With the onset of summer, it becomes possible to replenish the supply of vitamins with freshly ripened fruits. Loving mothers so want to pamper their babies with some juicy and tasty berry, such as cherries. But is it possible to introduce it into the diet of a child up to a year? Cherry can be dangerous for young children? How to spend the first acquaintance of a child with a healthy berry?
What is cherry good for?
- Cherry is a source of carotene. It contains folic acid and many other vitamins - E, C, PP, B1 and B2;
- This berry is a real storehouse of micro and macro elements, it is rich in copper, zinc, iron, iodine, fluorine, cobalt and potassium;
- Pectin, contained in sufficient quantities in cherries, removes harmful substances from the body;
- Cherry - a source of organic acids necessary for the children's body;
- This berry is useful for the heart, blood vessels and blood-forming system;
- The pulp of cherry fruits contains substances that inhibit pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms;
- Although the cherry has a bright red color, this berry is not allergenic.
What is harmful?
- Doctors do not recommend eating cherries for peptic ulcer, gastroenteritis, and also with loose stool;
- Do not use it for diabetics;
- If you often eat cherries, tooth enamel spoils;
At what age are cherries introduced into the child’s menu?
Fresh fruits are introduced into the children's diet, starting from the year. Cherry juice can be given as early as 10 months. It is better to take a juice that is designed specifically for baby food. Give preference to well-known brands and manufacturers that are well-established.
In what form to give?
The very first acquaintance of a baby with a berry is best done by offering him a small amount of cherry juice. It is added to juices that the child has already tried (for example, apple).
Babies who are already 1 year old can be given fresh berries. They should be well washed, pitted and divided into two halves. If you need to remove the thin skin from the berries, the fruits are scalded with boiling water.
A child from one and a half to two years old cherry is added to everyday dishes - you can bake a pie, mold dumplings, make a casserole or make a cocktail.
How to enter the diet?
The very first portion offered to the baby should be very small - half the berry. It is better to give it during breakfast, then during the day it will be possible to observe the reaction of the body, whether there are rashes.
If the baby does not have signs of an allergic reaction, you can continue to increase the portion of berries daily. Gradually bring it to 40-50 grams. For children from the age of 3 years, in the absence of signs of intolerance, you can give 100-150 grams of cherries daily.
We also read: complementary foods - basic rules
How to choose?
When buying berries on the market, inspect the goods well, make sure that the fruits do not show signs of rot, mold. Cherries should not be mint. Since these berries do not ripen after harvest, buy only ripe fruits. It’s good if the cherry is picked from the stalks.
When purchasing frozen products, pay attention to whether there is a lump of berries inside the package. If you find it, it means that this cherry was frozen several times, refrain from buying.
What happens if a baby swallows a bone?
If a child accidentally swallows a bone, nothing bad will happen; soon it will leave the body naturally. The danger is a large number of bones that enter the stomach - they can cause bowel obstruction and constipation. The damage to the seeds also lies in their contents - they contain hydrocyanic acid, which can cause poisoning, so children are given peeled berries.
We also read: What if the child choked?
Allergy?
If after the child ate cherries, he developed a rash, redness on the skin, itching, runny nose without signs of illness, it is worth removing these fruits from the children's menu for 1-2 months. After this time, you can try again to treat the baby with a berry. If the allergy manifests itself again, the introduction of cherries on the child’s menu is recommended to be postponed until the baby is three years old.
Educational video about cherries - how to choose it, how to store it and how to eat it. Clipping from the program “Live Healthy”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AE02ejHBoU
I first gave my son a taste of cherry berries when he was about a year old. Diathesis began on the cheeks and under the knees. I had to exclude. They tried the next year - everything was already in order. Overgrown, apparently.
I started giving cherry to my son when she ripened in our garden. The child was then 1.2 years old. Prior to that, she had given neither juice nor purees with cherries. Now he eats both fresh and baby purees.
My daughter quietly drank cherry juice, but refuses from berries (fresh, jam, pies or dumplings) - it is not tasty. It's a pity - my uncle has 3 trees on the plot, good crops, he always shared with us, but to each his own.