Many parents want to quickly introduce a healthy tomato into the diet of their children. What you need to know about tomatoes before offering them to young children? What danger can they be fraught with? At what age should a child first meet a juicy tomato?
Vegetables in the children's diet are necessary - they replenish the child's body with vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are necessary for his growth and development. One of the favorite vegetables for most children who have already learned to chew is tomatoes due to their pleasant sweet and sour taste and the abundance of juice inside.
However, the bright color of this vegetable may raise doubts among parents - red fruits are considered allergenic. In this regard, the question arises - when can a tomato be introduced into the baby's diet, what effect can this appetizing and healthy vegetable have on the child's body?
What are the benefits of tomatoes?
Tomatoes can be called a real storehouse of vitamins. Let's take a closer look at exactly what substances are contained in these vegetables, and how they affect health.
The chemical composition of tomatoes contains many vitamins:
- Potassium - improves heart function. Also has hypotensive and diuretic effects;
- Iodine - stimulates the activity of the thyroid gland;
- Iron - participates in the saturation of blood with oxygen;
- Calcium - strengthens bones;
- Copper and zinc are essential elements for the development and growth of cells and tissues;
- Magnesium - has a calming effect on the nervous system.
In addition to the listed chemical elements, tomatoes are also rich in other substances that have a beneficial effect on the functioning of various body systems:
- Lycopene is a substance that can prevent the development of cancer;
- Pectin, phintocides are real helpers of the digestive and excretory systems. They contain choline, which lowers blood cholesterol levels;
- Tomato contains a lot of vitamin A and carotene, therefore it is good for growth and vision;
- Antioxidants - remove salts of heavy metals and free radicals from the body.
Tomatoes help relieve stress and improve mood; they have a calming effect on the nervous system. They stimulate appetite, speed up metabolic processes.
In this episode of the TV show "Life is great!" with Elena Malysheva, you will learn about the beneficial properties of tomatoes:
Do tomatoes have disadvantages?
If this vegetable is so tasty and healthy, then the question arises - can it be given to small children? What factors can become an obstacle to introducing tomatoes into the baby's diet?
- The tomato is considered a highly allergenic product.
- With existing problems with digestion and kidneys, this vegetable is contraindicated to eat.
- Artificially grown tomatoes can be hazardous to health - they contain a lot of pesticides that cause severe poisoning.
- It is not recommended to eat tomatoes in large quantities - this will have a detrimental effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
At what age should you introduce your child to a tomato?
Since the tomato can cause allergies in the baby, it is not recommended to give this vegetable fresh until 12 months. If it is known that the child is allergic, then it is better not to rush, but to consult with the pediatrician about the introduction of red fruits in the menu. Heat-treated tomatoes (boiled or stewed, as part of vegetable soups and mashed potatoes) are safer, so they can be offered to a baby from 9 months.
When cooked, some of their useful properties are lost and they are used mainly to improve the taste of the dish. In ready-made vegetable purees, which are sold in stores, tomatoes also appear in products recommended for children from 8-9 months.
TIP. The first acquaintance of the crumbs with a delicious vegetable can be done by treating it with tomato juice or tomato puree.
From the forums:
Kim: I gave my son a tomato at 8 months old, he really liked it, I cut it into halves and gave him a bite from the edge, made sure that he bit off a little and chewed. I didn't remove the skin on purpose, only if it lagged behind, I removed it. We have a tomato for lunch with vegetable puree: a spoonful of puree, bitten tomato, a piece of bread. Sometimes he just cowards for a tomato, it is juicy, now in the heat he really likes it.
Tanya: When I turned 10, I gave me some tomatoes and cucumbers to try. She liked it. Unfortunately we do not have our own, we give the purchased ones, everything is fine. They gave us tomatoes from the village and for some reason we got allergic to them. I peel the skin and give it a slice and my daughter eats it. We already have 8 teeth, so I don’t wrinkle.
The safest product choice for the first complementary foods is baby food in jars from a well-established manufacturer. Even if you are confident in the quality of the product, the first serving is still no more than half a teaspoon... The next tomato feeding should be done in a day, not earlier. If there are no signs of allergies, then the next day, the portion can be doubled.
