Dangerous Impacts of Artificial Colours on Children
– Brain tumours
– Bladder tumours
– Thyroid tumours
– Chromosomal damage
– Lymphomas
– Neurochemical and behavioural effects
– Asthma
– Insomnia
– Hyperactivity
– Allergies
Colors commonly found in Indian Market
– E110 – yellow 6/ Sunset Yellow
– E 102 – tartrazine / yellow 5
– E 122 – carmoisine
– E 129 – allura red / Red 40
– E 104 – Quinoline yellow
– E 151 – Brilliant Black
– E 133 – Brilliant blue FCF
– E 132 – Indigotine / FD&C Blue No 2
– Rhodamine B
– Orange II
– Metanil yellow
Colours banned in Europe:
– E 129 – Red 40 /Allura red: baked goods like cakes, candies, cereals and juices
– E 110 -Yellow 6/ Sunset Yellow: Baked goods, candies, juices
– E 102 – Tartrazine / yellow 5: baked goods like cakes, candies, cereals and juices
– E 133 – Brilliant blue FCF: baked goods, candy, cereal, beverages
– E 143 – Green No.3/ Fast green: found in juices, candy and ice cream
– E 132 – Blue No.2/ Indigo Carmine: Beverages, candies
The following colours are considered as not recommended for consumption by children.
Alternatives to Artificial Colours:
– Beetroots, Carrots, Spinach, Pumpkin, Berries, Red cabbage, turmeric, Saffron.
– Natural dyes are more sensitive to heat, so there will be variation in colours
– Beware – Natural identical colours are chemically isolated to mimic the natural colours. Like artificial colours these are also made in the laboratory. Check the ingredients list on the food label thoroughly before making a decision
– On food labels artificial colours are often mentioned as chemical names or numbers
Children and artificial colours:
Researchers found that there is a link between artificial colours and hyperactivity and cancer1. In European countries these dangerous colours are banned but in India still it is used in many packed food items.
Indian studies state that over half of the colours used in market exceed the legal limits and there is usage of non-permitted colours like Rhodamine B, Orange II and metanil yellow.2
Researchers at Southampton University found that consuming certain synthetic dyes with preservative sodium benzoate increased hyperactivity in kids ages 3-9. Those studied had never been diagnosed with ADHD.
A US study published in Science found that children score worse on tests that measure after consuming a food-dye blend than when they drank a placebo
Studies:
1. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/food-dye-adhd
2. https://www.confectionerynews.com/Article/2013/04/05/Food-colors-in-India-Most-foods-have-illegal-limits
Why is Organic Food Important for Babies and Toddlers?
Parenting is one of the toughest jobs there is. Starting from what we feed them to what we dress them in to what values they imbibe from us to what we teach them and so on, every little thing we do has an impact on their growth and development. We are often making difficult choices for our little munchkins that essentially shape the people they grow up to be.
The most difficult choice with respect to babies and toddlers, we believe, is food. We do not have a choice in the first 3-4 months where the baby must only be breastfed. The real stress begins after 4 months when parents start to introduce solid foods. The kind and quality of foods we choose in this crucial period in their formative years will undeniably impact not only the health and nourishment of your babies and toddlers but their overall growth and development and their perception of food (sometimes for their entire life).
Enter Organic Foods with Several Benefits
We strongly believe that organic food products are the best options for babies and toddlers in their formative years and beyond. There is a steady shift globally (even if slow in some regions) towards organic foods especially for the little ones. Let us see how organic foods are better.
1. Lower chemical exposure
Organic foods are grown without using hazardous chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other such harmful substances unlike conventional foods. These environment-friendly foods are grown using natural methods and naturally-derived pesticides and are GMO-free too. They
Why does it matter? Chemical and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are harmful, by definition, even to adult humans. So, it must not be surprising that they are harmful to our tender babies and toddlers. When babies and toddlers consume such food, the chemicals get absorbed very easily in their still-developing digestive tract. These chemicals block the absorption of vital nutrients (that make our little ones grow into a strong, immune and healthy children and adults). So, babies and toddlers with consistent chemical exposure through foods develop poor immunity.
Children who are exposed regularly and consistently to conventional foods full of pesticides have a lower IQ and are at a high risk of developing behavioural problems such as ADHD.
2. Rich in nourishment and better for physical health
By choosing organic foods for your little ones in the formative years, you are choosing health, nourishment, immunity and holistic development. This is because organic foods are richer in essential nutrients and provide better nourishment to babies and toddlers.
3. Better taste and exposure to natural flavour profiles
Organic foods are available not just in the form of cereals, fruits and vegetables but also in the form of snacks, packed foods and so on. In either case, they taste better.
