Grains in Weaning Foods

Malnutrition is the most common problem in the developing countries and the condition is particularly serious among infants.

- Dr. Pratima Awasthi* & Homi Joshi**

INTRODUCTION

In many areas where prolonged breast-feeding is common, nutritional problems generally arise after the first year of life. Delayed supplementation and inadequate consumption of weaning foods are major factors responsible for malnutrition. Although breast milk is the perfect food to meet the energy and nutrient requirements of an infant up to six months of life, it is insufficient to sustain normal growth and needs of an infant, such as weaning foods.

WEANING

The word weaning comes from the word ‘weanion’ which means to accustom. Generally, weaning denotes a process in which semisolid foods are introduced in an infant’s diet and thereafter, composition and consistency of diets gradually increase and breast milk gets completely replaced. Weaning foods are complementary- that is, they complement the mother’s milk. The basic purpose of introducing these foods is

1. to provide the taste and variety in a baby’s diet,

2. to provide the “missing” nutrients

3. to teach the baby – how to swallow, chew and eat,

4. to habituate the baby with flavours & taste of home meals.

A nutritionally adequate weaning diet is essential for achieving optimal growth and development to decrease the chances of morbidity and mortality among infants.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD WEANING FOOD

A good weaning food should be high in nutrient density, rich in calories, adequate in good-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, low viscosity, low bulk density and appropriate texture. The food, when stirred with cold, warm water or milk, should form a slurry or semisolid mass of soft consistency, enabling the child to swallow it easily. Weaning food should be precooked and predigested or processed in such a way that it needs minimum preparation before feeding and is easily digested by the child.