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Posts Tagged ‘Baby’

Tofu – that’s just for vegetarians, right?
Wrong.

Tofu is a highly nutritious food that, rather than being seen as just an alternative to meat, should be included in your baby’s diet on its own merits!

Tofu is part of the legume family. It is fermented soymilk curd – the process by which it is made compares to the way that cheese is made from milk. Tofu is a rich source of protein, calcium, iron, fibre and fatty acids – key components for good nutrition.

There are two basic types of tofu – hard/firm tofu, often used in recipes that needs a consistency which holds together well – and soft or silken tofu, generally used for desserts, smoothies, soups and sauces.

Fresh tofu has a sweet aroma when opened – any sour odour would indicate that it is stale and should not be used for your baby. It will keep for seven days in the refrigerator and should be placed in an airtight container of water. It is, however, essential that the water is changed on a daily basis. Tofu does not freeze particularly well – upon defrosting it becomes somewhat spongy in texture and appears discoloured.

You can introduce this versatile and healthy food to your baby once he/she is at least 8 months of age. (It is important, however, to be aware that soy is a potential allergen. When introducing it to your baby for the very first time, watch carefully for any signs of an allergic reaction.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stuffy or runny nose, watery or red eyes and wheezing. Should you ever suspect your baby is allergic to a particular type of food, then contact a medical professional immediately).

It is very easy to incorporate tofu into your baby’s diet because it has very little taste of its own. Instead, it absorbs the flavours of any foods it comes into contact with.

Initially, you could try blending tofu with cottage cheese or avocado, for a simple, nutritious meal. Soft tofu creamed with fruit would make a delicious dessert for baby. Alternatively, tofu can be cut into chunks and served to your baby raw, as a healthy finger food.

Taking into account tofu’s extensive nutritional properties, along with its versatility, it would clearly provide a very worthwhile boost to most babies’ diets.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in many plants, beans, and seeds. A lot of the time, it is associated with coffee which has the maximum caffeine concentration. Nevertheless, caffeine is also seen in a variety of food and drinks like nuts, colas, hot chocolate and other chocolate products. It can also be found in some drugs and other food supplements.

Not a lot of of us understand that caffeine is simply comparable to other drugs like nicotine and alcohol which have an addictive property, the main reason why many people pine for coffee, tea or cola. It gives us a “feel-good-sensation” simply because it has the ability to activate our brain’s pleasure center. The heartbreaking aspect concerning caffeine though, is the fact that a number of research have highly implicated it with a number of prenatal risks.

In a longitudinal study done at the two large hospitals in United Kingdom covering 2635 pregnant women subjects, 13% had a child with fetal development restriction (birth weight at less than 10th percentile). 1 Higher caffeine consumption was linked to greater chances of having growth-restricted infants. On the contrary, the association between caffeine consumption and fetal development restriction is reduced for those taking less than 100 mg/day of caffeine. 2

As far as the above research is concerned, researchers calculated that the possibilities of having a child with fetal development restriction in females who consumed 100-199 mg/day of caffeine is 20% greater, 50% higher for individuals who ingested 200-299 mg/day, and 40% greater for those who ingested much more than 300 mg/day of caffeine. 1

In yet another study reported early this year of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, there was an observed association of high caffeine consumption with increased risk for miscarriage. The respective rates of miscarriage among females with no caffeine use, 0 to 200 mg/day, and 200 mg/day or more were 12%, 15%, and 25% respectively. 3

Caffeine consumption during pregnancy is additionally linked to cryptorchidism. This is a condition wherein one or two undescended testicles at birth persist to at least 2 years of age. 4 This was concluded by a prospective study performed at the Center for Research on Women’s and Children’s Health in Berkeley, CA. Investigators assessed that sons of mothers who drank 3 cups of coffee a day in the course of pregnancy have been likely to have persistent cryptorchidism. There has been recent interest with cryptorchid kids owing to their increased risk for developing testicular cancer.

Though the deleterious effects of fetal growth restriction, miscarriage, and cryptorchidism have shown considerable linear association mainly with high caffeine intake, this should not make any pregnant woman complacent. There is sufficient evidence to indicate that any amount, no matter how low your caffeine consumption, can result in some physical effects on your little one. Caffeine: (a) increases your baby’s heart rate, b) may influence how much your infant moves in utero, (c) can cause you to absorb less iron which is detrimental to your baby’s overall development, and (d) babies have a tendency to store caffeine in their blood for longer periods of time and may have a potential risk to reach dangerously high levels.

Here are some widely loved caffeinated drinks with approximated caffeine content which you might as well think of giving up.

instant coffee (8 oz) – 70 mg, brewed coffee (8 oz) – 60-120 mg
tea (8 oz) – 15-45 mg
coca cola (12 oz can) – 34 mg, pepsi cola (12 oz can) – 38 mg
chocolate milk (8 oz) – 4 mg, dark chocolate (1 oz) – 20 mg,
milk chocolate (1 oz) – 6mg

So if you are pregnant, there’s good enough reason to give up or at least cut again on your caffeine consumption. It may be hard to give up your morning cup of coffee or tea, but the price is high if you don’t. Simply think that you and your little one’s wellbeing are far more important in contrast to the irresistible taste of brewed coffee!

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References:

1. Miranda Hitti (2008). Study: Quit Caffeine While Pregnant Or at Least Cut Back on
Caffeine, Researchers Say, Citing Possible Risk of Fetal Growth Restriction

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20081104/study-quit-caffeine-while-pregnant

2. Laurie Barclay, MD (2008). Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy May Increase Risk for
Fetal Growth Restriction. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/583046

3. Laurie Barclay, MD (2008). High Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy May Increase
Risk for Miscarriage. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/569162

4. Scott Baltic. Caffeine in Pregnancy Linked With Persistent Cryptorchidism in Sons

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/570489

THE LIT CANDLE (THE GERMZ) – NO EASY WAY DOWN – BABY BOLLOX MASTER REMIX. Raw track courtesy “Fanny Craddock 99″. “No Easy Way Down”, orig by Jackie deshannon, written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin was also recorded by: Na Allen American Breed Ernie Andrews Cajun Hart Mark Eitzel The Germz Hour Glass (Allman Bro) Walter Jackson Janice Hoyte Norah Jones Laura Nyro Adam Levy The Lit Candle Gloria Lynne Björn Skifs The Fondue Set Nancy Wilson. Your toy balloon has sailed In the sky, love But now it must fall To the ground Now your sad eyes reveal Just how badly you feel ‘Cause there is no easy way down The view from the cliffs Must have been exciting And up to the peaks You were bound Now you’re stranded alone And the past is unknown And there is no easy way down No it isn’t very easy When you’re left on your own No it isn’t very easy When each road you take Is one more mistake And there’s no-one to break your fall And lead you back home, We all like to climb to the heights of love Where our fantasy world can be found But you must know in the end When it’s time to descend Coz there is no easy way down You know you’re gonna find There is no easy way down