That too, without using artificial preservatives and flavouring, unnecessary additives, taste enhancers, added sugars and food colouring, all of which are mindlessly thrown into processed foods to make it attractive to babies and children. These additives, synthetic flavours, added sugars, etc. are known to make children hyperactive apart from causing health complications.
By relying on natural flavours, organic foods enable us to train our little one’s taste buds to like and appreciate natural flavours and taste. Learning to appreciate natural taste and flavour profiles is one of the best things we can teach our little ones, a lesson that will help them throughout their lives.
Being parents ourselves, at Mimmo Organics, we understand how important our little munchkins are to us and how tough making food choices for them is. We want more parents to experience the benefits and positive effects organic foods have on our little ones. So, we offer a selection of 100% certified organic foods that are healthy, nourishing and crafted with the love and purity that our little ones deserve.
Priyanka Shetty Sridhar
Founder of Mimmo Organics
Simple things that dads can do in parenting
“Second Mother”; a term we normally associate with grand-mothers or aunties. But it is not often that we associate this term with a father. Probably because traditionally a father’s primary role is to earn and provide for his family expenses and mother’s primarily role is run the family.
It raises a million-dollar question about the role of a father in parenting and the answer is revealed in the answer the husband provides; “My wife is pregnant” as compared to “We are pregnant”. This one sentence sets the foundation of the roles and responsibilities for father and mother in parenting.
But not all can belong to the hyper-involved, hands-on category of fathers. However, most can at least do a few simple things such as:
Can be the nappy changer and the one who takes the responsibility of making bed for the little soul
Be ready to spend sleepless night right beside the feeding mother to comfort the lady and the new born
When the time is right, be the one who is in the fore front in the weaning process, to assure a smooth transition from mother’s milk to baby foods. Over-worked mothers deserve a break after couple of years of stress and mental trauma of pregnancy. That is when the fathers can play an important role making sure healthy meal for kids are served on timely basis
A father is the best person to undertake the endeavor of home schooling before the formal education kicks-off. Shapes, colors, textures, counting, poems are just a few of the educational bits which a father can present to the infant in a playful format
There are so many mothers (especially home makers) who feel they have been caged since the child only eats, sleeps and plays with the mother. By a father doing his bit he is conditioning the little one in believing there is a world outside his/her mom
Father can be the face of the parent in a child’s school. Not only it helps in building a bond with the kid but also free up the mother to concentrate on her work and more importantly her life. At this stage child is no longer dependent on the mother for feeding and a little presence of Dad can do wonders. And not to mention be the one who
designs the yummy lunch box recipes for kids even if it’s the mother who plays the role of the cook
Can take up the responsibility of those weekend showers for the child and turning the boring bath sessions into a playful event by being a bit innovative
They can handle the creative side of the child’s birthday celebration and research for various ways to make this important event exciting
A father can always be in the hunt of those weekends activities and workshops which can boost a child’s knowledge & confidence
Last but not the least act as a role model for the kid since how the father interacts with his world has a great impact of how kids will interact with their world
Author: Parenting Expert , Team Mimmo.
Balanced Diet
Balance is the key to everything important in our life. Considering that why not apply that same balance to our diet? Before we even drill down into the ingredients of it let us understand its vital attributes.
A true balanced diet is one which provides all the nutrients from this quadrant of food groups and in proper proportions
cereals, millets and pulses vegetables and fruits oils, fats and nuts milk and animal products
This food quadrant becomes all the more important when we are in search of a healthy meal for kids for an array of reasons including:
1. To ensure that a toddler gets everything he/she needs to grow, develop & explore
2. To provides essential vitamins, minerals and other nutritional goodies that kids need for healthy growth and development
3. To help them maintain a healthy weight
4. To protect them against nutritional deficiencies
5. To safeguard them against mental health conditions
6. To improve hand-eye co-ordination and skills
7. To assure stronger bones
8. To boost concentration at school
9. To ingrain healthier sleep patterns
10. To develops healthy food habits that will last a lifetime
11. To indulge them into learning about new flavours
With the awareness that “balance is the key” let’s look at the Food Pyramid to understand what constitutes a balanced diet for kids.
