Americans eat billions of boxes of cereal every year because government and medical experts have programmed us to believe that it is the best first food for children and that it's a "heart healthy" food for adults. In fact, boxed cereals, including granola, are processed in a way that does not contribute to health but actually contributes to poor health and even disease. However, we aren't fed this information because the cereal industry is huge and would be out of business if we discontinued to eat their boxed propaganda. Baby's first foods (and foods that contribute to heart health) need to be focused on nutrient dense foods, rich in fat soluble vitamins and cholesterol such as egg yolks, fermented cod liver oil and bone broth. This will help the child meet cholesterol and nutrient requirements so vital to their gut and organ health and will ensure that they develop a robust constitution.
Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Shredded Wheat, Puffed Cereals, Rice Cereals and Rice Cakes are all produced by a process called extrusion. Both organic and conventional grains undergo the process of extrusion, (performed by an extruder machine) which involves heating the grains to extremely high temperatures and pressures. This completely destroys the nutrient value of the grain, denatures the proteins in the grain and makes it highly toxic for human and animal consumption. Test animals die rapidly when they are fed grains that have been processed via extrusion.
More importantly, extruded cereals are the first foods recommended to babies! Breast milk is extremely high in saturated fats and cholesterol because these nutrients are essential to the continual healthy development of the organs, brain, intestines and immune system in the newborn.When we replace nature's nutrient dense food with highly processed box cereals, we severely inhibit the robust development of our children. Not only that, cholesterol, so abundant in breast milk, is replaced or supplemented with these highly toxic, nutrient deficient cereals with little to no cholesterol. Boxed and processed cereals are extremely hard to digest, if not impossible. They also contribute to extremely high blood sugar levels (even higher than white flour and refined sugar)
, and have been shown to contribute to disorders of the nervous system. This is what government and medical experts recommend as the prized breakfast food for school aged children. We now see that this population is currently experiencing epidemic levels of Attention Deficit Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorders. This is greatly due to the consumption of a nutrient deficient diet, including boxed cereals, combined with prolonged periods of sitting.
Not only are boxed cereals a nutrient deficient food contributing to blood sugar and nervous system disruption, they are likely a major cause of allergies. Many adults and children have developed food sensitivities to grains and this is largely due to poor farming practices combined with introducing grains too early to infants. Children's digestive systems are not fully formed until they are well over one year old and it is best to wait to introduce grains until the child is two years of age. When we do introduce these grains (and when we consume them as adults), it is imperative to soak the grains in an acidic solution of either whey, yogurt, buttermilk, vinegar or lemon juice. If this practice is not adhered to, the digestive tract will suffer greatly and the minerals and nutrients that are abundant in grains will not be absorbed--leading to nutrient deficiencies, leaky gut and food allergies. The practice of soaking our grains, so inherent to our ancestors, is one that we have to relearn to help restore the health of our guts and our society.
Heathar Shepard is a traditional nutritionist and holistic personal trainer in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Heathar works with children, mothers and adults interested in healing via diet and movement practices. You can visit her website at www.inbalancenm.com
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4) Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
5) The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Childcare by Thomas Cowan, MD and Sally Fallon
