Lets talk about weetbix.

[Rouge]

Unfortunately Sodium is sodium, any doctor will tell you if you are required to have less than 1000mg (or whatever the measurement is) of sodium a day celery is definitely out. So whilst it might be fiberous and what not the sodium content would be just as much an issue (if that concerned you) as weet-bix. Another interesting fact about sodium is that in salt its only 40% sodium and 60% chloride and as humans we do need a certain percentage of sodium in our diet. Sodium deficiency can be just as bad for us as too much. So its important to note that moderation is the key with any foods. Just as overeating some of the healthiest foods for us can make us sick so can having too little of things like fat, sugar and salt. They all have their place. Obviously processed foods are not a necessity but even things like the raw diet and wholefood diet can make people sick too. This happened to my SIL who ended up with no periods and malnutrition from being on a raw food diet. Which is quite interesting. She still eats quite healthily but she is no way near as hard on herself, and now her body has returned to normal.

[Phteven]

Just on the topic of celery, it's pretty much an empty food since it uses more calories to chew and digest it than it contains. That's great if you're a dieting adult but not so great for a growing child. I love celery but we seldom eat it here.

[Janie]

Love your work hun!

I have been meaning to look into the whole weetbix thing for ages . You've prompted me to go and check what I wanted to, and I am feeling thoroughly ashamed of myself. DS mostly has porridge, but sometimes has vita brits. I have always had vita brits, never once bought weetbix! After comparing the two, we will definitely be changing to weetbix. And I can't believe that after trying to eliminate Nestle from our shopping, I never even thought about the fact that vita brits are made by Uncle Toby's (therefore Nestle)!!!!

So thanks for getting me off my butt, to check this out. And I loved reading your info about the allergy aspect of introducing wheat - I too have always felt confused by the info out there.

ETA Okay, loving all this info about celery......can't believe I never knew this stuff!

[maz]

Obviously processed foods are not a necessity but even things like the raw diet and wholefood diet can make people sick too. This happened to my SIL who ended up with no periods and malnutrition from being on a raw food diet. Which is quite interesting. She still eats quite healthily but she is no way near as hard on herself, and now her body has returned to normal.

OMG....that has just blown me away big time!!!!

[AnyDream]

A bit OT but...I'm gonna pipe up and say I *love* Weetbix. Main reason, DD1 (never a big eater) skated along near anemia for a while (between the ages of 4 - 8 & flat-out refused to swallow supplements), and Weetbix has the added iron in it. None of the other brands (based on hasty supermarket packet reading) have the iron. Basically I could feed DD a breakfast of Weetbix and a glass of iron-fortified juice and over several weeks her appetite, energy etc would return to normal.

[~clover~]

Mine all ate weet bix from 6 months. DD2 especially. Still loves it. I actually never heard the over 12 months til I mentioned it in here. By then 2 kids were past that stage & DS was in the middle of it. Weet bix & avocado sandwiches were his main foods when we started solids.

DH was started on weet bix at a very young age too. Didn't hurt him

[~Raven~]

Thats a great post. I also tried to find the "not under 12 months" recommendation, on the box and on the website, but never did
!

But it does say clearly on the box and on the website that it is for kids ages 1 - 7 years. Can that be interpreted as not being suitable for under 12 months? Does it really have to say in big bold letter that it isn't suitable I read it and think well my child isn't 1 yet so I'm not going to feed it the him/her just yet, or is that just me.


I swear I have found it on the sanitarium site that it's not recommended to give wheat to babies under 6 months. Weet-bix is made from wheat, therefore it must be unsuitable...again is that just my interpretation? They don't say it in so many words but in a round about way.

Didn't bookmark it and I really can't be bothered trawling through all the pages on there to find it now lol.

Anyhoo that's a great read Falgs, thanks for sharing!

[Junglemum]

The quote on the box is ;

"Weet-Bix Kids with 1/2 cup of milk provides 1/3 of daily calcium & iron needs of children aged 1-7 years."

I don't interpret that to mean not for kids under 12 months at all. Kids under 12 months have a different calcium and iron need to those over 12 months. So the statement would not be true if it said from 6 months. I don't think it was intended to mean only children between 1 and 7 should have them.

You are right, the website does say that cereal and grains shouldn't be introduced until 7 months. It's on the sanitarium site under nutrition, the article is "Healthy foods, healthy babies...a guide to introducing solids to babies." But there is nothing to say that you should hold off until 12 months.

Roryrory- i think it was a swedish study, the main point i took from the study was the importance of BF'ing when introducing wheat. Apparently that was what helped lower the incidence of coeliac disease.

[Indadhanu]

Are you talking about kids weetbix or normal weetbix? I would expect it to be on the normal weetbix at least, which I don't think has any kind of recommendation?

Kids under 12 months have a different calcium and iron need to those over 12 months.

Thats how I would read it too... same as kids over 7 could eat it, but it wouldn't give them 1/3 of their daily calcium and iron needs.

ETA doesn't matter, i re-read, yes Weetbix Kids I just have the normal one. I didn't even know there WAS a Weetbix Kids one until a few weeks ago actually...

ETA again: By delayed, I always thought 'delayed' usually meant 12 months +... since the recommendations are not to even start solids until 6 months, I'd assume you wouldn't feed them foods that cause common allergies (that didn't come out right but YKWIM) before that anyway. Thats what gets me confused, because people say "delayed" which I would think it not at the age when you are typically starting solids (6 months)... I'd think it would be at least 9 months or longer, but teething rusks are typically wheat based...?