Has anyone heard this re: feeding carrots, turnips etc.?

AimeeL85

I got this e-mail today from BabyWeekly. I never knew this. I just bought carrots and was going to make them for DS tomorrow:

"Once your baby is eating some solid foods, remember fresh is usually best. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, beets, carrots, collard greens, and turnips contain large amounts of nitrates in some parts of the country. Nitrates can cause a type of anemia in your baby.

Even though you can't personally test the vegetables in your area, rest assured that baby-food companies take precautions to avoid using vegetables high in nitrates. So if you want to feed these vegetables to your baby, it is safest to buy commercially prepared jarred foods"

mbfirefly98

I did know about carrots but not the others thanks for sharing!

mittensonkittens

I've read that in a few places as well.

SweetHurricane

mbfirefly98:

I did know about carrots but not the others thanks for sharing!

This!

RumbleLina

I knew about carrots but not the others. They say if you do make your own carrot puree do not use the water from steaming to thin the puree to avoid nitrate overload.

AppleV

I hadn't heard of this before, so I looked up the AAP article that was mentioned. I'm not really great at posting links, so here goes

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/3/784.full

Basically they are saying that these foods can have nitrate levels as high as that found in some well water (which seems to pose the largest danger), so don't feed them to babies 3 months or younger.

This is another article that talks about it more, including how the commercial baby food companies are self-policing when it comes to nitrates, so they "screen" for nitrate levels, but they do not remove or use alternate product in most cases.

 https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/nitratearticle.htm

 In the end though, everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with.

teshy1

AppleV:

I hadn't heard of this before, so I looked up the AAP article that was mentioned. I'm not really great at posting links, so here goes

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/3/784.full

Basically they are saying that these foods can have nitrate levels as high as that found in some well water (which seems to pose the largest danger), so don't feed them to babies 3 months or younger.

Once a baby is old enough to start eating solids, it's usually not a big concern.  This is really meant as a warning to parents who may consider starting solids before 4-6 months...

Kitiara5512

I thought I read about nitrates winding up in the water you steam or boil those veggies in so when pureeing, dont use that water. https://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/nitratearticle.htm

dace3699

I just saw that warning the other day!  I couldn't believe that about carrots.  Crazy!

Soap1

Agree w/ pp who actually read the AAP article.  1) At 4-6 months, nitrates aren't a problem. 2) nitrates are naturally occurring in these foods so baby food companies couldn't remove them anyway, and organic carrots aren't going to be nitrate-free

Read the source material before you make decisions!

Wufroggy79

Yes, I read it in my baby book, and my pedi also told me this as well. She suggested that I do not make those foods since I'm big on making my own. I'm glad you posted this as well because I have tried to warn a few other people as well on here that seem to have blown it off.

FrannieLew

I had read this about carrots, but not the other veg PP mentioned.  I had also heard this about spinach, I think from wholesomebabyfood.  Scary!

jcole32444

I read that once your baby is 6 months you are probably just fine. They are more worried about nitrates in well water than foods. If you are concerned though buy organic contains less nitrates than regular fresh procude. If you steam teh carrots or other foods, do not use the water that your used to steam them.

I made Jay carrots at 4 months. They were organic and I used the water I steamed them with. (Because I had not heard of this other information at the time.) He loved them and ate a ton. He is just fine.

nae87

yes, my pedi told me.