Best custard Powder for babies in Nigeria…Which custard brand is best and healthiest for babies in Nigeria?
Commercial Custard brands are common foods in most Nigerian homes and it is eaten regularly especially as Breakfast. Custard still remains the number one substitute for pap or akamu in Nigerian babies.
But is custard suitable to be used as a regular Baby food especially in 6months and 8 months old babies ?
Custard is typically made from Corn Starch but if you take a look at the ingredients list, there are other additives like Refined sugar, salt, flavor, coloring, etc.
These aren’t what you want your babies to be eating. Children don’t need the sugar, salt, flavoring and colors found in custard in their diet in the strict sense of it.
Most custard powder brands in Nigeria are high in calories and carbs but it lacks important nutrients like Protein, fiber, Vitamins and minerals.
According to healthline: although large amounts of custard powder baby food provide small amounts of micronutrients like Copper and Selenium, most parents only use 1-2 tbspns at a time. This means the quantity of custard given to children to get the desired nutrients is usually not enough.
Most of the Custards that claim to be suitable or best for babies also contain Refined Sugars/Sweeteners. Custard are even marked as “Occasional Treats” and are not meant to be given to babies and infants eaten daily.
Bottom line?
Custard is not suitable for baby meals as it does not contain the critical nutrients for your baby’s development. It can be eaten occasionally but not as a core everyday Breakfast Cereal.
The age of 0-2 years are the formation stages where your child needs all the critical nutrients for growth and brain development.
They need all the natural healthy purees they can get to build their brain cells not custard meal. However to make custard more nutritious healthy,nutrient-filled to suit a babies nutritionally needs or requirements please add evaporated milk or powdered milk and/or ground crayfish….mix the custard with ground crayfish before feeding the baby with it.
Eventhough custard is not the most suitable for a child’s nutritional needs, many Nigerian mothers and infact African mothers still give their babies custard (with pap) as complementary feed after exclusive breastfeeding.
These suggested best custard powder for NIGERIAN babies are:
Best custard Powder for babies in Nigeria
✅Checkers custard powder.
✅Gerber 2nd Foods Vanilla Custard Pudding with Bananas.
✅Heinz Fruity Banana Custard.
✅Lady B custard powder.
✅Bird’s Custard Powder.
✅Family milk custard produced by McNichols plc.
✅Dukes custard powder
✅Safa custard powder
✅Uncle C custard powder
✅Weikfield custard powder
✅Vanilla custard powder
NB: THE LIST IS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
The truth is local pap mixed millet and guinea corn is better, healthier, more nutritious and far cheaper for babies than custard powder.
This article is the intellectual property of www.nimedhealth.com.ng
