This also makes it extremely difficult for researchers to form concrete recommendations as to how often red meat should be consumed. Red meat may or may not be the cause but it’s hard to know if these factors aren’t eliminated. They’re looking at people with other lifestyle factors that could be resulting in harmful outcomes, like smoking, alcohol consumption, and not enough physical activity.

For example, they aren’t looking at a group of only healthy people. In fact, there are many flaws with the research that say red meat is likely harmful. To date, there’s no concrete evidence, or thoroughly conducted studies, that identified unprocessed, good quality red meat as causing any harm (1). On the other hand, red meat in general includes fresh lamb, beef, pork, and veal, which hasn’t gone through additional processing to change the nutritional composition of the meat. For example, if you’re at a birthday party, or sitting around a campfire – it would be okay to eat a hot dog, as long as it isn’t being served regularly. For this reason, processed meats shouldn’t be offered to baby, with the exception of special occasions. When meat is preserved this way, carcinogenic substances can form, which is why processed meat is not recommended. This includes things like hot dogs, bologna, pepperoni, deli meats, bacon, jerky, and commercial sausage. Just so we’re all on the same page, processed meat includes any type of meat that has gone through processing like salting, smoking, curing, and/or the addition of chemical preservatives, like nitrates/nitrites, to extend the shelf life of the product. There is clear evidence that processed red meat consumption can lead to health concerns like cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (1). Now, you’ve probably already googled “is red meat good or bad” and found that every other news article and website has conflicting information about why red meat should, or shouldn’t, be part of your diet.

It’s also packed with protein and healthy fats (saturated and polyunsaturated fats) that are beneficial for your baby’s heart and brain. Without a doubt, ground beef is a nutritious addition to your baby’s diet! Ground beef offers essential nutrients like iron, B vitamins, zinc, and selenium which promote growth and development. Check out my blog on the importance of iron and learn more about why we want to offer high iron foods twice a day to babies, here. So while beef isn’t the only source of iron for your baby, it’s definitely one of the easiest and most iron-rich sources you can provide. The type of iron found in beef is heme-iron, and that is actually the most easily absorbed in your body. We often first think of infant cereal as being one of the best iron sources, but it’s actually fortified with non-heme iron (which isn’t easily absorbed in the body).

One example is to offer ground beef in a tomato based sauce. You can also boost your baby’s iron absorption by adding a source of vitamin C to the meal. The introduction of solids that are high in iron, around the 6 month mark, will help make up for this and prevent iron deficiency, which is the number one nutrient deficiency among kids in the world! Well, babies are born with iron stores to sustain them until around 6 months of age, but after that point, their iron stores begin to deplete. If you’re looking for more baby friendly recipes the whole family will enjoy – including more options with ground meat – be sure to check out my 60 Day Baby Led Feeding Meal Plan to get a jumpstart on offering solid foods to your baby! I’ve done the research for you, and I’m here to provide reliable information that will help you on your baby led feeding journey.Īs an added bonus, I wanted to share my delicious beef burger recipe with you! Not only is this burger recipe juicy, delicious and acceptable for the whole family, but it’s so easy to make in the oven, or on the grill (perfect for days that it’s way too hot to be stuck in the kitchen). I know, as a parent, you’re concerned and want to do the right thing when it comes to offering nutritious foods for your little ones. Red meat, especially ground beef, has been a controversial topic in nutrition for many years, and the social media world has created a lot of confusing and fearful information.

These are all great foods to offer in the beginning, but foods like ground beef are also recommended as a first food for your baby! That’s because ground beef is so rich in iron, which babies need right around the 6 month mark. *This post may contain affiliate links, please see our disclosure policy for more details.įoods like bananas, avocado, and infant cereals probably come to mind when you think about starting solids with your little eater.

Cheeseburger mouth gag