Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Baby food from shops half as nutritious as homemade meals, study finds

Baby foods made by firms including Cow & Gate, Heinz and Ella's Kitchen have far fewer nutrients than homemade meals, according to a new study.
Many contain high levels of sugar and some are promoted for use from four months of age – a time when babies should still be on a diet of breast or formula milk.
Babies would need to eat twice as much shop-bought food to get the same energy and protein as meals cooked at home, researchers found.
The study, from the department of human nutrition at the University of Glasgow, said many weaning foods "would not serve the intended purpose" of giving a baby extra nutrients or a range of tastes and textures