It’s Maple Time here in New England – Can You Use Maple Syrup in Baby Food Recipes?

Mar 31, 2008 Friendly Baby Food Advice, Substitutes, Sugar, Uncategorized

 It’s one of my favorite times of year,  as the winter turns to spring and the maple trees start giving up their sap,  maple syrup producers all over New England open up their “sugar houses” and invite the public to see just how maple syrup is produced.   I’ve been visiting sugarhouses since I was a wee thing.  While I can’t recall my first taste of pure maple candy, I still get those warm fuzzies whenever I step foot into a sugarhouse.  With the sap boiling over a huge wood-fired open boiler (rare these days as most boilers are oil-fired), it’s warm and toasty and the smell of maple permeates the air.  It’s like being in a maple flavored sauna! 

The maple sugaring season in New England usually lasts about six weeks from mid-February to mid-April, depending on the location. When nighttime temperatures are below freezing and daytime wind chill temperatures rise to 35° F or more, the sap begins to run.  It takes about 40 gallons of maple sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup!  For more information about maple syrup around New England, visit this guide offered by the Boston Globe

Alright, about the babies   Babies are able to have maple syrup if you are inclined to drip a bit in oatmeal, sweet potatoes or even squash.  Baked apples drizzled with maple syrup are wonderful too!  Of course, you should use maple syrup sparingly and we’d not recommend it for babies under 10 months old. 

Ooh but it’s a sugar right?  It must be bad for babies!  Well, it’s both bad and good really.  Maple syrup has the following nutrients per 1 tablespoon:

Minerals 
Calcium, Ca  mg 13
Iron, Fe  mg 0.24
Magnesium, Mg  mg 3
Phosphorus, P  mg 0
Potassium, K  mg 41
Sodium, Na  mg 2
Zinc, Zn  mg 0.83
Copper, Cu  mg 0.015
Manganese, Mn  mg 0.660
Selenium, Se  mcg 0.1

Vitamins – none to speak of really

Maple syrup is low on the glycemic index meaning that it does not evalvate your blood sugar – glucose – levels above the norm.  It’s also natural and the body will use what it needs and rid itself of the rest.   Pure maple syrup is better to use as a sweetner than sugar and it is better to slather on pancakes than the fake stuff that is 95% High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and 5% maple “flavor”.  HFCS is not easily processed or used by the body and may store itself and add fat!

It’s up to you whether you want to drip some maple syrup in your baby’s homemade oatmeal or in a sweet potato puree.  We’re just letting you know it’s safe.  Using maple syrup in a teething biscuit is a great replacement for refined sugar! As always, don’t  sweeten your baby’s foods 100% of the time. 

Stonyfield Farm recalls several batches of blueberry yogurt

Mar 30, 2008 Dangerous Food Items, Food Recalls

LONDONDERRY, N.H. (AP) – Stonyfield Farm is recalling several batches of its blueberry yogurt after consumers complained of finding plastic or glass fragments in the 6 oz. cups.

The company said there have been no reports of injury and the do not believe the problem is widespread.

The recall applies only to Stonyfield Organic Fat Free Blueberry Yogurt in 6 oz. cups carrying product codes printed on the cup bottoms that start with the following dates:

Apr 13 08

Apr 14 08

April 15 08

April 25 08

April 26 08.

The yogurt is sold at natural food stores and grocery stores nationwide. The company has ordered its distribution network to remove the affected products from shelves.

Customers who bought the yogurt can return opened or unopened containers to stores for full refunds.

The company suggested that consumers with questions contact Stonyfield Farm Consumer Relations at 1-800-776-2697 or at crelations@Stonyfield.com.

Ohio Firm Recalls Frozen Chicken Products Due To Mislabeling

Mar 29, 2008 Dangerous Food Items, Food Recalls

Ohio Firm Recalls Frozen Chicken Products Due To Mislabeling   
 
Recall Release CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-011-2008 HEALTH RISK: HIGH

Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Laura Reiser 
 
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2008 -

“Koch Foods, a Fairfield, Ohio, establishment, is recalling approximately 1,420 pounds of frozen chicken breast products because they were packaged with the incorrect label.

The frozen, pre-browned, raw products were labeled as “precooked” and therefore do not provide proper preparation instructions. These raw products may appear fully cooked.

The following product is subject to recall:

10-pound cases of “Koch Foods Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Breast Fillet with Rib Meat” containing two 5-pound bags.

Each case bears the establishment number “P-20795″ inside the USDA mark of inspection, a production code of “24837-2″, a date code of “B03982″ and as well as a product code of “86861″ printed on the label.

The frozen chicken products were produced on Feb. 8, 2008, and were shipped to distribution centers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, [u]intended for use by food service institutions. [/u]”

There is no word if these products were for sale at warehouse clubs like Sams, CostCo and BJ’s so just be aware.

Tags: Food Recalls, recalls