Back in my waitress days, I saw and heard it all. Sure, I meet a lot of people from all walks of life, but to be honest, if you want to hear some odd things (and have a good laugh), all you need to do is step into the kitchen. Being in the restaurant industry for a decade, I began to love the whole chef culture — it’s what inspired my love of good food.
Anyways, one day, we were in the back kitchen and chef started talking about how he drank his wife’s breast milk. It completely weirded me out, but turns out, he’s not the only one dipping into fresh (warm) boobie milk (or baby food for that matter).
The baby food craze
When it comes to weight loss, people will do just about anything to shed those stubborn pounds. What started as an Internet phenomenon quickly spread in popularity. The “baby food diet” was everywhere. Basically, the diet centers around the concept of eating jars of baby food in order to reduce one’s calorie intake.
Although it is safe to eat baby food (especially when it’s homemade), it is not typically recommended for every meal. As an adult, you have complex nutritional requirements. That is why most experts recommend eating baby food as a snack or as an occasional meal replacement. You can even use baby food to make healthy desserts, including these oat cookies.
What about breast milk?
When it comes to the developing needs of a baby, a mother’s breast milk is the cream of the crop. Offering the perfect combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, it’s tough not to wonder — is breast milk healthy for adults as well?
When comparing the benefits of breast milk among infant and adult populations, there really is no comparison. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that breast milk will provide the same nutritional benefits to adults as it does developing babies.
Related: Is it Healthy for Adults to Drink Breast Milk?
When done properly, baby food is healthy for adults — three reasons to consider this new trend
For those who are currently immersed in the world of baby food and take their health seriously, many will report eating portion-controlled snacks (instead of baby food). After all, baby food is essentially just pureed, plant-based ingredients.
Being low in calories, fat and sugar, when purchasing commercial baby foods, these products rarely consist of anything outside of the main ingredient (i.e. carrot) and water. You can certainly purchase quality, organic baby foods, but this can be much more expensive than it needs to be.
If you fancy a pureed snack to increase your intake of key vitamins and minerals, it’s easy enough to make your own. Whether you enjoy a blend of strawberries and banana or a spiced pumpkin mixture, you can get creative. After all, you will have fewer dietary restrictions and requirements in comparison to a newborn.
If you are considering more pureed snacks, here are three reasons why that’s not a bad idea.
1. You will consume a spectrum of key nutrients
When I was young, my mom often pureed the foods that my parents were eating. This is something that physicians now support, as a whole nutrient-dense meal can easily be blended up for baby consumption. Whether you’re into spiced red lentil with sweet potato or prefer a fresh pea and mint puree, it’s easy to sneak ingredients in that are low in calories yet high in nutrients.
As mentioned, you have more freedom to add whatever you like (unlike true baby food, which will require some modifications). Toss in some turmeric, garlic or raw honey to easily up the nutritional profile of your quick and easy snack. Sure, it may not be a foodie’s dream, but when you are looking for a fast and simple fuel source, especially when you’re on-the-go, a premade jar of pureed plants and spices isn’t such as a bad idea after all.
2. You can practice portion control to support weight loss
If you have some empty baby jars hanging around, great. If not, any other similar sized jar will do. By making a batch of your favorite pureed recipe and then distributing it into small jars, there’s no fuss when it comes to snacking time. Simply grab a jar and gobble it down.
You will know exactly how much you consumed and by cutting out junk food (which is a common office snack), you will support your waistline. Best of all, it is believed that pureed food may actually help you stay full and satisfied for longer. This is particularly true when you’re pureeing high-fiber, high-protein ingredients.
3. Prebiotic activity may be enhanced
At the very least, experts do not believe that pureeing food has any effect on fiber. In fact, by mashing fiber up into smaller pieces, you may actually enhance its availability in the gut. For those suffering from digestive issues, blended and pureed meals or snacks have been shown to improve symptoms.
For the most part, people do not chew their food enough. You can learn more about that here. Since pureed foods are already broken down, they are essentially predigested. This allows you to absorb and utilize your recently consumed snack more easily. In addition, you can focus on ingredients that enzyme-rich and more alkaline.
Ready to experience some of the perks of pureed “baby-like” foods? Grab your blender, some fresh ingredients and ignore the haters.
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