The very first complementary food that is introduced into the dietbaby's nutrition is vegetables. And vegetables will remain a very important component of the entire human diet throughout his life. However, despite the fact that this type of complementary feeding is the very first, parents are almost always interested in - what vegetables can be given to a child under one year old? And this is quite reasonable - after all, not all vegetables are suitable for baby food. This is what will be discussed below. So, complementary feeding - what vegetables are suitable for this, how to give them correctly, in what proportions - this is what will be discussed below.
Little Secrets
So, your baby has grown enough to...in order to receive additional complementary feeding in addition to mother's milk. Of course, it is necessary to start with vegetables. And pay attention - all vegetables should be given to the child only in a mashed form, puree-like consistency. Moreover, very often young parents prefer to take the path of least resistance, and buy ready-made fruit purees of industrial production. However, even pediatricians agree that fresh homemade vegetable puree contains much more vitamins and nutrients. But store-bought vegetable purees also have the right to be. There are several general rules for introducing vegetables into the child's diet:
- One week - one vegetable
Do not introduce into your diet under any circumstances.more than one type of vegetables per week. This requirement is quite fair and reasonable. If your child develops an allergic reaction or a gastrointestinal tract disorder, you will easily determine which vegetable caused the unwanted reaction. This means that you can easily eliminate it by simply eliminating the newly introduced type of vegetable from the diet. It should also be remembered that introducing vegetables into your child’s menu will inevitably increase the load on the digestive system. Accordingly, each new vegetable places an additional load on the digestive tract. Therefore, by introducing vegetables one by one, you distribute this load evenly, thereby allowing the baby’s stomach and intestines to gradually get used to the new foods. In addition, parents should know that a child’s digestive system is immature until about one year of age. That is why not all digestive systems are developed in a child, and their number is not that great. This means that food that contains several components at once is not so easy for a child to digest, unlike food that consists of one component.
- Thoroughly grind vegetables
In case you decide to cook vegetablespuree yourself, chop the vegetables thoroughly. In no case should you allow large pieces of vegetables to remain in the vegetable puree - firstly, the child can choke on them, and secondly - it is still very, very difficult for the child's digestive tract to digest large pieces of food. By the way, in this regard, store-bought purees of industrial production are much better - their consistency is impeccable.
- Purity of vegetable complementary foods
It is equally important to ensure thatIn no case should there be any foreign additives in industrially produced baby puree – no spices, no rice, no rice starch. The only thing that should be in a good baby puree is vegetables and water. Such a composition guarantees that the risk of indigestion or any allergic reactions will be minimal. And even if you prepare vegetable puree yourself, in no case repeat a very common mistake – do not add any foreign products when preparing vegetable puree – no butter, no sour cream, no milk. Otherwise, an upset stomach will be almost inevitable.
Which vegetables to choose?
Absolutely all products are dividednutritionists into several groups - with a low degree of allergen activity, medium and high activity. Vegetables are no exception to this rule. And it is quite natural that this factor must be taken into account when choosing vegetables for the first feeding of a child:
- Products with low allergen activity
The very first vegetable food should be thosevegetables that have the least allergenic activity. These vegetables include squash and zucchini, light-colored pumpkin, turnips, and cauliflower. It is with them that you need to start introducing vegetables into your child's diet, literally one to one and a half spoons, no more, increasing the portion daily by about 10%. Very carefully monitor the child's body's reaction to the introduction of complementary foods. At the slightest sign of stomach upset or allergic reaction, immediately stop introducing complementary foods, and also try to show the baby to a doctor as soon as possible.
- Middleallergenic vegetables
After you have introduced it into your dietthe least allergenic vegetables for your child, you can begin introducing the next group of vegetables. However, please note that at least two weeks should pass between these events. The next group of vegetables used in baby food includes: green peas, corn, green peppers, potatoes. The rules for introducing complementary foods are almost the same as in the first group - no more than one product per week should be introduced, carefully monitoring the reaction of the child's body. If an allergic reaction or stomach upset occurs, complementary foods should be excluded.
- Highly allergenic vegetables
Doctors and pediatricians recommend this group of vegetablesintroduce them last, preferably after the baby has celebrated his first birthday. Moreover, the introduction of these products must be taken very seriously - they cause various allergic reactions very, very often. Perhaps you ask why in such a case they should be introduced into the child's diet. And indeed - perhaps it is better to refuse them? However, these vegetables contain a huge amount of a wide variety of nutrients and vitamins that are vital for the normal development of the child's body. This group of vegetables includes carrots, celery, beets and tomatoes.
Features of some vegetables
The fact that healthy vegetables for children under one year old are simpleare necessary - an indisputable fact. However, there are a number of features of certain vegetables that parents should not mention in any way when making up a diet. For example, vegetables that are bright green in color have a very negative effect on the level of hemoglobin in a person's blood. This happens because the substances contained in such vegetables inhibit the absorption of iron into the body, bind it and remove it from the human body as quickly as possible. Although such vegetables contain a huge amount of iron, they also contain polyphenols and fiats. It is because of them that iron is absorbed very poorly, moreover, even the iron that enters the body from other products is also excreted if the child eats too many bright green vegetables. Spinach, dill and parsley have this property most strongly. And, despite the fact that supposedly exceptional benefits for the child's body are widely promoted everywhere, it must be completely excluded from the child's diet in order to avoid the development of iron deficiency anemia in the child. If you are concerned that your child will not get enough vitamin C, it is better to buy a multivitamin complex – getting rid of iron deficiency anemia will be much more difficult.
Choose your own!
It is also very important to talk about thisfeatures, such as territorial affiliation. What is it? Vegetables for children under one year old should be chosen taking into account where the baby lives. For example, for a child from southern countries, quince or green pepper are ideal as the first vegetable. But for a baby born in the northern regions, the best vegetable for the first feeding will be potatoes. By the way, the same subsequently applies to fruits - for an African baby, an orange or banana will be an ideal choice, but our babies after such a fruit as the first feeding can be treated for a long time and hard. In any case, before introducing vegetables into the child's diet, parents should consult with the attending physician - the baby's pediatrician. After all, the doctor not only understands all the features and secrets of the child's diet, but also knows very well all the individual characteristics of your child's body. And he will be able to predict possible complications and take all measures to avoid them. And during the introduction of complementary foods, parents should try to maintain contact with the doctor - pediatrician. In the event that something goes wrong, the doctor will be able to quickly respond to the situation and provide the child with the necessary medical care. We recommend reading:
