The importance of salt for us needs no further explanation, but young mothers are often unsure about whether to add salt to their baby's food. There are often news stories circulating online about babies dying from the addition of salt to infant formula. So, can babies actually consume salt?
The Dangers of Babies Consuming Salt
Salt is an essential element that the human body needs on a daily basis. When babies start eating solid foods, many mothers wonder whether to add salt to their baby's food. The digestive organs of babies are not fully developed, so consuming salt too early can be harmful.
1. Consuming salt too early can harm their kidneys. Babies under 6 months old need less than 1 gram of salt per day, which they can usually obtain from breast milk or formula. Consuming salt too early can affect kidney function, increase the burden on the heart, and cause edema, high blood pressure, and other issues.
2. Consuming too much salt can make babies more prone to colds. Babies have weak immune systems, and consuming salt can reduce the secretion of saliva, allowing bacteria to adhere to their respiratory tract. Salt also has osmotic effects and can kill normal bacteria, allowing pathogens to thrive and cause upper respiratory tract infections.
3. Improper consumption of salt can lead to high sodium ion concentration in the body, affecting calcium absorption and hindering the baby's growth in height.
When Can Babies Start Consuming Salt?
Can babies consume salt during the introduction of complementary foods? Mothers often want their baby's food to have some flavor and may consider adding salt as a seasoning. But is this really a good idea?
In fact, babies should not consume salt before the age of 1. Normally, the necessary salt intake for babies is already obtained from breast milk. When babies reach 1 year old, mothers can add iodized salt to their complementary foods, or even better, try to provide them with salt-free foods.
From the ages of 1 to 3, the daily salt intake for babies should be limited to less than 1 gram to avoid adverse effects on their health.
Precautions for Babies Consuming Salt
When babies are under 1 year old, they should not consume salt. However, as they grow older, parents need to pay attention to the amount of salt added to their baby's food. What precautions should be taken when babies consume salt?
It is advisable to eat foods with their original flavors. Normally, breast milk and other complementary foods already contain sufficient sodium to meet the baby's physiological needs. Therefore, babies should try to eat foods with their original flavors.
After the age of 1, babies can consume low-sodium salt. Low-sodium salt has a significantly reduced sodium content, which is beneficial for the kidneys by preventing excessive salt consumption.
Eating more vegetables is recommended. Vegetables contain a high potassium content, which is about 20 times that of meat. Potassium can effectively inhibit sodium absorption and reduce salt intake. Zinc can enhance the baby's taste perception and sensitivity to salty flavors.
Avoid judging a child's taste based on adult preferences. Babies have a higher sensitivity to salt than adults. When preparing meals for babies, mothers should pay attention to reducing the amount of salt.
Limit the consumption of snacks. Most snacks have a high salt content, so mothers should control the amount of snacks their babies consume, with the exception of fruits.
Dietary Principles for Babies
Babies' diets should be mainly bland. Monosodium glutamate, soy sauce, and dried shrimp are high in sodium, but due to their flavor and nutritional value, children can consume them in limited quantities.
Parents should follow the principle of "less sugar, less salt, less soy sauce, less monosodium glutamate, and more vinegar" when seasoning their children's meals. At the same time, they should try to avoid salty, pickled foods, canned foods, and highly processed foods with high sodium content.
Nutritionists suggest that children aged 1 to 6 should not consume more than 2 grams of salt per day, with a maximum of 1 gram per day before the age of 1. After 3 months, babies can appropriately consume some salty foods. Children with heart disease, nephritis, and respiratory tract infections should have stricter control over their salt intake.
It is recommended to control salt consumption by adding salt during mealtime. This method can cater to the taste preferences while reducing the use of salt. By adding salt at the table, the salt mainly adheres to the surface of the food and does not penetrate the interior. Since the taste experience mostly comes from the surface of the food, it will still taste salty. This way, the salt intake can be controlled, and the loss of iodine during high-temperature cooking can be avoided.
It is not that "babies under 1 year old cannot consume salt." Rather, it is important to follow the principle of consuming less salt. Babies do not need extra salt added to their diet. Parents should carefully read the ingredient labels of complementary foods and adjust their baby's diet accordingly.
