Organic baby food is on store shelves everywhere these days, and now organic formula has arrived, as well. You know that going green is a good move for the environment, but you may wonder if the trend is actually healthier for your baby.
Not really, say experts at both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Dietetic Association. While concerns about pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics have helped increase the popularity of organics for babies, only trace amounts of them -- if any -- actually end up in regular baby food and formula. "You should feel absolutely comfortable feeding your child nonorganic baby food and formula," says Dan Thomas, M.D., a member of the AAP's Committee on Nutrition. "There's no evidence that they're harmful." That's good news, considering organic formula is far more expensive than its traditional counterpart -- though you can find organic baby food that's comparable in price to the regular kind.
The bottom line: Buying organics for your baby is more of an environmental choice than a health one. But if it gives you peace of mind (and you don't mind the extra expense of the formula), you should feel free to do it.
