconut milk individually first, to ensure it agrees with your baby. Sprinkle the gelatin over mom’s milk and set aside. Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan. Bring to simmering over low to medium heat. (Note: If using mom’s milk, do not heat.)
Once the gelatin has absorbed the liquid, scoop into the simmering mixture.
Pour into individual small dishes or a bowl and refrigerate.
The custard should be set after 3 hours and should be of firm but soft consistency.
YIELD: Four 2-ounce (57 g) servings
FANCY FISH ROE
Baby “caviar” has Super POWERs. Not just for yachts and villas, caviar has billion-dollar health benefits your baby can enjoy. In fact, fish roe is an ancient sacred food for preconception, pregnancy, nursing moms, and growing children.
Fish roe’s small size, shape, and stickiness make them fun practice for the pincer grasp. She will be fascinated chasing them around her high-chair tray.
This super food packs a powerful punch for protection against toxins. These nutrient-rich eggs have vitamin A, K2, zinc, iodine, and DHA and are a very rich source of vitamin D. (If you’re giving your baby additional vitamin D or are taking it yourself, you can skip your dose on the days you both consume roe. Some studies show 1 tablespoon of fish eggs contains 17,000 IU of precious vitamin D.)
In fact, fish roe is a Super POWER food:
P—Protective—builds the brain, supports the immune system and digestive health
O—Optimal nutrition—very nutrient dense
W—Wisdom of the ancients—a traditional food around the world
E—Enriching—mineral and vitamin rich, especially with vitamin D
R—Regenerating—a healing food, used for fertility and for growing optimally healthy babies
1 teaspoon fish roe (raw, frozen, or dried)
Fresh fish roe usually requires no preparation. If frozen, just thaw it. Some roe might require removing casings.
1 teaspoon is a good serving size for self-feeding.
Roe can also be stirred into a soft-boiled egg yolk (see here), mixed with mashed avocado, stirred into Souper Stock meat meals, or served with puréed vegetables.
YIELD: 1 serving
NOTES
Purchase only refrigerated roe, as shelf-stable caviar contains preservatives, or order online.
Salmon roe is largest and best for first finger foods.
Avoid domestic paddlefish caviar from the contaminated rivers of Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee.
HOMEMADE GHEE
Ghee is prepared from butter, and using the highest quality, organic, grass-fed, cultured butter is advised. It is great for cooking or spreading and contains butyrate, which is a digestive aid. Ghee has not only vitamins A, D, and E, but also the coveted vitamin K2 (Weston A. Price’s “X Factor”). Combined together, these nutrients can support strength in bones, supple arteries, and healthful endocrine function.
2 cups (450 g) unpasteurized, unsalted, organic, and grass-fed butter
Cut the butter into cubes and place in a medium-size saucepan.
Heat over medium heat until melted and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
Watch for the butter to form a foam layer, then bubble, and then form a second foam layer. When the second foam forms, the ghee is complete and should be a golden color. You should see brown milk solids at the bottom of your pan.
Cool for a few minutes and then slowly pour through a wire mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth (several layers will work better). Milk solids/protein are not to be poured into ghee (but you can eat them!).
Ghee will last up to 1 month at room temperature or up to 2 months in the refrigerator.
YIELD: 17/8 cups (440 ml)
NOTES
By putting ghee in recipes and slathering cooked vegetables or fruit with this powerfully packed, nutrient-rich flavor enhancer, your child will get not only the nutrients in the ghee, but the additional ability to absorb and utilize fat-soluble nutrients in fruits and vegetables.
Without the remaining milk solids, ghee is less allergenic and resembles the high-vitamin butter oil that Weston A. Price had such success with when helping to regenerate the health of children and adults.
If raw butter is not available, pasteurized, organic, and grass-fed unsalted butter can be used.
◁ YOGURT, KEFIR, AND YOGURT CHEESE
Milk that has been cultured is a good source of protein, as well as vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. Fermented dairy provides phenomenal health benefits, such as improving calcium absorption, boosting immunity, aiding digestion and detoxification, and helping to prevent and treat constipation, thrush, and yeast diaper rashes. Yogurt is fermented (curdled) milk. Kefir is similar to yogurt, but it’s usually more liquid and has different microflora strains, including good yeast. Another way to get the benefits of cultured dairy is to strain the whey out of the yogurt and use the curds as a nutrient-rich “cream cheese.” This soft cheese has the benefits of fermentation and raw dairy. It is also called fromage frais (fresh cheese).
2 cups (16 ounces, or 455 g) whole, plain, organic yogurt or kefir (preferably raw)
Let the covered raw yogurt or kefir sit out on the counter for 24 hours. It will separate into whey (the yellow liquid) and milk solids (curds).
