As your baby gets older, you as a parent need to introduce it to various types and flavors of food, not least the taste of wry. Wry taste is usually found in fruits such as oranges, lemons, strawberries, and so on. So, when exactly is the right time for babies to eat wry fruit? How do you introduce it? Find out the answer here.
When should babies eat wry fruit?
Introducing food to your child is not an easy thing. Not infrequently he throws, melt, even just playing the food. Indeed there are many important considerations before starting to introduce a type of food to your little one. Especially if this food has an unusual taste, for example wry taste.
Reporting from the Baby Center page, Ari Brown, a pediatrician and author of Clear Answer and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year, said that babies should eat wry fruit after they are 6 months old. However, for more safety, fruit that tastes sour can you give when entering the age of 12 months, quoted from Healthline.
Fruits with a sour taste like oranges and lemons are indeed not carelessly consumed by babies. This is because the baby's digestive system is still very sensitive and he can react negatively to the sour taste. If your little one is introduced to wry fruit too early, in some cases it can cause redness around the mouth. However, calm down, does not mean that your child is allergic to wry fruit. This might be caused by the skin's reaction to acid.
Then how do you ascertain whether your baby is at risk of wry fruit allergies or not? Well, it's best after you introduce a new type of food to your child, wait about three days later if you want to switch to the next new food. So, you can clearly monitor what reactions each new type of food creates.
Sour fruit is rich in benefits
The benefits that your child will get and get by eating wry fruit, including:
- Contains lots of vitamins. Fruit with a sour taste is identical to the content of vitamin C in it. Though not only that, this type of fruit is also rich in B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. In addition, the wry fruit also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
- Contains good fiber. About one cup of orange fruit, has 4 grams of fiber in it.
- Contains nutrients that are beneficial for heart health. A study in Japan proved that people who eat fruit with a sour taste in high amounts have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Helps protect the body from cancer. A study states, people who consume one grapefruit or drink one serving of grape juice every day have a lower risk of lung cancer.
What is the best way to introduce wry fruit to babies?
Introducing a new type of food for the first time to your child can influence his opinion about the food until he grows up. Therefore, you are advised to present in a form that is as attractive as possible for his first experience.
For example, serve oranges in small pieces and a small amount first. Don't forget to remove the seeds and white fibers that stick to the citrus fruit. After that, let him explore with his new experience.
You can reduce the acidity of the fruit for the first time by giving oranges that are not too sour, for example mandarin oranges. Or other ways by mixing orange pieces with plain yogurt and liquid milk. See the reaction, if there are no signs of allergies within 3 days, then you can allow the baby to eat more fruit in the next amount.
Tips when first inviting babies to eat wry fruit
Well, after the baby is not felt to have any allergies to the wry fruit. Now, it's time for you to present fruit with a sour taste in a more diverse variant. Here are some other options for serving wry fruit as your baby's daily food:
1. Popsicle
Serve the wry fruit in the form of juice (without added sugar) which has been frozen until shaped like a popsicle, or mix the orange and lemon that has been blended with yogurt.
2. Smoothies from oranges
Orange smoothies are no less delicious with strawberry, banana, mango and other smoothies. The choice of this drink is not only delicious, but also healthy for your baby's body.
3. Orange fruit salad
Mix your baby's favorite fruits with a few pieces of orange. This method can be another option in serving wry fruit so that your child is more interested in consuming it.