At what age can you give your child salt?

The attitude to such the most widespread seasoning in the world as salt is ambiguous. It is vital for the human body and at the same time is capable of causing various disturbances in its functioning. But is salt good for children, is it permissible to include it in the diet of infants and why shouldn't it be given too early?

Benefit

In the composition of table salt, the main element is sodium, which is combined with chlorine. Many physiological processes cannot take place in a child's body without sodium. In particular, this element is important for nerve tissue and muscle function. The main function of the chlorine supplied with the salt is the production of hydrochloric acid.

In addition, by including salt in the diet of baby food, it will be useful:

For the regulation of water-salt balance. This property of salt is used in dehydration by including it in rehydration solutions.
For metabolic processes in cells, during which nutrients enter the tissues and waste products are removed.
For the functioning of the pancreas and the digestive tract.

Harm

The negative effects of sodium chloride are mainly due to excess salt intake.

A lot of this seasoning is contraindicated for children, since salt will:

Retain water in tissues, which causes edema, and the load on the excretory system increases.
Increase blood pressure, making it difficult for the heart.
Influence calcium metabolism, as a result of which fragility of bones appears and teeth deteriorate.
Provoke thirst and increase appetite, which leads to overeating.
Exercise a stimulating effect on the nervous system, which is manifested by irritability, restless behavior and nervousness.

At what age can you add salt to food for children?

Infants in the first six months of life receive salt from human milk or formula. In these two products, the chlorine and sodium content is balanced and presented in a concentration that does not harm babies. In cow's milk, the salt content is several times higher, therefore it is not recommended as a replacement for breast milk for babies up to one year old.

When the baby begins to try complementary foods, each mother has a question - is it necessary to add some salt to food for her daughter or son? Pediatricians advise against adding salt to children's meals until at least 9 months of age.

It is even better if parents do not salt food for a child under 1 year old. The crumb will have enough salt from vegetables, kefir, meat, cereals and other products that are introduced into complementary foods. In addition, babies do not protest against unleavened food until they try salty foods. And mom should let the baby get acquainted with the natural taste of the products.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

The renowned pediatrician emphasizes that every infant needs salt, especially if the child sweats, losing sodium chloride with sweat. However, Komarovsky emphasizes that the salt requirements of babies are much lower than that of adults. A popular doctor advises mothers to be guided by their taste when adding salt to food for children - the dish should be slightly undersalted, but no longer bland.

For a short medical commentary on salt in children's diets, see the video below.

How much salt does a child need?

Children under the age of 9-10 months should be given no more than 0.2 g of salt per day. Since kids get this amount of seasoning from food, it is recommended not to add salt to the food.

The norm of salt for babies over 10-12 months is 0.35 g per day - it is recommended to add only a few crystals of table salt to soups, cereals, vegetables, meat and other dishes. For children over a year old, it is permissible to increase the daily dose of salt to 0.5-1 g, and from the age of 3, the amount of such seasoning can be gradually increased to 4-5 g per day.

What kind of salt should you give your child?

The diet of a child over a year old can be added:

Rock salt. It is a grayish crystals that include not only sodium and chlorine, but also other minerals (selenium, iodine, zinc, potassium). This salt is added to baby dishes after heat treatment.
Refined salt. This seasoning has a fine grind and a white tint. It contains only sodium chloride.
Iodized salt. This seasoning is additionally enriched with iodine, and its grinding can be different - both very fine and coarse. It is advised to give it to children living in areas where the soil is poor in iodine.
Sea salt. To obtain it, seawater is evaporated. The result is crystals that are rich in iodine, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Due to the high concentration of minerals, it is not advised to give such salt until the age of 5.
Hyponosodium salt. Its characteristic is the reduced amount of sodium. Only a doctor prescribes such a seasoning for a child.