The Farming Behind Your Baby's Products: Why Quality Matters
For your baby, anything less than the best just isn’t an option.
From those soft-as-silk organic sheets to the BPA-free sippy cups, you know that it’s important to support your child by protecting them from potential toxins. But the importance of these other products pales in comparison to food quality.
As it turns out, what you feed your baby MATTERS, both for her developing body and the world she will someday inherit.
The Sinister Side of Conventional Baby Food
You are what you eat, the mantra goes, and this is never more true than during those first few years of life.
Unfortunately, many brands of baby food contain trace levels of pesticides and other agricultural contaminants. As far back as 1995, the Environmental Working Group reported that 16 different pesticides were found in baby foods manufactured by eight different companies. In fact, the CDC says that the primary cause of pesticide exposure for young children is the food they eat.
Research shows that up to 80 percent of conventional baby foods contain potentially harmful levels of arsenic, lead, and BPA, chemicals which the World Health Association lists as connected to developmental defects, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Baby isn’t the only one being affected by these compounds. The 2008 President’s Panel on Cancer stated that the entire U.S. population is regularly exposed to nearly 1,400 agricultural chemicals, many of which can cause cancer or disrupt hormone functioning.
Why should you be concerned about pesticide contamination for your infant? Pound for pound, babies are far more vulnerable to these compounds than adults. Due to their delicate immune systems, these chemicals are potentially more dangerous for young children than they are for adults.
Pesticide exposure can compromise young children’s developing nervous systems and reproductive organs, and fat-soluble synthetic compounds can be stored in their chubby baby fat indefinitely. Small, repetitive doses add up because the body doesn’t have a way to expel them, potentially leading to a host of unexpected health problems later in life.
In light of this news, what is a concerned parent to do? Switching to sustainably grown food can make all the difference.
Biodynamic Foods: Benefits from the Very Beginning
You’ve probably well versed in the benefits of organic food, but few people understand what biodynamic certification brings to the (literal) table. Biodynamic farming renews the planet by maximizing the health and vitality of every part of the farming process.
The backbone of biodynamic growing is that nutrient-rich soil is the key to healthy food. From the fertilizer to the final crop, biodynamic growing understands that nature is a closed loop system and works to incorporate all living organisms (plants, livestock, farmers, and wild spaces) into the system for the benefit of all.
Leave the Planet Better for Your Baby Than You Found It
The premise of biodynamics is that healthy ecosystems can provide for everything that they need, which is why biodynamic farms strive to produce as much on their own fertility as possible through composting, manure, and cover cropping. And, to integrate natural ecosystem services into the farm, at least 10% of farmland must be set aside as wildlife space for attracting beneficial insects and animals- no dangerous pesticides required.
Through these methods, biodynamic farming techniques build up soil health, sequester carbon dioxide into the soil, and increase biodiversity on the farm. Production comes because of the health and integrity of the land, not at the expense of it.
Nourish Your Child Naturally for Better Health
Does ditching contaminated produce in favor of organic and biodynamic options make much of a difference for your child’s health? The science says it does.
Research shows that children who eat an organic diet metabolize significantly lower levels of high-risk insecticides within their bodies. A metadata analysis of organic and conventional food found that switching to foods grown without pesticides led to a 94 percent lower risk of health risks of pesticide exposure.
Further research reveals that the levels of organophosphate pesticides in children’s bodies plummet after just five of eating naturally grown food.
Need more proof? A recent study compared the nutrition of organic and nonorganic dairy production and found that natural products contained significantly higher concentrations of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
More research on natural milk from the British Journal of Nutrition showed that two-year-olds who ate organic and biodynamic dairy had less eczema and wheezing than their peers.
It’s never too early to start feeding your baby better- even when she’s still in the womb. A study from UC Berkeley tracked pregnant women who were exposed to high levels of organophosphate pesticides and found that their children scored several IQ points below their peers once they reached school age.
The facts speak for themselves. Sticking to sustainably grown food will make a difference for your baby from the very first bite.
What Foods Should You Buy Biodynamic?
Make a change for your child’s health today. Say no to pesticides that pollute the environment and our bodies, and instead embrace the ever-increasing world of biodynamic food options available.
At White Leaf Provisions, we believe feeding your child healthy food shouldn’t be difficult. We offer only the best for your baby with our line of applesauce and baby foods.
Choose to fuel your child with naturally sweet apple cinnamon applesauce and apple-pear sauce, or our new range of individually sized baby foods formulated with carrots and other biodynamic-certified ingredients. We want to help you on your family’s journey towards healthier living for your bodies and the planet.
Please contact us today if you have any questions about our product line or the nuances of biodynamics. We can’t wait to continue this conversation.