A healthy diet is about variety.  Just as babies (and adults) should eat a variety of organic fruits and veggies to help ensure we get a vast array of nutrients, we should eat a variety of organic whole grains and legumes (beans, peas, lentils).  You shouldn’t feed carrots, and only carrots. to your baby for veggies and you shouldn’t feed only brown rice for whole grains.

The Super Baby Food Diet is about eating a vast array of healthy organic whole foods.  Quinoa, millet, and oats are other super whole grains recommended for Super Porridge, as well as those listed in the Super Baby Book on page 222. Page 235 has a list of legumes.  On page 215, see my tips for mixing several whole grains and legumes together to ensure your baby will have a variety of these foods in their high-protein Super Porridge (2 parts grains + 1 part legumes).  Make Super Porridge even more healthy by sprinkling freshly-ground seeds and nuts (if your baby has no allergies) into cooked Super Porridge.  (Freshly-ground immediately before feeding because once seeds and nuts are cracked open, their super healthy oils/fats start becoming rancid.)  See Page 135 for a list of seeds and nuts.  If you can’t find these foods in your supermarket, visit your local natural foods store.  You can also find these foods online; you’ll have to pay shipping, but you might find it’s worth it when you consider your time and energy, since you don’t have to use gas and bundle up baby or get a sitter.  (I always buy from www.BreadBeckers.com, a website you can trust for only the highest quality foods.)  You may even want to join a food coop to buy in bulk and save $.

Parents who are concerned because they have been feeding large amounts of brown rice to their babies should talk with their pediatricians.  Rice is one of the grains that is gluten-free, therefore many people might be eating it frequently.  The American Academy of Pediatrics has information about arsenic at http://www.aap.org; search for “arsenic.”  We should expect more information about arsenic in rice as more studies are completed.

Did you also know that Super Baby Food is requested all over the world?

Although we do not have an edition of Super Baby Food available everywhere in the world – yet – we are working on it. To that end, Ruth is pleased to announce  the Romanian edition of the book.  We are so pleased to be able to reach the parents in Romania and are working hard to reach parents anywhere in the world who want to learn to feed their baby through the use of Super Baby Food!

Phytonutrients are the big thing now that have been discovered and proven in studies to really be good for you, although not all are “essential” for life. They are the plant nutrients that you may have been hearing about – lutein, lycopene, etc.. The supplement manufactures have jumped in head first and there are now lots of pills with phytonutrients, but don’t use the supplements. Use real whole food, which will have the entire realm of related phytonutrients in the proper proportions.

There’s lots of info on the net, but use only trusted sites that use scientifically proven info. Here’s a page you can trust: http://www.ars.usda.gov/aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142   You are sure to hear more about phytonutrients from us in the near future!

The recent piece on CBS’s Sunday Morning highlighted Cindy Crawford’s charity work in honor of her brother who died at a young age from Leukemia. She is genuinely beautiful on the inside and out.

We thought it would be appropriate to share the segment of Good Morning America where Cindy teaches Charlie Gibson, and of course, the audience, how to make our favorite, Super Porridge! Enjoy!

Moms asks:

Hi Ruth. My son is almost 8 mos. old. I’m reading your chapter (in Super Baby Food) about what to feed at 8mos and love the idea of throwing some cooked parsley in the mix, but I’m confused. You say that at 8 months they should only eat cooked parsley, but you also say that cooked parsley tastes bitter. Do you think the cooked parsley mixed with something sweet, like sweet potato will mask the bitterness?
Or should I wait until he can eat it raw? Thanks.

Ruth says:

Absolutely you could mix the cooked parsley in with sweet potatoes and other things he likes to decrease bitterness. However, he can eat it raw soon (by 9 months) but you have to be careful to wash it thoroughly, as with all raw produce, because his little immune system is still immature. I wouldn’t use a microwave – steam it instead.

Here is more interesting information:

Within the last few weeks I read where microwave ovens destroy more of some phytonutrients than steaming. Organic produce is best and is definitely worth the extra dollars in my opinion because babies don’t eat too much and pesticides get concentrated in their little bodies since they eat lots of food for their little sizes.  Make sure it has the certified organic symbol.

I’m finding out that raw parsley is up there with kale, maybe even better, and you know how I adore kale if you read my section in Super Baby Food on Super Greens. AND now the AAP says spices (super sources of phytonutrients) are OK for babies starting around 6 months. Don’t use imported spices which may contain heavy metals. Frontier is a nice organic brand you can trust.

Finger Foods: What They Are And Why They Are Important To Your Baby’s Diet

Getting Started With Finger Foods

Finger Food Ideas For Baby and Toddler: Fruits, Whole Grains, and Vegetables

Baby and Toddler Finger Food Ideas Galore: Proteins, Dairy, Omega 3 Healthy Fats

Baby and Toddler Finger Food Ideas Galore: Seeds and Dips

Super Baby Food is happy to be a part of the Dr. Greene team! Be sure to check out some of the other terrific information on Dr. Greene’s website.

To learn more about The White Out Campaign, you can visit Dr. Greene’s website: DrGreene.com.

Mom asks:

Does it really matter what you use to get your purees to the right consistency? My son is exclusively breastfed and I just about never pump, so it seems like such a pain to pump just to make his food. Is water perfectly fine. I have to give him water when he starts solids anyways right?

Ruth says:

Pure water is fine to puree with. Also, your baby should get used to drinking plain water, instead of sugary juices. Use only milk or water in his sippy cup or bottle.

Your quick Super Baby Food tip for the day.  Please feel free to add your own comments about what works for you.

Martha introduced Ruth and prepared a recipe for baby “pink applesauce” that is now featured on her website.  We thought it would be fun to ask Ruth a couple of questions about her visit with Martha.  Her answers may surprise you. The answers are also a great conversation starter for those holiday dinners when you need something witty to contribute to the conversation.

You can visit the Martha Stewart Website for more information on the episode that featured Super Baby Food here.

Question for Ruth:

Can you tell us one thing about Martha Stewart that you didn’t know before you met her?

Ruth says:

I never knew she was a professional model.  She has photos on the walls in the hallway behind the stage.  She is as beautiful in person as she is on TV and in the pictures of her in the media and in her books.  She is a natural beauty.

Question for Ruth:

What was your favorite part of meeting Martha Stewart?

Ruth says:

Meeting THE Martha Stewart.   I loved watching all the activity behind the scenes while the show was being taped.  Every one of her staff was professional, very kind, and organized and they all worked together perfectly, like a well-oiled machine.  They were all very capable and extremely efficient without rushing anyone, and they had a great sense of humor and an easiness about them.   They enjoyed me kidding around saying stuff like, “What do you say when you meet Martha Stewart?  ‘Hello, your majesty!’ with a curtsy? (which I did NOT say to her, by the way).”  It was really an all-around fabulous experience and I had fun being a part of it.

How is that for some Martha Stewart Trivia? Martha was, indeed, a model for Chanel. Check out this link which shows the proof!

Thanks to all the Super Baby Food fans who tuned into the show and told all their friends.  You are the best!