The idea of consuming baby food is to eat small jars of food to limit the calorie intake. It is done to see quick weight loss results. Many adults follow the baby food diet all day to lose extra pounds and to get in shape.
People following a baby food diet don’t necessarily follow the same pattern. For example, some people consider baby food a low-calorie snack and restrict themselves to eating a few jars. In contrast, others replace a few meals with baby food and can eat up to 14 jars.
Regularly following a baby food diet can lose weight, but your body will also not get the important nutrients.
A baby food diet is better seen as a quick cleanse and must not be included in the long-term style of eating. But it is not backed by any scientific research or health experts.
Keep reading to know what happens when adults eat baby food.
What Can You Eat?
Baby food mostly includes a jar of pureed vegetables, grains, fruits, and meats. Besides purees, you can also find tea, plain black coffee, and water in the baby aisle at the grocery store.
A baby food diet is considered low-calorie because the food portions are baby-sized. Baby food jars have no more than 100 calories. Baby foods are usually not known to contain salt or fat, but you can expect added sugar.
What Do You need to Know?
As baby food normally comes without seasoning, you can add spices and herbs to make it palatable. When following a baby food diet, keep your calorie count to a minimum of 500.
You must also include enough fiber, grains, and healthy fats in your diet, so your body doesn’t feel exhausted from pureed food.
If you are allergic to a certain food, the baby food diet will be easy for you to follow. That’s because each container and pack of baby food has ingredients listed, which you can read to identify food items that might cause a reaction.
A baby food diet makes you likely feel lightheaded throughout the day. It happens because you don’t get the required calories from pureed food. Even if you properly follow the baby food diet, your body won’t get the needed nutrients.
In addition, transitioning from normal food to a baby food diet is neither safe nor easy. Before you switch, don’t forget to get medical advice from a doctor. Furthermore, you must not continue this diet for long as your body can have serious nutrient deficiencies.
If you have just started a baby food diet, you should only replace one daily meal instead of swapping your entire diet. This way, your body can slowly get used to pureed food while still getting sufficient calories.
Medical practitioners still don’t recommend switching to baby food despite the safety precautions. That’s because such a change can make your body nutrient deficient and develop an unhealthy relationship with food. Especially if you are pregnant or diabetic, you must never try the baby food diet.
Pros of Baby Food Diet
- A baby food diet helps you easily control the food portion
- It is low in calories and fat
- It offers quick results
- It requires minimal preparation or cooking
Cons of Baby Food Diet
- While a baby food diet helps you notice a difference in no time, it is quite unsustainable for long term
- A baby food diet is severely restrictive
- If you follow the diet for a long time, your body will not get enough calories
- It’s more expensive than the usual meal
Baby food surely offers a certain kind of flexibility. For instance, if you are going out, you can easily switch to a normal meal for some time. You can compensate by eating baby food for your next meal.
Despite this convenience factor, you cannot overlook the drawbacks. If you decide to follow a baby food diet for a longer time, you might create a derivative mindset around food. Plus, it’s not a smart weight loss idea.
What’s more? Well, the more you consume baby puree food, the more small containers you will have to throw away. But you can resolve this issue by preparing your baby food. However, if you are running short on time, it might not be a realistic plan.
What Happens When You Eat Baby Food?
Adults can eat baby food, but it’s not a good idea to depend solely on such a diet. Baby food has added sugar, which can cause a problem.
What’s more? Baby food also lacks many essential nutrients that an adult body needs. So, eating baby food can be fun and experimenting, but it can never be an ideal meal option.
Is Baby Food Diet a Healthy Option?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has passed a guideline regarding the variety of nutrient-dense food. It said that adults must consume fruits, dairy products, legumes, vegetables, lean protein, eggs, seafood, and soy products to get the required nutrients.
Unfortunately, the baby food diet does not match this guideline. That means it is unhealthy for an adult to rely solely on baby food. Enjoying a small portion of baby food as a snack but not a complete meal is fine.
Not to mention, a single serving of baby food contains 20 to 100 calories. So, even if you consume two baby foods with one 500-calorie meal, you will still not meet the recommended 1500-calorie intake for a day.
Is it Bad to Eat Baby Food?
Honestly, it is not bad to consume baby food. But the adult body is not designed for baby food. The available nutrients in the baby food are very helpful for babies.
When you solely depend on baby food, the limited nutrients in the body quickly get consumed, leaving you with no energy. You also get at risk of developing deficiencies and other health problems.
Can Adults Eat Baby Food to Lose Weight?
Of course, adults can eat baby food to lose weight, and its the most preferred option. But, to lose weight safely, you should rely on a balanced fruit and vegetable diet. Including lean dairy products, lean protein, and other items in your diet is also advisable.
Conclusion
Baby food is great for the short-term because if you follow this diet for an extended period, you might develop certain health complications. You can fasten up the weight loss process by reducing calorie intake, but this way, you cannot create a sustainable weight loss plan.
If your ultimate goal is weight loss, you can consult a medical practitioner so you can learn about safe and sustainable ways of losing weight. Combining a weight loss diet with a good exercise routine is always advised to see better and quicker results.