Though knowing the reasons and benefits of healthy eating for kids is important what is more important is how can we encourage them to eat a balanced diet? The answer lies in one word; “Variety”. To achieve a balanced diet parents should include a variety of foods for this little ones. Here are some useful tips
A balanced diet should contain lots of different foods, offered in a variety of combinations Be creative by offering a variety of meals which will make eating more exciting for babies Be flexible by not sticking to one food every time for a particular nutrient. For instance, there is no need to rely only on meat for protein; instead can include peanut butter, chickpeas, black beans etc., Make it playful by giving different coloured fruits which are both attractive and nutritious Make it interesting, by cutting fruits or veggies into different shapes they like which will propel them into eating that particular food What you show is what you get. Be a role model for your kid and eat all healthy foods in front of your kids to make it more acceptable for them to have those foods Infuse vegetables in your kids diet by making them pureed or baked One of healthy recipes for kids is; if they don’t like to have plain boiled egg make into cheesy omelette or custard
Lastly here is how a food plate for kids can be visualized.
Author: Subhisha, Nutrition Expert. Mimmo Team.
Go Organic with Mimmo
All parents want what’s best for their kids: especially when it comes to their nutrition. With all the chemically laced products in the market today. how can parents ensure pure and natural solid food for their kids?
I Love my baby but…..
‘No one told me it would be this challenging, being a mom! Here are some small ways I made it easier for my baby and for me!’ Over to Juhi Shahin, 36, mother of 9-month-old Khushi
Yes, as an Indian mom, my baby comes first, no matter what – or so I thought! But, nine months into the journey, I am rethinking this firmly held belief. I love my lovely Khushi to death but I have to admit – there’s a limit to every rule! A mother is a mother, doubtless. But she is also human. There is only so much she can do. Close on the heels of this, follows another realisation that I have ‘allowed’ myself: It’s ok to drop the guilt on this, as long as I ensure the basics are in place. The fact is that the non-stop chores with a baby can lead to frustration and resentment; and I don’t want a resentful relationship with my child – not for anything! I thought about this and realised that instead of following what I am told is the ‘right way’ to handle motherhood, I should do what works for us – me and my child. So, I began taking baby steps… In the evening, my husband looks after the baby and I finally get to spend some ‘me’ time. Even shampooing was getting to be a luxury – no more thankfully! Now I get on with my beauty rituals, guilt-free, while baby is with Dad.
Author: Juhi Shahin, 36, mother of 9-month-old Khushi.
Learning to Taste
Having a hard time getting your little one to eat healthy? Here’s help. With Mimmo’s new delicious, easy-to-cook pasta range packed with the certified goodness of organic multi-millets and semolina infused with veggies, getting that nutritious punch in your child’s diet will be a cakewalk!
This wholesome collection comes in different shapes and colours to keep your tiny tot riveted by presenting an assortment of bright hues and interesting forms, all the while adding a burst of delicious flavours to serenade their budding tastes and having them ask for more.
The best part? With Mimmo you will never have to worry about any chemical contamination as all of the pastas are free of preservatives, additives and added salt or sugar. What’s more – Mimmo’s USP lies in its certification. Its production sites based in Europe are approved by a GFSI-accredited system on food safety that includes IFS, BRC and FSSC 22000 certification. Moreover, all Mimmo Organics products meet US and EU organic standards, and are accredited by the FSSAI, USDA, EU Organic and India Organic as 100% certified organic – now that’s what we call a healthful treat for toddlers!
Author: Subhisha, Nutrition Expert. Mimmo Team.
Your Child, A Statistical Wizard?
When the little humans come into our lives, they turn our worlds upside down with their infectious smiles and delightful cooing. But, there is a lot more going on behind those twinkling eyes & innocent visage then we realise… Read on to know more
A recent study conducted by the Washington University in St. Louis found that an 8-month-old baby, is in fact, a statistical wizard of sorts. An infant can effectively predict their parent’s actions by quietly making logs in their mind of the parental actions. They may then use the ‘logs’ to predict what the parent is most likely to do next! “Babies are able to keep track on what’s going on in front of them and are constantly looking for patterns of activity,” said study co-author Lori Markson, associate professor of psychological and brain sciences and director of the Cognition & Development Lab at the university. “Make the same choice three or four times in a row, and babies as young as 8 months come to view that as a preference,” she added talking to the Science Daily.
The Mimmo Organic Wholsesome Pasta does well to fulfill the healthy-yet-fun food needs. It is made of 100% certified organic semolina (coarse, purified wheat middlings) infused with organic vegetables such as beetroot, carrot and spinach. It introduces texture in your toddler’s diet and encourages chewing. What’s more the pasta comes in hapes of letters of the alphabet – to add the fun, engaging elements!
