At what age can sea cabbage be given to children?

Sea kale is known for its beneficial elemental composition, so it is recommended to regularly include it in the diet of an adult. First of all, it is valued for its high content of iodine, so doctors advise it to prevent thyroid disease. But is it possible to give such a product to children, how to correctly acquaint a child with sea kale and what to prepare from it?

Seaweed, also called kelp, is a brown seaweed.

Include it in the diet of the whole family is for such reasons:

• Laminaria is rich in vitamins D, C and A, as well as group B. It is a source of fructose, proteins, polysaccharides, pantothenic and folic acids.
• Sea kale contains a significant amount of iodine, manganese, sulfur, nitrogen, cobalt and other trace elements that are valuable for the health of a child.
• Allergy to seaweed is extremely rare.
• Laminaria will be beneficial if it is included in the menu of a child with anemia, obesity, constipation, developmental delays and many other health problems.

• Regular consumption of this type of algae has a positive effect on metabolic processes and immunity, as well as on the functioning of the nervous system and the functioning of the digestive tract.
• Sea kale is low-calorie, so it will help to diversify the diet, if necessary, to adhere to restrictive diets.
• The use of seaweed promotes the excretion of radioactive substances and heavy metals from the body.

• If a child has iodine intolerance, sea kale is contraindicated.
• Some children are protesting against kelp because they don’t like its appearance or smell.
• Too early the introduction of such a product in the children's menu threatens digestive disorders.
• Very frequent use of seaweed or a large portion eaten can cause diarrhea.

Doctors do not recommend including sea kale in the diet of children under 2 years. Many pediatricians even recommend waiting with this product until the age of three. This is due to the immaturity of the digestive tract of babies of the first years of life and the absence or very small amount of enzymes that help digest kelp.

For this reason, hurry to get acquainted with the brown algae is not worth it. For the first time you can try sea kale not earlier than 1.5 years and only on condition that your child has no diseases.

Both dried and frozen sea kale can be offered to a child. Both of these types of kelp do not harm the children's body, unlike canned food and ready-made salads, in which there are preservatives, a lot of salt, vinegar and other additives. In addition, algae placed in a jar with marinade do not undergo proper heat treatment, therefore they can be a dangerous source of bacteria.

For the first test, just a few grams of sea kale is enough. The product should be offered during breakfast to see how the organism of a daughter or son suffered kelp during the day.If there are no problems, you can gradually increase the amount of algae, giving the child a maximum of 50 grams of this product per day no more than 2 times a week. For most children, it’s enough to offer it once a week for 30-40

How to make a salad with sea kale, see the following video.

Laminaria can be eaten alone or added to various dishes, such as omelets, soups or salads.

Many children like this recipe for seaweed salad:

1. Boil 100 g of kelp, squeeze it and chop.
2. Take half a boiled egg and finely chop.
3. Combine chopped seaweed, egg and about 10 g of green onions.
4. Optionally, you can also add diced boiled vegetables (carrots, potatoes).
5. Mix the ingredients, season the salad with vegetable oil or sour cream.