Healthy Foods For Your Child

When it comes to taking care of babies, mothers are usually 100 percent invested. They do their best to provide the baby with the best food and drink, provide conducive environment for them to grow and nurture them to the best of their abilities.

One question mothers usually find themselves asking is what foods, drinks or supplements they should give to their babies. For instance, mothers have struggled with the question “Is gripe water safe for my baby?” for a long time. Their curiosity is partly because they do not know the constituent of gripe water, whether it is safe or even effective.

Foods and drinks that are healthy for babies fall within the following groups;

⦁ vegetables
⦁ fruits
⦁ grain foods such as pasta, rice, bread, corn etc.
⦁ dairy foods e.g. milk, yoghurt, cheese etc.
⦁ proteins, for example, fish, chicken, eggs, lentils, beans, nuts

Each of the above listed food substances contain essential nutrients that your child’s body requires for it to grow and function properly. As a result, it is essential that your child eats the different range of foods in the groups.

Let’s take a look at four examples of foods that are excellent for your baby’s health;

Avocado
Avocado is a buttery fruit-vegetable that is rich in healthy unsaturated fats that enhance the development of the brain of your baby. Besides, the fat content of avocado is similar to the fat content of breastmilk, further demonstrating how essential it is for your baby. You can mash the avocado before feeding it to your child.

Bananas
Banana is an excellent source of potassium, as well as a fruit rich in calcium, iron, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. You can serve the banana in mashed or smoothie form for the baby to drink, probably alongside milk-yoghurt.

Blueberries
Blueberries are tremendously rich in antioxidants which prevent the oxidation of substances in the body of your baby, a process that would be very harmful. Blueberries are also good for the proper functioning of your baby’s brain, eyes, and urinary tract.

Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable that contains fiber, calcium, folate, and has the ability to prevent cancer in your baby. When you feed your baby with broccoli, its taste will be expanded creating a sustained desire for green vegetables. The broccoli can be steamed until it becomes soft, cut into small pieces, and allowed to get cold before you serve it to your baby.

When to feed your baby what

It is not uncommon for mothers to wonder the right time for them to introduce solid foods to their babies, and most do so around the sixth month. When you decide to introduce solids to your baby’s diet, feel free to do so in any order. For example, you could begin with soft cooked vegetables and mashed fruits, then move on to mashed foods like cooked fish or eggs.

After the twelfth month, you can introduce most of the healthy family meals (like fruits, vegetables, grains, lentils, rice etc.) to the baby. If, however, your baby does not like any of the new foods, you can try it again later. Sometimes, babies take time to accept a new food taste or food texture.