Nothing can scare a parent like an allergic reaction! When you find that your baby has an intolerance or true allergy to a certain food, avoidance can be life saving. Controlling your combinations of ingredients becomes essential, as well as taking care when preparing foods.
Many food companies process baby food in facilities where a variety of foods prone to triggering allergic reaction, such as peanut butter, may be prepared. You simply don't have those same risks in the comforts of your own kitchen. You've read about how inexpensive and easy it is to prepare your own foods, but if your baby has an allergy, making your own baby food may be the only option you have-and the Vitamix can be a real life-saver. For example, if your child has an allergy or intolerance to dairy-and many do-you can use the Vitamix to make your own rice and soy milks as non-dairy alternatives. It's very inexpensive, easy and delicious.
- Foods that pose potential health risks to babies and young children:
- Eggs (Yolks can generally be introduced sooner than egg whites)
- Peanuts/Tree nuts and nut butters
- Dairy products (Allergy is often outgrown)
- Shellfish/fish
- Soy (Allergy is often outgrown)
- Wheat (Allergy may be outgrown, but an intolerance called Celiac disease is not a true allergic reaction, but must be managed carefully with help from your health care provider, as this is not outgrown)
- Chocolate
- Citrus fruits
- Commercial canned foods-not recommended due to high sodium content
- Beets, spinach, collards and turnip greens (and other root vegetables)-- not recommended because they have higher concentrations of naturally-occurring nitrates which can reduce hemoglobin in babies less than 6-8 months of age. After 8 months of age the baby develops the stomach acids necessary to fight the bacteria that can cause nitrate poisoning.
- Honey - not recommended for children under the age of one year due to potential risk of infant botulism