Even before they can talk, babies are able to keep a close track on hat’s going on in front of them and are constantly looking for patterns of
Flip the coin, and you may use this knowledge to benefit your child. Not only is the baby able to map parental behaviour, he/she absorbs the actions and may emulate the same. So here is the perfect opportunity to direct toddlers towards making good life choices. Says Delhi based first-time mom Neetu Arora, “My son is just over 9 months old and my husband and I have noticed that when we watch TV in the evenings, he sits exactly like his dad taking support from the armrest with one arm over it! I am definitely going to try and set the right example.” The master key to a good life is of course, healthy food habits. So when a toddler sees his parents and siblings eating veggies and relishing them, he too is likely to grow up enjoying his veggies. It’s never too early to try and set an example in all life habits. Take reading, for instance. If baby sees that the household wakes up to the morning newspaper and that his/her home is full of books, it is very likely that he sees reading as a natural and essential part of life.
When it comes to health and nutrition, as a parent, remember your baby also tends to get bored of the same old. Think out-of-the-box, provide interesting foods and play activities. To make meal-times nutritious and enjoyable, for example, make the mundane more fun – maybe that sandwich can be cut out as star-shape with a cookie cutter; the salad veggies put out on plate to make a funny face; roasted savory namkeen served up with honey as a snack…
Natural vs Organic?
Some people believe that natural and organic foods are the same, while others feel that they are different, and then there are those who are just stuck in-between, confused about what is healthier and what to trust in. Let us break it down for you
Naturally Nice
Natural foods are minimally synthesized – according to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), “natural” foods are marginally processed and free of artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours and additives like hydrogenated oils, stabilizers and emulsifiers. Sounds good, right? But hold up! With natural foods there is no certification or inspection system to ensure that the label is accurate. Also with natural food there is no proper certification that goes into the growing methods or the use of preservatives.
Organic Origins
On the other hand, organic foods have stringent standards for organic food production, handling, and processing. In comparison to natural, organically-grown foods have strict regulations in areas like growing methods or the use of preservatives.
Foods that are labelled organic must meet or exceed the regulations of the USDA, India Organic and EU. This means that they must be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and support biodiversity. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers or sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Organic livestock must be given organic feed, have access to the outdoors and be raised free of antibiotics and growth hormones.
Basically while “natural” refers mainly to the finished product, “organic” refers to not only the food but also to how it was produced.
So, what does organic food promise you? Unlike natural and other eco-label claims, only organic produce offers government-backed assurance that products are grown and processed without the use of toxic chemicals, antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones.
Look out for Labels
Beware! Just about any food can be labelled as “organic” but true organic food carries a special label from the USDA, India Organic and EU – keep an eye out for these – our products at Mimmo have all the three certifications.
It’s clear that organic foods take the cake! It is ideal for those who want the best quality and healthy produce with limited exposure and consumption of artificial substances.
Author: Priyanka Shetty, Founder, Mimmo Organics
To Eat or Not to Eat?
We adults often find ourselves in a dilemma when it comes to digging into a bowl of pasta. Is it healthy? Or am I just putting unnecessary calories into my body? When it comes to our kids we are even more skeptical about handing them a pasta dish. So, is it healthy or not? Let’s find out…
The Facts
Pasta is a carbohydrate. Carbs should take up around 45 per cent of your child’s diet because they are broken down by the body into simple sugars. These sugars circulate in the blood stream and are used by the body’s cells for energy. The brain also uses these simple sugars (glucose) as its main energy source. This is why children need carbohydrates to stay alert and active throughout the day.
Pasta Power
According to a recent research conducted by the National Pasta Association (we are not making this up, this actually exists!), it was found that children who eat pasta have a better overall diet quality. After comparing pasta intakes of kids aged between 2 years to 18 years, they found that those who had pasta had a greater intake of fiber, iron, folic acid, vitamin E, and magnesium, and a lower daily intake of saturated fat and total fat. Pasta is also naturally cholesterol-free and is very low in sodium – basically it is a powerhouse of nutrition for your kids and for yourself.
Mix it Up
Keeping in mind the healthiness of pasta be sure you incorporate these additions in your kid’s pasta meals to give it an even healthier kick.
Go wholegrain- buy the best quality whole-grain pastas as they have the most fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Smuggle in some veggies into the sauce or just add them to the pasta preparation.
Add protein. Make sure your kid stays full with healthy protein choices.
Throw in some lean protein from chicken, fish, and even beans or chickpeas.
Always make the pasta using healthy oils like olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil and walnut oil.
So, go ahead cook up some pasta for yourself and your little one and bond over a nourishing and tasty meal.
Mimmo’s Pasta Package
Try our wholesome, easy-to-cook and delicious range of pastas which are packed with the certified goodness of organic multi-millets and semolina infused with veggies, perfect for getting in that nutritious punch in your child’s diet: Veggie Alphabets Pasta,
Baby Flower Pasta
and Veggie Little Mac
