Cereals

First of all, our greatest desire is to be your NINJA ally each and every day. In other words, to help you as a parent, for as long as possible and not let you down by offering a solution that becomes obsolete too quickly! In order to be a nutritional ally on a daily basis, we had to offer products that would be adequate for babies as early as possible in their development and that would continue to be nutritious for their constantly changing needs.

That being said, it is true that texture preference is unique to each individual, ALL TASTES are in nature, we say! Our intention is to offer nutritious meals to all little ones, so the good news is: OUR MEALS ARE VERSATILE! You can offer them in their original form that being chunks, or adapt the texture according to baby's preference and skill development: mashed or pureed. We can't say it enough, each baby is unique and you have to listen to their needs, rather than imposing one or the other texture (small pieces, mashed, puree).

We promote the word textured on our packaging but we are actually referring to ALL textures, as long as the chosen one is suitable for baby 😊 The introduction to different textures should be safe and enjoyable for our tiny tots.

When it comes to our oat flake blends, we wanted to offer babies the comforting experience of a more traditional oatmeal! What's more, Belov is committed to innovation! Putting another traditional cereal on the shelves, that we could call "powdered", was not in line with Belov's mission. Our tasty blends can even be added to baby's favorite preparations: muffins, pancakes, etc.! OHH YESSS! By being iron-fortified, we help you contribute to the recommended daily intake! OHHH WOOOWWWW!

Interestingly, traditional baby cereals are processed! Specifically, the grain goes through a process called enzymatic hydrolysis. In this process, the starch (a polysaccharide) is broken down into smaller sugar molecules for easier digestion. Hydrolysis also allows the mixture to be sweetened. Thank goodness we worked with a food chemist to understand all these complex terms!

So, during the R&D process for the cereal, we asked ourselves if creating a traditional cereal (with the understanding of what this product really is...) was aligned with Belov's values and with the evolution surrounding infant nutrition. After much consideration, we came to the conclusion that it was not! Moreover, Belov's innovation must be recognized through all our products. Therefore, we directed our resources to develop textured oat blends for babies that would be fortified just like traditional cereals (this benefit being a must!).

Did you know that iron deficiency is most common up to 24 months of age?

We had to develop a product that would help parents until their little one reached 2 years old! By opting for oats instead of a powdered cereal, we offer TEXTURE! What's more, we should encourage the introduction of lumpy textures no later than 9 months to avoid the child developing certain aversions. So, with textured blends, we help parents meet their baby's daily iron needs!

YES, all our textured oat blends are organic! The best part is that our oat flakes come from a local family business! Yes, from St-Félicien, QUEBEC, CANADA !

When it comes to irreversible delays in the development of cognitive functions, the situation should not be taken lightly. We wanted to help reduce the risk of iron deficiency by developing iron-fortified oat blends to help parents meet the daily recommended intake of iron-rich foods for their babies up to 24 months of age.

Here is an excerpt from Health Canada's Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants Guide:

At about six months, an older infant's iron stores are depleted (IOM, 2001; Butte, Lopez-Alarcon, & Garza, 2002; Dewey & Chaparro, 2007). The risk of iron deficiency increases from six to 12 months of age. This is because rapid growth during this time dictates higher iron needs (IOM, 2001). The risk is still present from 12 to 24 months as studies suggest that the nutritional quality of a young child's diet and their consumption of key micronutrients, including iron, tend to decline (Picciano et al., 2000).

The risk of iron deficiency can be reduced by the timely introduction and regular consumption of iron-rich complementary foods such as meat and meat alternatives and iron-fortified cereal (Butte et al., 2002; Dewey & Chaparro, 2007; Meinzen-Derr et al., 2006). Between six and 12 months, infants should be offered iron-rich foods two or more times a day. From 12 to 24 months of age, iron-rich foods should be offered at each meal.