The idea of introducing the baby to strawberries and strawberries usually appears at the beginning of summer, when the season of this berry is in full swing. Many kids like bright and sweet strawberries, but is it worth feeding a small child with this berry and how to introduce it into the children's menu correctly?
Pros
- Strawberries are rich in many essential nutrients, including vitamins C and A, folic acid, iron, calcium and other minerals.
- This berry has a lot of beneficial effects on the body. It helps to improve digestion, improve appetite, strengthen vascular walls, increase immune defenses and improve blood composition.
- Strawberries are known to quench their thirst well.
- Also, fresh strawberries and jam from this berry have an antimicrobial effect, therefore they are used for colds.
- Sugars in strawberries are well absorbed in the child's body, acting as a source of energy.
Minuses
- Strawberries often cause allergic reactions because they are rich in natural histamine.
- A badly washed berry can provoke the development of intestinal infections.
- An excess of strawberries in the daily diet causes indigestion, fermentation, bloating, abdominal cramps.
At what age is it better to give?
A nursing mother should not consume this berry in the first months after childbirth due to the high risk of allergies in the baby. Further, strawberries can be consumed in small quantities, observing the crumbs. For the first time, it is advised to give strawberries to a baby after a year, but many pediatricians recommend acquaintance with such a berry at the age of two, especially with a high risk of allergic reactions.
Introduction to the diet
For the first sample, half of one strawberry or 1-2 strawberries is enough. If during the day the child's stool is not disturbed, and the skin remains clean, then the next day the baby can be given a whole strawberry. Observing the child, the number of berries in the daily menu can be increased to seven to eight pieces. As much as possible, the baby can be given as many strawberries as will fit in his palm.
Another option to introduce strawberries into the children's diet is to prepare strawberry water for the baby. Pour boiling water over the berries and leave them for several hours, filter the drink and give to the child. If there is no negative reaction, the next time you can leave the berry in the drink, chopping its pulp. This method is also recommended for introducing strawberries into the menu of a nursing mother.
In what form can you give?
Give children only seasonal strawberries. Berries can be given fresh whole, as well as to prepare mousses, pie fillings, smoothies, jellies, compotes, fruit salads and other dishes from them. By combining strawberries with a dairy product (sour cream, cream, yogurt, ice cream), you can reduce the risk of allergies.
To delight the child with strawberry treats even after the end of the season, the mother can freeze the berries, dry them, or preserve them in the form of jam, compote or preserves.
How to choose the right strawberry?
Only high-quality berries should be given to the child, which were collected no more than two days ago and were not stored in the refrigerator. Good strawberries have a rich, pleasant aroma. If you have smelled a berry and smelled a smell that indicates fermentation or rot, such a product should not be given to a child.
Choose a bright red strawberry for your baby, which has a shiny skin and slightly protruding seeds. Do not buy berries with withered and dried tails for children, such a product is no longer fresh.
If the strawberries are very firm and firm, they may have been picked unripe. You can check if the berry has been treated with chemicals by washing it. Within a few hours, the strawberries untreated with chemicals let the juice out and leave specks of this juice on the dishes in which they are stored.
Find out if your child's weight is normal using the following calculator.
