No sooner had we reported on the controversial ‘butter diet’ for babies and toddlers, than the social media scene lit up with another baby food debate: This time it’s about the so-called ‘carnivore baby’ diet… And it’s a direct descendant of the ‘butter baby’ thing…
Parallel to the ‘butter baby’ debate becoming a social media monster, a ‘carnivore baby’ movement has emerged to divide parents, yet again…
What is it?
The so-called ‘carnivore baby’ diet recommends parents swap out fruits and veggies – which includes the majority of prepared baby foods – in favour of meat and meat-based preparations.
Bone broth in the bottle? Let ’em gum a hunk of steak? What next? A Slim Jim as a pacifier? I know, I’m going way too far with the last one. But the former two are real parent ‘suggestions’.
The core belief behind the carnivore baby movement is that kids need the same foods to be strong and healthy as their parents. But that’s a dangerous assumption to make, doctors and nutrition experts warn.
“An infant’s nutritional needs can’t be met through a meat-forward diet,” Healthychildren.org (HCO) states. “Consuming only animal fat, flesh, eggs and milk leaves dangerous gaps in a little one’s diet. Plant-based foods are necessary for healthy growth and development.”
Need variety
Humans are omnivores, which means we eat everything, HCO explains. Our regular diet has included fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes (beans, peas, lentils and peanuts) along with meat, eggs and milk as long as modern humans have been around. We, as a species, have evolved to rely on nut-rients in plant-based foods for strong bones, healthy brain cells and much more.
“A family’s food preferences might reflect culture, cost considerations and other factors,” HCO adds. “But this doesn’t mean that one kind of food or diet is better, safer or more natural than all others. Research shows that variety is the key to healthy eating for babies (and grownups).”
More dangerous
The carnivore baby diet actually more dangers for infants than the butter baby thing, the experts warn. The butter baby movement advocates augmenting kids regular diets with straight butter, for specific reasons. But the carnivore baby protocol calls for feeding only meat and meat-based preparations.
That could lead to serious health and developmental issues, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns. Ideally, babies should receive only breast milk for the first 4 to 6 months. A wide variety of solid foods – including fruits, vegetables and whole grains – should be introduced one at a time after that.
Of course, parents should watch their kids closely when trying out new foods, to ensure no signs of sensitivity or allergy arise.
My take
It’s just common sense. Infants and toddlers need a healthy start to ensure a healthy childhood and an issue-free life thereafter.
Like all dietary myths and fads, the ‘carnivore baby’ diet emerges as nothing more than a crackpot fad. It will disappear, sooner or later, as parents realize it’s dangers. And the sooner, the better…
~ Maggie J.