Today, continuing with our new Child Nutrition Special, we will continue talking about gluten-free cereals in infant feeding, specifically the corn.
We saw yesterday, when talking about rice, that cereals are a staple in infant feeding and especially important in the introduction of complementary feeding.
What is a cereal?
Cereal It is a seed of certain types of grass. Once the protective outer layer is removed, the edible grain remains. It is divided into bran (the outer layer, very rich in fiber) and inside it we find the germ, which contains most of the nutrients, and the endosperm, which is the part where there is a greater amount of hydrates.
Refined cereals lose bran and germ, so they are nutritionally less interesting. The integrals do conserve all the nutrients but because of their high fiber content they are not the ones that start the complementary feeding of the babies, but they can occur as soon as the pediatrician indicates it to us as possible, although we are little accustomed to them.
Cereals, from which several servings would have to be eaten every day, provide us with complex carbohydrates, from which we obtain energy, and also have fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Cereals without gluten
The gluten free cereals They are the first we will give to babies, since they do not contain that more allergenic protein that celiacs can not eat either. However, not all are suitable for young children, especially soy, which is better not to introduce until they are older, because if it can produce allergies and also, their properties are not suitable for the development of the children's hormonal system.
Cereals without gluten, in addition to rice, which we have already talked about, are the corn, soy, sorghum, and sesame. In addition, although they are not really cereals, we usually consider them as such because of their similarities buckwheat or buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth.
The corn
The corn It is the second gluten-free cereal to which we are most accustomed, and we can give it to babies as soon as we begin with complementary feeding, following the guidelines of gradual introduction of food.For human feeding the grain is used, ripe as not, and can be consumed directly cooked or roasted, in addition to being ground as semolina or as more or less fine flour.
Introduction of corn in infant feeding
In the case of babies, when we introduce it, we can do it in porridge prepared for infant feeding, well mixed with water, artificial milk or extracted breast milk.
But it is not the only way we can use corn for our babies. Cornmeal and fine semolina are sold in any store and, provided that the labeling indicates that it is free of contact with products that small children cannot take, we can offer it to them.
The porridge that we make with flour or semolina is cooked quickly, cooking them in water, and they have a soft texture and a naturally sweet taste, so they are very accepted by babies and it is not necessary to add neither salt nor sugar to their preparation. And besides nutritious they are cheap and, as he noted, easy to prepare.
Later, in sauces and soups, or as grains, or as a base for desserts, we can continue to offer it to children, trying, if possible, to look for non-transgenic and organically grown varieties.
Corn nutritional qualities
Corn is very rich in carbohydrates. 100 grams of corn provide 123 calories, 4 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, plus potassium, beta-carotene and magnesium.
It has vitamins of group B: B1, B9 and B3, which our body uses for the regulation of the nervous system. Its fat content, which are polyunsaturated, is 2 grams and a half.
Corn history
There are many varieties of corn, but all come from the wild plant Zea diploperennis from Mexico.
Data have been found that demonstrate its cultivation for 7000 years and was the basis of the food of many Amerindian peoples such as the Aztecs, the Maya and the Incas.
When the Spaniards invaded America and quickly colonized it, they introduced corn in Europe and its cultivation extended from the 16th century, its consumption being habitual already in the 18th century, although it was used especially for cattle initially. The food crises led him to European human food and in the United States it was one of the basic crops since its historical origin.
It grows from 58 ° north latitude in Canada and Russia to 40 ° south latitude in the Southern Hemisphere. It is grown in regions below sea level in the Caspian plain and more than 4,000 meters high in the Peruvian Andes. Estador Unidos is the world's leading producer.
Varieties and cultivation
The corn It has a relatively simple crop and is very productive, existing, as I said, hundreds of varieties developed in pre-Hispanic America and later by modern cultivation.
We usually consume only two varieties, sweet and floury, one for direct consumption of tender grains and another that is used to make flour, but in America many species adapted to different climates and soils survive.
I remember that, on my trip to Peru, discovering the direct textures and flavors of each variety and learning how it had been cultivated on terraces at enormous altitudes, fascinated me.
The corn It has a thick and mazico stem, which culminates in a female inforescence that is shaped like a leaf-covered cob with an upper plume. The beans are edible.
Conclusion
As the second cereal of choice corn is basic in complementary feeding of babies, since it has no gluten and is very nutritious, besides being able to present itself in a simple and appetizing way.
