Instant Baby Porridge or Homemade Baby Porridge, Which Is Better

Currently available commercial instant baby porridge with a variety of flavors. This certainly provides practicality, especially for mothers with a busy schedule. However, what about the nutritional content and safety of commercial instant baby porridge compared to homemade baby porridge? Entering the age of six months, the baby must be introduced to solid food, because breast milk is not enough to meet the nutritional needs of infants. For starters, give your baby solid food that has been crushed until it is pure (puree) or baby porridge. As we get older, Mother can make baby porridge with a thicker and denser texture. Now, instant baby porridge products are available in various variants and textures. The advantages of this product are practical and easy to make, so you can save time. But there is an assumption that instant baby porridge is less healthy because it contains flavor enhancers and preservatives. Is that right?

The Pros and Cons of Instant Baby Porridge

Both instant baby porridge and homemade baby porridge have pros and cons. However, don't underestimate the commercial instant baby pulp. Based on the information from the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI), instant baby porridge is made based on special provisions from the World Health Organization (WHO). Every instant porridge made in a factory must meet hygiene, nutrition and safety standards. Following are a series of positive considerations in choosing instant baby porridge, namely:

• Already fortified

As the baby's age, the nutritional needs of the baby also increase. As an illustration, babies aged six months or more need iron 11 mg / day. Meanwhile, breast milk can only meet around 2 mg of iron, so the rest must be obtained from solid food. If it is assumed, Little must consume nearly half a kilogram of beef to meet daily iron needs, while the ability to eat is still small. For this reason, the administration of fortified instant baby porridge (added vitamins and minerals) can help meet the baby's daily nutritional needs.

• Practical and easy to make

Instant baby porridge that is generally circulating in the market in the form of instant powder, biscuits, ready to cook, and ready to eat. Of course its existence makes it easy for mothers who do not have much time to cook.

• There is a nutrition label

Commercial instant baby porridge usually includes a nutrition table on the packaging. This makes it easier for mothers to find out the nutritional content of these products and compare them with the nutritional needs of children.

As for the concerns of mothers in providing instant baby porridge including:

• Potential loss of nutrition

Commercial instant baby porridge has the potential to lose important nutrients during processing. For example, the sterilization process to eliminate bacteria which can also reduce the content of vitamins and minerals in instant baby porridge.

• Preservatives, flavorings, and artificial coloring

Based on applicable regulations, commercial instant baby porridge should contain preservatives that are safe for babies. But you can still choose baby porridge without preservatives, flavorings, and artificial coloring. Currently there are also many instant porridge made from organic ingredients. Organic food is grown or cultivated without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Giving baby instant organic porridge can avoid it from exposure to these substances.

• High sugar and salt

Under the age of one year, your baby should be given as little sugar and salt as possible, or not even adding sugar and salt at all. Based on WHO recommendations, both children and adults should only get 10% of daily calorie needs from sugar. Therefore, instant baby porridge with 10% more calories derived from sugar is classified as a product that has a high sugar content.

Pros and Cons of Homemade Baby Porridge

Many mothers decide to make their own MPASI for the following reasons:

• More guaranteed

By making baby porridge yourself at home, Mother can be more selective in determining ingredients, how to process, and also experimenting with taste. This makes homemade baby porridge more secure, although the standard of commercial instant porridge hygiene is far more stringent than generally processed food.

• Familiarize your child to eat the family menu

Mother can make baby porridge with the same ingredients as the family food menu at home. For example, if the family food menu in the form of spinach, then you can blend spinach, corn, and rice for your child. This method makes the baby accustomed to eating family menus, making it easier to adapt if they are not eating in the form of baby porridge.

But homemade baby porridge also has flaws in terms of practicality. In addition, the following should also be noted:

• The right way to cook

The wrong way to cook baby porridge can result in loss of nutrients in the baby porridge. Steaming and baking can keep nutrients better than boiling.

• Storage time

When making baby porridge there are excess ingredients, do not store the rest for too long in the refrigerator. This action can make bacteria thrive so it is not safe for consumption by Little.

Today there are also many homemade baby porridge that is traded. However, there is no guarantee that the manufacturing process is hygienic, so Mother must be careful before buying. Mothers should also not rely too heavily on commercial instant baby porridge. Balance your baby's nutritional intake by providing other nutritious foods, such as eggs, milk, meat, vegetables, and fresh fruits.