Line a mesh strainer with several layers of cheesecloth (or a coffee filter) and set over a bowl. Pour in both layers of the yogurt or kefir.
Let the whey drip through the strainer for 24 hours (remaining on the counter if raw dairy is used and in the refrigerator if using pasteurized dairy); the curds will be captured in the cloth. (If you suspend the strainer higher over the bowl, you’ll make “drier” cheese.) This resulting yogurt cheese will be similar to cream cheese in consistency.
Yogurt cheese will last for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
The whey can be used for lacto-fermentation (see Homemade Curds and Whey in chapter 4).
YIELD: About 11/2 cups (12 ounces, or 340 g) “cheese” and 1/2 cup (120 ml) whey
NOTES
Raw yogurt and kefir are vastly preferred. (Check with local CSAs and farm co-ops.)
Commercial yogurt should say “live” and “active” cultures so that the beneficial bacteria is living—which is the only way it does you any good. If the label says “pasteurized,” “stabilized,” or “heat-treated after culturing,” then the bacteria will have all been destroyed by the heat processing. See Resources, for recommended brands.
Choose whole-milk, unflavored yogurt, as fats make the probiotics hardier and healthier, and flavors usually have added sugar.
The yogurt cheese can be mixed with very soft fruits as a dessert or with soft vegetables for dinner.
◁ ICED BANANA COCONUT CREAM
Coconut isn’t a nut, but a healthy palm fruit and a seed. Allergies to coconut are rare. However, if you are concerned about allergies, put coconut oil on your baby’s skin first to make sure there is no reaction. In some cultures, coconut has been a longstanding first food for babies starting at 6 months. This might be due to traditional wisdom, as coconut is second only to mom’s milk in content of lauric acid. The body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, a potent antiviral constituent that is being studied to fight very strong viruses, including herpes and HIV.
1/2 ripe banana
1/4 cup (58 ml) coconut cream, mom’s milk, or homemade formula (if formula-fed)
Cut the banana in half. Peel and freeze the banana overnight.
Remove the banana half from the freezer and chop. Add the desired liquid and blend in a Vitamix or food processor.
Serve as a cold, sweet, healthy treat or as part of a meal.
YIELD: 2 to 3 baby servings
NOTES
The recipe can be doubled.
For a larger serving, use 1 1/2 bananas with 3/4 cup (175 ml) of coconut milk.
FRUIT MEDLEY
One of the favors the beneficial bacteria in our gut does for us is digest and break down fiber and other carbohydrates. Eventually, your baby will have built up her army of beneficial bacteria, but until then, most vegetables and fruits should be cooked before serving to make them more digestible and nutritious—and therefore protective against toxins. Cooking breaks down antinutrients that can impair digestion and also breaks down fiber, which, without plentiful probiotic friends residing in the gut, can be a digestive irritant if consumed raw.
1/2 cup (about 60 g) cherries, pitted and halved or quartered
2 peaches or nectarines, pitted and chopped
3 apricots, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon (15 g) ghee or coconut oil
Cook the fruit in the fat in a saucepan over low heat until very soft and juicy, about 20 minutes.
Purée (use caution when puréeing hot liquids) if needed using a hand blender.
Cool and serve.
YIELD: 11/2 cups (384 g) (or about 6 to 8 baby servings)
NOTES
Introduce each of these foods (via chopping, cooking, and mashing) individually if they have not been already.
Since apples and pears were already introduced in First Fruit Sauces (chapter 4), they are a great addition to the Fruit Medley.
As cherries, peaches, and nectarines appear on the list of the most pesticide-ridden foods (see “The Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen”), choose organic, if possible. (If organic is not available, wash well with a natural wash containing grapefruit seed extract.)
This dish makes a great “dessert” or celebration “treat” for your baby. There is no need to try ice cream or cake when nature provides abundant flavor and natural sweetness in fruits!
◁ TURKISH LIVER
Liver is nutritious and in addition to the powerful retinol form of vitamin A it provides, it is also known as the best source of B vitamins (including B12). It also contains vitamin C (some of which is destroyed with cooking), vitamin E, copper, zinc, protein, phosphorus, iron, thiamin, CoQ10, and selenium.
1 pound (455 g) fresh calf or lamb liver
1/3 cup (50 g) lard, coconut oil, or ghee (for frying)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated turmeric root
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (2 g) finely chopped cilantro
Pinch of ground cloves, optional
Celtic sea salt to taste
Cut the liver into small cubes, removing any tough membrane.
Melt the oil in a large skillet and add the onion, turmeric, and garlic and cook well, about 10 minutes.
