Bringing your baby home from the hospital is very exiting as well as nerve wrecking. Each mother wants to be the best mother for her baby and each dad wants the best for his son or daughter. The first priority while taking care of the newborn is providing your baby with a good and balanced nutrition. Breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your baby. Breast milk has live cells and other immunity boosting elements that currently cannot be replicated synthetically. However, not all moms can breastfeed for many reasons. That’s when it is important to research infant formulas and to choose the best one for your baby. Your baby’s pediatrician is an excellent source of reliable knowledge. Other moms and their experiences can also be helpful. There are mixed opinions about Earth’s Best Organic Infant  formula.

The positive features of this product are:

-it is organic so the milk used as a base for this formula is organic

-it is more affordable than other organic formula

-it has all the good vitamins and minerals added to it

The drawbacks that some parents are concerned with:

-DHA and ARA are added to the organic in Earth’s Best formula, although federal organic regulations prohibit hexane-extracted ingredients in organic foods. Parents who choose to buy organic products for their babies spend extra dollar in order to get the purest and healthiest food. The controversy about the DHA/ARA extraction using toxic chemical hexane upset many organic product buyers. One mom, who went extra length to get this formula shipped to Singapore was astonished to learn about this controversy. “The formula was marketed as a pure organic product and we pay premium prices,” she writes in her  review in Amazon.com website. “Calls to Hain Celestial customer service drove me further up the wall when first, a lady said the hexane was only in trace amounts and less than what the FDA approved!”

DHA and ARA are not listed as approved substances on the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (7 CFR 205.605) which is established by the Secretary of Agriculture with recommendations form the  National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). DHA and ARA are extracted from algae and soil fungus by using hexane, a toxic chemical which is a by-product of gasoline refining. There is a concern that there is not enough research done on the possible residues of hexane after the distillation process in the derived DHA and ARA. According to the information on the Earth’s Best website, Earth’s Best Infant Formula  contains 2 times the DHA found in the leading organic formula.

A valuable source of information on DHA/ARA and hexane is Cornucopia Institute. Click here to read their Questions and Answers document about DHA and ARA.

-Another drawback is that Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula does not mix very well and forms lumps. Some moms noticed that it takes a lot of patience and diligence to mix this formula well. It might be frustrating when you have a crying hungry child next to you.

Ingredients

Organic Reduced Minerals Whey, Organic Non-Fat Milk, Organic Lactose, Organic Glucose Syrup Solids, Organic Palm Oil Or Organic Palm Olein, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic High Oleic (Safflower Or Sunflower Oil), Organic Soy Oil, Organic Whey Protein Concentrate And Less Than 1%: Crypthecodinium Cohnii Oil (Docosahexaenoic Acid), Mortierella Alpina Oil (Arachidonic Acid), Soy Lecithin, Minerals: (Calcium Chloride, Calcium Hydroxide, Cupric Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Bicarbonate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Selenite, Zinc Sulfate), Taurine, Vitamins: Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Carotene, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid, Inositol, Mixed Tocopherol Concentrate, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamin Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol), Vitamin E (Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Vitamin K (Phytonadione), Nucleotides: Adenosine-5′-Monophosphate, Cytidine-5′-Monophosphate, Disodium Guanosine-5′-Monophosphate, Disodium Inosine-5′-Monophosphate, Disodium Uridine-5′-Monophosphate.

Angelina Jolie and her sons Pax and Maddox savored roasted crickets while visiting Madox’es native Cambodia. In Cambodia deep fried and spiced up crickets is a very popular snack. It is considered to be a  very healthy one for all generations. Like other bugs, crickets are, indeed, rich in protein. According to Angelina Jolie, “They’re good! They are like potato chips!”

Stage 3 food for 8 months and above

Taste: O.K. Some children will like it more as a finger food rather than a cereal with milk.

This cereal is loads of fun and a good entertainment for your baby. You can just give him puffs and see him play with puffs blowing them off the table, or sticking to his fingers and lips. It is a fun snack in its dry form. It is not too sweet and it doesn’t become a mush after you pour milk on it. It has a high nutritional value.  If your baby is not very particular about his cereal being sweet then he might quite like it.

Cereal is made out of 5 grain flours: rice flour, oat flour, quinoa flour, amaranth flour, millet flour. Quinoa flour is made out of quinoa plant’s seeds. This local to the Americas grain is highly nutritious. Quinoa’s protein content is very high 12%–18%  and it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids. It is gluten free. Amaranth seeds from which its flour is made are rich in protein and essential amino acids. They are also gluten free. Millets have high amounts of  B vitamins, especially niacin, B6 and folic acid, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc. Just like amaranth seeds, millet does not have gluten.  Taking into consideration the nutritiousness of the 5 grains that this cereal is made of, this cereal is a very nutritious baby cereal and an excellent breakfast meal to start your baby’s day with.

Size: 4oz

Ingredients

Rice flour, oat flour, quinoa flour, amaranth flour, millet flour. Contains wheat, added vitamins and minerals: tricalcium phosphate, electrolytic iron, zinc sulfate, d-alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin e), niacinamide, mixed tocopherols, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), vitamin b12, folic acid, vitamin d3.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size    14 g
Trans Fat    0g
Calories    50
Total Fat    0.5g
Sodium    0mg
Potassium    15mg
Total Carbohydrate    11g
Fiber    1g
Sugar    1g
Protein    1g

% Daily values

Vitamin D    20%
Protein    4%
Vitamin A     0%
Vitamin C   0%
Calcium   25%
Iron    45%
Vitamin E    25%
Thiamin   25%
Riboflavin    25%
Niacin   25%
Vitamin B6   25%
Folate   25%
Vitamin B12    25%
Panthothenic Acid    25%
Zinc    25%

Stage 1 food for 4 months and above

Taste: Yum!  It  tastes like sweet banana with a touch of peachy sourness

Ella’s Kitchen fellows have done it again! They mixed a sweet and nutritious banana with a sourish refreshing peach and out came a dessert-like fruit pure for a baby. It is organic and it is delicious, and the nutritional value is high without any added synthetic ingredients. It has been known that human body absorbs the vitamins and minerals found in food better than those produced synthetically. Ella’s Kitchen Organic baby food manufacturers know that and they do not add any additives to their baby food, just the fruits or vegetables. Their goal is a truly pure organic food that is best for the babies.

