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Baby's First Cereal
Wonderful Wheat Germ - An Ideal Ingredient for Your Baby's Food!
by Christine Albury
Description: Wheat germ is good for your baby's diet. Here are some tips to introduce it to your baby's food.
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Would you believe me if I told you that there was a secret ingredient
that you could add to your baby's food that would provide a massive
nutritional boost? An incredibly healthy ingredient with such a subtle
flavour that your baby wouldn't even notice it?
It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
Yet that secret ingredient DOES exist - and YOU can increase the
nutritive value of many of your baby's meals by the simple addition of
wheat germ.
Note: Before including wheat germ (which contains gluten), or any wheat
products into your baby's diet, remember to check with your doctor.
What is Wheat Germ?
Nutritionally speaking, wheat germ is one of the most valuable products
available. It is the smallest part of the whole grain, which is made
up of 4 parts:
- the husk (outer layer)
- the bran (a nutritious, high fibre
part of the grain)
- the endosperm (the largest part of the grain, used
in processed grain foods)
- the germ (the smallest part of the grain,
packed with nutrients)
Why is Wheat Germ Good for My Baby?
The list of nutrients contained in wheat germ is impressive - in fact,
wheat germ provides more nutrients per oz than any other grain or
vegetable. By adding it to your baby's food, you are providing him with:
- folic acid
- phosphorus (needed for healthy teeth and
bones)
- fibre
- vitamin A
- vitamins B1 and B3
- vitamin B5 (otherwise
known as pantothenic acid, which helps the body assimilate energy from
food)
- vitamin E (which strengthens the immune system)
- protein (the
protein content of wheat germ is actually higher than most
meats)
- iron
- potassium
- riboflavin
- calcium
- magnesium
- zinc
Buying and Storing Wheat Germ
You can buy wheat germ at health food stores and it is more commonly
becoming available in leading supermarkets. It is sold in both fresh and
toasted forms - fresh is best, if available.
You may notice on the packaging that you are advised to keep wheat germ
in the refrigerator (fresh should be refrigerated immediately and
toasted should be refrigerated once opened). This is important, as wheat
germ contains fat and will spoil if stored incorrectly. To maintain
freshness, always keep opened wheat germ in an airtight container.
Adding Wheat Germ to Baby's Food
Wheat germ has a very subtle, faintly sweet taste, meaning you can
easily add it to both savoury and sweet baby food dishes. If your baby is a
fussy eater and you are concerned that he is not receiving adequate
nutrition from his solid food, then the addition of wheat germ ensures
that he receives an extra dose of valuable nutrients with everything he
eats. It can be included in virtually any dish...
- sprinkle some on baby's cereal, or fruit purees
- use it to
top cooked veggies
- stir it into your baby's stews and casseroles or
soups
- stir some into your baby's yogurt
- mix it with breadcrumbs
when breading chicken, tofu etc for your baby
- use it as a "dusting" to
coat slippery finger foods for your baby
- when baking for baby, use
small amounts of wheat germ in place of equivalent amounts of flour
Do remember that wheat germ helps constipation, which means that giving
your baby too much may have quite the opposite effect! Sprinkle a
little over his meals and do not use wheat germ if your baby has diarrhea.
Christine Albury is a mother of four and the owner/editor of Homemade Baby
Food Recipes - your complete guide to solid feeding during baby's
first year.