One-year-old children can be offered a fresh vegetable, previously peeled. To remove it, it is enough to pour boiling water over the tomato. It is better for kids to chop the tomato, bringing it to a puree state. If the child already chews well himself, then it makes sense to add the chopped tomato to the salad. Vegetable oil is ideal for children as a salad dressing, it will help the lycopene to be better absorbed in the body.
IMPORTANT! If the child has difficulties with digestion, the use of the tomato should be limited, and it is also not recommended to give a cucumber with a tomato in one meal.
Starting from the age of three, when the children's menu becomes varied, you can cook meat baked with tomatoes and cheese in the oven, make vegetable casseroles with sour cream and herbs.
Fresh tomatoes as recommended by pediatricians
- Allowed to be given to children over a year old, but the child must be able to chew well before you give him a piece of tomato, otherwise he may choke on a piece of tomato.
- Fresh tomatoes for small children are allowed only in the summer-autumn season.
- Up to 2 years old, it is better to give the child tomatoes without the skin, after scalding the tomato with boiling water.
- It is better to give children tomatoes without salt or only slightly salting. (Due to the high salt content, tomato juice is not recommended for children under 3 years old).
- For better absorption of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins, it is recommended to eat tomatoes with sour cream, vegetable oil or cheese.
- It is not recommended to eat a large number of tomatoes at once for children under 3 years of age because of the high risk of allergic and pseudo-allergic reactions; it is better to limit yourself to one small tomato (50 g) per day.
- It is good to combine tomatoes with other less allergenic vegetables (cucumber, boiled potatoes) and also with meat.
- Sauces and ketchups with tomatoes, as well as salted and pickled tomatoes are allowed to be given to children not earlier than 3 years old, and it is better not to give them at all.
Are canned tomatoes contraindicated in children?
Blanks for the winter, including salted and pickled tomatoes, will not be useful to small children. What ingredients are added to jars when preserving? - This is a large amount of salt, vinegar, hot pepper. It is known that salt prevents the elimination of fluid from the body, and this puts a great strain on children's kidneys and leads to edema.
Acetic acid can cause stomach problems, as can hot herbs. Considering these factors, children under three years old should not be offered canned tomatoes. From the age of four, such foods are given in small quantities.
Which tomatoes are suitable for baby food?
Which tomatoes are suitable for baby food? Choose only vegetables grown in soil. Greenhouse tomatoes are dangerous - many chemicals are used for their growth.
When choosing tomatoes in the market or in the store, carefully examine them. Vegetables should not have a putrid smell, they should not have dark spots and violations of the integrity of the peel.
Several recipes
Puree with tomato and cauliflower (suitable for children from 3 years old)
Ingredients: Cauliflower - 150 g; Butter - 20 g; Tomatoes -300 g; Hard cheese - 30.
Break the cabbage into inflorescences, wash and boil until tender in salted water. Then melt the butter in a saucepan, fold the finely chopped and peeled tomatoes. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the dish looks like gruel.
Add the grated cheese to the hot tomato puree and stir. Combine the cauliflower with the cheese and tomato paste and whisk in a blender in the puree. This dish can be frozen.
Borscht. It can be cooked for children from 2 years old
Ingredients: Potatoes - 2 pcs.; ¼ quiver of cabbage; 1/3 onion; tomatoes - 1-2 pcs.; Carrots - 1 pc.; Beets - 1 pc.; Salt, sugar to taste.
First you need to wash and peel the beets and carrots, cut them into strips and leave to cook in boiling, salted water for about 15 minutes. Then add chopped cabbage and diced potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes. At the same time, fry the onions in a preheated pan, then add the chopped tomatoes to it. Simmer borscht for 7 minutes under the lid. Then add onion with tomatoes to it, salt, add sugar to taste and cook until tender over low heat. Your child will be delighted with such a dish!
Polina and Yulia are preparing a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with soy sauce. Quick and easy recipe, lick your fingers:
Tomato allergy - what to do?
If after the first acquaintance of the baby with an appetizing vegetable you notice allergy symptoms - rash, itching and red spots on the body, sneezing or coughing, then tomatoes should be removed from his diet.
When the allergy becomes pronounced - edema appears, an urgent need to consult a doctor for the appointment of treatment. In this case, repeated attempts to introduce tomatoes into the diet are made no earlier than six months later.