Organic peaches and bananas have two ingredients: bananas and peaches.  Bananas are starchy and high in calories and they give a feeling of fullness. It is a great snack for babies who need additional calories to grow and develop. Bananas also have vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, potassium and other vitamins and nutrients necessary for the healthy body.

Peaches add a touch of sourness to the sweet banana and they are also nutritious. They have vitamin A,  folate, Vitamin C, Iron and Potassium. When combined into the organic puree these two fruit serve as a good source of potassium and vitamin C.

Ingredients

Organic banana, organic peach.

Nutritional Information

Calories 35

Total Fat 0.1g

Trans Fat 0g

Sodium 15mg

Total Carbohydrate 8.3g

Dietary fiber 1.1g

Sugars 8.1g

Protein 0.3g

%Daily value

Protein 4%

Vitamin C 80%

Iron 2%

Vitamin A 0%

Calcium 2%

Stage 1 food for 4 months and above

Taste: Superb! It almost tastes like apple sauce, sweet with a touch of sourness.

We all agree that organic food is the best for our babies and that organic food that tastes good is even better. Ella’s Kitchen Organic Carrots, Apples and Parsnips Stage 1 baby food is organic and delicious. Let’s talk about its packaging, taste and the nutritional value.

All Ella’s Kitchen baby food is packaged in eye catching easy to use pouches. The colors are bright and inviting. It is easy to take a pouch and squirt it into a baby’s bowl for feeding. The orange color of carrot, apple, parsnip food is exciting and makes you think yummy carrots right away!

The taste doesn’t taste like carrots though. It is more like a sweet apple sauce. Parsnip’s taste, in case you are worried about it, is undetectable, and that’s a good thing. Babies might question the taste of parsnip! However, the nutritional benefits of carrots, parsnips and apples are all there.

Talking about nutrition, everybody knows that carrots have loads of vitamin A that is good for your eyes. Your baby’s vision is still developing so carrots is the food you want to feed your little one.  Carrots are also rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants, and minerals.

Apples are high in fiber and antioxidants and the yummy apple sauce taste is irresistible. Apples are known to have all kinds of health benefits so your baby should regularly consume this healthy fruit.

Last but not least is parsnip.  Parsnip is very healthy for your baby too. They are related to carrots (look like them, actually, but parsnips are white in color) and have a buttery, slightly spicy sweet flavor when cooked. The flavor can be a little overwhelming if parsnip is to be eaten alone. Parsnip is very rich in potassium and high in dietary fiber.

It was a great idea to combine the two healthy root vegetables with a delicious and beneficial fruit. The outcome is a very yummy pure which is flavorful and nutritious. Your baby will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

Organic apples 68%
Organic carrots 22%
Organic parsnips 10%
Organic lemon juice concentrate (a dash)

Nutritional Information:

Serving size one portion 3.5oz (99g)

Calories 34
Total Fat 0.3g
Trans fat 0g
Sodium 20mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.1g
Diatary fiber 1.7g
Sugars 7.6g
Protein 0.3g

% Daily value
Protein 4%
Vitamin C 45%
Iron 2%
Vitamin A 130%
Calcium %

Stage 3 food for 8 months and above

Taste: Excellent! Flavorful, with a bit of zing, smooth.

Beech Nut’s Whole grain Oats with Raspberries is very healthy indeed and it is an improvement in taste from previously produced Whole Grain Oats Cereal with Raspberries with DHA.

It is  a whole grain cereal. Whole grains are cereal grains that retain the bran and germ as well as the endosperm, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. This cereal is made with whole oat flour so it has greater amount of dietary fiber which benefits baby’s developing digestive system. Raspberries have very high content of fiber as well. They are high in vitamin C and are loaded with antioxidants.

However, if your baby has a preference for sweeter foods she might not like this cereal due to its sourish taste.  This cereal has a  sourish taste of raspberries. If mixed with other sweeter fruit, like  bananas, it can be quite a treat!

When opened cereal has to be refrigerated and used within three days.

Ingredients

water, pear puree concentrate, diced apples, rolled oats, raspberries, whole oat flour, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), ferrous sulfate, dicalcium phosphate, zinc sulfate, niacinamide, calcium d-pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin b6), vitamin b12, folic acid, vitamin d3.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size 1 jar
Trans Fat 0g
Soluble Fiber 1g
Calories 150
Total Fat 1g
Sodium 5mg
Potassium 400mg
Total Carbohydrate 33g
Fiber 6g
Sugar 19g
Protein 1g

% of Daily Values:

Vitamin D   25%
Vitamin B1  25%
Vitamin B2  25%
Protein  10%
Vitamin A   0%
Vitamin C   25%
Calcium 2%
Iron 45%
Niacin  25%
Vitamin B6  25%
Vitamin B12  25%
Panthothenic Acid  25%
Zinc   25%
Folic Acid  25%