Fruits are brightly colored, sweet and sour in taste, and visually appealing to babies. They are also rich in nutrients, so moms often let babies eat as much as they like. However, this matter is not so simple because there is a lot of knowledge behind it:
Knowledge One: Pay attention to the timing of feeding fruits to babies
Some moms like to have fruits on the table since breakfast, for babies to eat after meals, thinking that eating fruits at this time can promote digestion. Of course, this is necessary for people who like to eat animal meat and greasy food, but it is not suitable for babies who are still growing. Because fruits contain a lot of monosaccharides, which are easily absorbed by the small intestine. However, if they get stuck in the stomach, it can easily cause bloating and constipation. So, do not immediately give babies fruits after a full meal. It is also not recommended to give fruits before meals because babies have smaller stomach capacity. If they eat fruits before meals, it will take up space and affect the intake of nutrients from the main meal. In addition, babies should not drink milk within one hour before or after eating citrus fruits. Otherwise, the citric acid in citrus fruits will react with the protein in milk, causing coagulation and affecting the absorption of nutrients in citrus fruits.
The best practice is to schedule the consumption of fruits between meals or after a nap, so that babies can treat fruits as snacks. The suitable amount of fruits for babies each time is 50-100 grams. You can also make fruit juice or puree that is suitable for baby digestion and absorption, depending on the age and digestive ability of the baby. For infants aged 1-3 months, it is best to drink fruit juice, while babies aged 4-9 months can eat fruit puree.
Knowledge Two: Choose fruits that are suitable for the baby's constitution
When choosing fruits for babies, pay attention to whether they are suitable for the baby's constitution and physical condition. For babies with thick tongue coating, constipation, and a hot constitution, it is best to eat cool fruits such as pears, watermelons, bananas, kiwis, and mangoes, as they can help reduce internal heat. However, apples, lychees, and citrus fruits can cause excessive internal heat, so they should not be eaten too much by babies with a hot constitution. Babies with poor digestion should eat cooked apple puree, while babies who are constipated with formula milk should eat raw apple puree.
Knowledge Three: Some fruits should be eaten in moderation by babies
Lychee juice is juicy and tender, and its taste is very attractive to babies. Usually, they can't get enough of it. However, moms should control the amount of lychee that babies eat. Eating a large amount of lychee not only reduces the baby's normal food intake, affecting the intake of other essential nutrients, but it can also cause symptoms such as dizziness, pale complexion, weakness in limbs, and profuse sweating the next morning. If not treated immediately, it can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure, fainting, and even death. This is because lychee meat contains a substance that can cause low blood sugar and hypoglycemic shock.
Watermelon is a cooling and refreshing fruit in summer, especially for babies with fever, mouth ulcers, and heat-related symptoms. However, it should not be eaten too much, especially for babies with weak spleen and stomach or diarrhea. Eating too much watermelon not only weakens the digestion ability of the spleen and stomach, but it can also cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Usually, it is advisable to give babies about 100-150 grams of watermelon per meal, twice a day.
When babies eat excessive amounts of persimmons, especially when eaten with sweet potatoes and crabs, the tannins and gums in persimmons will form insoluble hard lumps in the stomach. These lumps not only cause constipation in babies, but sometimes they can also stay in the stomach and form gastric stones, causing abdominal pain, vomiting, and indigestion in babies.
Bananas have a sticky and sweet texture and can promote bowel movements, so moms often give them to babies. However, babies should not eat too many bananas in a short period of time, especially if they have a weak spleen and stomach. Otherwise, it can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Generally, for babies over 2 years old with small appetites, one banana per meal is sufficient, and they can eat it twice a day.
Knowledge Four: Fruits should not be used as a substitute for vegetables that babies do not like to eat
Compared to vegetables, fruits are not as tasty or flavorful because fruits contain fructose, which gives them a sweet taste. Moreover, the flesh of fruits is fine and juicy, making it easy to digest and absorb. Therefore, some moms often let their babies eat more fruits when they don't like to eat vegetables, thinking that this can compensate for the loss of not eating vegetables. However, this practice of substituting fruits for vegetables is not scientifically sound.
Firstly, if babies frequently replace vegetables with fruits, they will end up consuming excessive amounts of fructose, which can lead to a lack of copper in the body, affecting bone development and causing stunted growth. It can also make babies feel full all the time, resulting in a loss of appetite. Secondly, fruits contain less minerals and dietary fiber compared to vegetables. Compared to vegetables, fruits have a weaker role in promoting intestinal peristalsis and ensuring the intake of calcium and iron from minerals. Therefore, it is best not to frequently replace vegetables with fruits when babies do not like to eat vegetables.
