We recently received a message from Belinda in Malaysia, regarding her little granddaughter who is 7 1/2 months old and breastfed. She had already been introduced to a simple, single grain cereal, although Belinda found that this was causing constipation.
After visiting our site, Belinda began giving her granddaughter pears, which have helped relieve the symptoms to some degree. Belinda then asked us
I bought a packet of mixed grains consisting of Brown Rice, Barley, Sunflower Kernel, Buckwheat and Millet. Can I use this to make porridge for her? I understand that I should soak the grains before using them. Should I throw away the water used to soak the grains or do I use it to cook the grains? At present, I throw it away. I also bought a packet of oat bran which I use to make porridge breakfast for her. Is oat bran better than oats?
Here is our reply, which we have published here as you may find it helpful if you have any of the same questions…
Regarding your question about the blend of grains you purchased for your granddaughter…
Whenever you give her a combination of grains, it is important to ensure that you have first introduced each grain separately – that way you can easily identify any one grain that may give her any digestive problems or trigger an allergic reaction.
Whilst the grains you mentioned are, on the whole, well tolerated, I recommend that you speak to your doctor about introducing the sunflower kernels. Although they are vary rarely responsible for allergic reactions, if one DOES occur, it can be very severe. Reactions caused by sunflower seeds are similar to those caused by peanuts, sometimes leading to wheezing and – in extreme circumstances – anaphylaxis (severe breathing difficulties) which may be fatal.
Regarding your question about oat bran…
The bran is a nutritious part of the grain and is a very concentrated form of fibre. Unlike most grains, oats are always ‘whole’, which means that their bran is still intact after de-hulling. Therefore, your granddaughter will still be receiving oat bran, even if you just give her regular oats. I have found in the past that oat bran served alone has given my babies gas – a solution was to make a bowl of regular oatmeal (using a little more water than usual), then stir in a tablespoon of oat bran to thicken it up!
You can find baby oatmeal recipes and tips here
Regarding your question about the soaking of grains…
Personally, we cook the grains in the water they were soaked in (much of which is absorbed by the grains anyway!). In fact, the ‘Whole Foods Companion’, an excellent book by Dianne Onstad, states that “…the grain may be cooked in this water, as it is rich in nutrients”.
Please note, however, that when soaking legumes for baby food, we DO discard the soaking water, as this helps prevent them from causing gas and abdominal discomfort.
If YOU have any questions about baby food… please remember that you can contact us anytime and we promise you a prompt and personal response!
Agnes Hart
Tuesday 23rd of June 2009
Regarding the soaking of grains. Although there may be nutrition in the water the grains are soaked in-- there are also phytates, which work as anti-nutrients. Oats are very high in phytates.Phytates inhibit the absorption of minerals. They are present in the 'bran' of whole grains. Combining grains with Vitamin C rich foods will reduce the effect of the phytates. However, soaking overnight and discarding will also reduce phytates to a larger degree; therefore I would recommend dumping the water. It is important to keep this in mind that grains have this effect. When possible always soak and discard water.