When the onions are cooked and the oil is hot enough for frying (a drop of water sizzles), add the liver cubes. Brown the cubes on all sides. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the cilantro, ground cloves, if using, and sea salt.
To serve to your 8-month-old, purée her portion with an immersion blender. As your baby approaches 10 months, she will be able to eat the soft liver cubes and mushy onion strands.
YIELD: 8 to 10 baby servings
NOTES
For older babies, children, and adults sharing this meal, you can optionally add 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac to your portions. Some claim that sumac (Rhus coriaria), which is a red berry, ground, and altogether unrelated to poison sumac and part of the cashew family (Anacardiaceae), like mangoes, might be allergenic to those very sensitive to cashews, the same as with pink peppercorns.
It is best to introduce new spices one at a time with several days in between to watch for reaction. The spices that mom consumes while nursing will likely be tolerated because they have been introduced in mom’s milk. Baby’s first spices should be mild, easy on new taste buds, and simple to digest.
◁ SWEET POTATO POND SOUP WITH AVOCADO TURTLES
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta-carotene (the precursor to retinol) and anthocyanins, which work in a complex way with other flavonoid components in foods and are currently being studied, but are believed to be potent free-radical scavengers and antioxidants. Adding fats, from coconut cream and ghee, as well as the fat-digesting enzymes in avocado, make for a healthful and colorful soup to consume.
1 onion or leek, diced
4 tablespoons (55 g) ghee or coconut oil
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
2 to 3 teaspoons (5 to 7 g) ground cinnamon
2 cup (475 ml) chicken Souper Stock
1 cup (235 ml) coconut cream
Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
In a medium-size pan, sauté the onion in the fat over medium-low heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and continue to sauté over medium heat until the potato chunks are soft, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top and stir to distribute evenly.
Add the stock, increase the heat, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes have cooked through. Blend in the pot with a stick/immersion blender or spoon into a regular blender and blend until smooth. Add the cream and return to a simmer. Season with sea salt.
Pour into two bowls and serve with Avocado Turtles.
AVOCADO TURTLES
1 large ripe avocado
Slice the ripe avocado in half, then into quarters. Discard the pit. Peel the avocado quarters and dispose of the peel. Cut the avocado into small chunks that are bite-size for your baby.
Drop some into your baby’s soup. He will enjoy finding them with his spoon.
YIELD: 1/2 cup (120 ml)
◁ POACHED FISH
Poaching preserves moisture and adds flavor to fish like albacore tuna, salmon, and sablefish/black cod. All three are classified as “Best Choice” by the Seafood Watch program. The USDA advises, “Babies need the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish for brain, nerve, and eye development. Most children don’t get enough, especially when they switch from breast milk or formula to solid food. Additionally, children’s food preferences largely develop by age five, … parents [are urged] to help their kids develop a taste for seafood early.”
1 tablespoon (10 g) finely chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated turmeric
1 tablespoon (8 g) freshly grated ginger, optional
3 tablespoons (42 g) ghee, coconut oil, or (45 ml) cultured butter
2 large carrots, finely diced
1 zucchini, finely diced (can substitute yellow squash)
3 cups (700 ml) Souper Stock (you can make a fish/seafood stock or use chicken Souper Stock)
2 to 3 tablespoons (28 to 45 ml) Homemade Mom’s Milk Whey, optional
4 to 6 fillets (6 ounces, or 170 g each) wild-caught Atlantic mackerel, pollock, herring, or salmon
Celtic sea salt to taste
In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic, turmeric, and ginger in the desired fat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the onion is transluscent.
Add the carrot and zucchini and cook until the veggies are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the stock and bring to just below a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the whey, if using.
Slowly add the fish into the hot liquid, making sure it is submerged.
Raise the heat back to a simmer and cover with a lid. The fish should be poached in 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The cooking liquid should remain just below boiling.
Remove the fish and purée, thinning with mom’s milk, formula, Souper Stock, or the poaching broth to the right consistency for your baby. The vegetables can be removed and puréed or given as finger food. Season with salt to taste.
YIELD: 4 to 6 servings
NOTES
Fish was once off the list for younger babies due to allergenicity; however, recommendations to wait on allergenic foods have been reversed, and for the most part, we agree. Some good fish to try early on with babies include wild-caught salmon, herring, and sardines.
For sardines: Add sardines to the warm liquid. Purée into a spoonable meal for your baby. Choose sardines such as Wild Planet brand, wild-caught, non-GMO, in water with no salt added.
When choosing fish, refer to the sidebar “Deep Dive into Choosing Seafood Wisely”.