Foods Babies Should Avoid

Baby's first solids, its an exciting milestone for every mom.  What we aren't always aware of are the types of food that our babies cannot eat yet before their 1st birthday.  So, here's a list of things to avoid.

• Honey, Corn Syrup and Maple Syrup.   Babies should never be given any of these products because they can contain the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. When babies ingest this, it turns into a toxin that causes botulism. Infant botulism attacks the baby’s nervous system and can result in death.
  
• Whole milk should not be introduced as a replacement for breast milk or formula until after 12 months. This recommendation is due to the fact that whole cow milk cannot properly sustain a growing infant. It simply does not have all the nutritional components needed for healthy growth and development. This milk contains pathogens, micro-organisms that cause diseases such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa and other organisms. People with weakened immune systems, such as young babies, are at the most risk for developing a serious illness, possibly resulting in death, from pathogens.There is also a bit of difficulty in the digestion of whole milk proteins.
• Soft Cheeses.  The list of cheeses your baby should avoid is feta, brie, camembert, blue veined and Mexican-style cheeses. Soft cheeses, even when refrigerated, can contain the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium causes flu-like symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and muscle aches, and can eventually hit the nervous system causing stroke-like symptoms. For young babies’ immune systems, this can be fatal.
• Citrus is very acidic and many infants under the age of 12 months old suffer rashes and tummy upsets due to the acidity. This has nothing to do with allergies.  So, hold back on the oranges, grapefruits, kiwi fruit and other citrus fruits
• Unpasteurized juice Yes, even juice needs to be pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. Un-pasteurized juice can contain the bacterium E. coli and Salmonella, among others. About 98% of all juice sold is pasteurized but read the label if you are not sure
• Strawberries and Shell Fish, and even Peanuts, can prompt severe, life threatening allergic reactions. The recommendation continues to be one of caution and delay.  This includes peanut butter. 
• Raw Eggs. Babies and young children should never eat raw eggs or foods prepared with raw eggs. Raw eggs can contain the bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis, which can result in severe vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Always cook eggs until yokes are firm and make sure foods containing eggs are cooked thoroughly.
• Egg Whites.  Pediatricians prefer you wait to serve cooked egg whites to your baby until after the first year. Allergic reactions to egg whites are very common, so it is best to wait until your child has grown older to introduce them. Cooked yokes that are either scrambled or mashed are fine to serve to your baby.

• Raw sprouts.  The bacteria Salmonella can exist in all forms of sprouts, (alfalfa, clover and radish), even ones that are grown at home. Refrain from serving sprouts, or any foods prepared with sprouts, to your baby.

  
  

• Pre-Sweetened Foods and Candy 

  Sugar-fortified cereals, candy, sweetened juices and sodas are all low in nutrients and high in sugar, an ingredient your child doesn’t need a lot of. Once children are pre-disposed to these sweat foods they will prefer them to the healthier ones. This can also lead to your child being overweight or obese later in life. Skip the sugary foods and give your child foods that are healthier for him. Make sure the juice you serve is 100% fruit juice, not the flavored varieties.
  We would also like to point to a few other examples of why it might be prudent to delay the introduction of certain foods. Broccoli for example is known to cause gas in many people. Offering broccoli to an infant who is 6 months of age is really not a good idea. You would not want offer a 6 month old baby Beans either, as these too may cause painful gas.
  *The following information was found in healthmad.com and babycenter.com.