Mandarins are a winter delicacy that every person has known since childhood. Caring parents want to introduce the baby to the sweet fruit as early as possible. It is not known exactly at what age tangerines can be given to a child. There are limitations for introducing citrus fruits into complementary foods. The fruit has beneficial properties for toddlers.
Mandarin with leaves
The benefits of mandarin for a child
For baby food, tangerines are good. They have a rich composition that will positively affect the health of the baby. The trace elements included in the composition have the following properties:
- antioxidant action;
- increased immunity;
- saturation with vitamins;
- improving the functioning of the circulatory system and heart;
- have a diuretic effect;
- improve brain function;
- improve intestinal peristalsis;
- mandarin is a dietary product.
Mandarin is described as the perfect fruit for baby food. But there are limitations due to the possibility of allergies. The baby's body can accept a new product in the diet negatively. Introduction to complementary foods is carried out with extreme caution.
Important! It is recommended to choose citrus fruits during the high season, that is, in winter. Fruits brought from Abkhazia are less processed with chemicals.
Nutritional value
Mandarins are rich in composition. 100 g of the product contains 56 kcal. Of these, 1 g of protein, 13 g of carbohydrates, 9 g is for sugar, and 2 g for fiber. The fruit contains:
- vitamins C and group B;
- riboflavin;
- beta carotene;
- large amounts of potassium;
- phosphorus;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- sodium;
- calcium;
- flavonoids;
- pectins;
- hemicellulose;
- folic acid.
One medium tangerine provides 40% of the daily value of vitamin C. This improves baby's health and prevents catching colds. Several fruits a day enrich the body with vitamins and microelements for a day.
Peeled mandarin
How to choose a good tangerine for your child
In central Russia, the cultivation of tangerine trees is impossible due to climatic conditions. Its ripening season falls in the winter. You can buy fruits at any supermarket or market.
Doctors recommend giving babies products grown in nearby areas. Therefore, tangerines from Abkhazia are best suited. They are not treated with substances to preserve ripeness, since transportation does not take much time. If there are no such fruits, then the appearance of the peel should be taken into account when choosing. It focuses on several indicators:
- the skin should be thin;
- the surface of the peel is glossy and shiny;
- there should be no brown spots, areas of mold.
When you press the citrus, it should maintain its dense shape and slightly spring to the pressure. This speaks of the freshness and ripeness of the product.
Important! The soft and bumpy peel indicates the old age of the tangerine tree, its fruits have a less saturated composition.
From how many months to introduce citrus fruits into complementary foods
The question of what time a tangerine can be given to a child worries many caring parents. Doctors recommend refraining from citrus fruits for up to 1 year. They are considered allergens and cause unpredictable reactions. The pediatrician will determine when to give tangerine to babies.
Is it possible to give a child up to a year
It is better not to give tangerines to a child under one year old. The digestive system is not yet fully formed. A new product can provoke an attack of colic, constipation. If the baby grew up without food allergies, then you can experiment. The child must be at least 9 months old.
Experts recommend starting the introduction of citrus fruits into complementary foods with an orange. Its juice is not as prone to allergies as tangerines. The introduction is started with a small dose, preferably squeezed juice.
Peel the fruit, squeeze orange or tangerine juice into a teaspoon, let the baby taste 1 drop. Then the reaction of the body is monitored for a day. If there were no reactions, then the dose is doubled. With the manifestation of negative signs, acquaintance with tangerines is postponed to a later age.
Girl eating tangerine
The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky
How many months you can give a tangerine to a child depends on its characteristics. Dr. Komarovsky believes that any fruit is good for a child. The main thing is not to rush things and be patient. The doctor responds positively to the introduction of tangerines into the diet, nevertheless he recommends postponing acquaintance with citrus fruits until one year old. Until that time, replace tangerines with other fruits.
Norms of complementary feeding with tangerines for a one-year-old child
If you managed to correctly introduce tangerines into complementary foods, then you should adhere to some of the baby's nutritional standards. It is worth studying questions about the amount of tangerines per day, combining with other products.
How often to give
You can treat children with a sweet treat every day. There is nothing wrong with a child receiving a supply of vitamins through tangerines. In winter, this is especially important, since immunity decreases, and there is a risk of colds. Situations may arise when the baby refuses regular food and only requires tangerines. Pediatricians advise not to follow the lead of children and give fruit only as a treat after the main meal.
Important! Daily use of tangerines will provide the child's body with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Number
At the age of 1-3 years, it is allowed to feed the baby 5-6 citrus fruits per day. The calculation is based on medium-sized fruits, peeled. This amounts to approximately 100 g. Tangerines contain a large amount of vitamins, especially ascorbic acid. Overeating can trigger stomach problems. Vitamin C increases the level of acidity in the stomach and stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid.
Three tangerines
What can be combined with
You can combine tangerines with any other fruits with which the baby is already familiar. Any child will enjoy a fruit salad made from their favorite fruits. Juices are made from them. It is better to mix tangerine juices with apple juices - this will reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction.
Candied fruits are prepared from tangerines, added when cooking chicken and other meat dishes, simply dried. Any option is suitable for feeding a baby. Tangerine juice can be added to fruit purees. So more nutrients will enter the body.
Possible Power Problems
There should be no major health problems after eating tangerines. Most often, the body reacts in the form of an allergic reaction. In such cases, complementary feeding with citrus is stopped and postponed to a later date. Signs of allergies are varied, in order to accurately determine the reaction, you need to know about them.
Important! If the behavior of the child after the mandarin changes greatly, then the introduction of the product should be postponed until the age of one year.
An allergic reaction manifests itself in children in different ways. Mandarins are a strong allergen. Even in adults, this is not uncommon. Allergy Signs:
- rash of a different nature;
- rhinitis;
- Quincke's edema;
- lacrimation;
- diathesis;
- itching;
- restless behavior of the baby.
Allergy in a baby
Any manifestation of allergy requires stopping the use of the allergen. On the same day, the child should be given an antihistamine. The course of treatment will be determined by the doctor. The rash can be of different types:
- pinpoint itchy redness;
- eruptions in the form of bubbles with liquid;
- a red spot localized in one place with peeling;
- separate large spots.
Don't panic for allergies. The main thing is to determine it in time and stop the introduction of tangerines into complementary foods. At what exact age you can give citrus fruits to a child is not known for certain. Some babies are ready for the introduction of citrus fruits from 9 months of age, others only by three years. There are many other healthy foods that are equally rich in composition.
