At what age can you give the child an orange and juice from it?

Among all the fruits that we call exotic, citrus fruits take the place of the most beloved and widespread fruits. Therefore, it is not surprising that the child gets acquainted with oranges, lemons, tangerines and other citrus fruits at an early age. When it is possible to offer a crumb to an orange, how can this fruit be dangerous for a baby and in what form should it be given to small children?

In addition to the pleasant taste and alluring aroma, orange has such useful properties:

• Fruits are rich in glucose, fructose, vitamin C and other beneficial compounds. It is known that fresh orange contains more magnesium and potassium than there is in any other citrus. There are a lot of phytoncides and citric acid in such fruits. Eating oranges regularly can strengthen the immune system, normalize the work of the heart and liver.
• The high content of fiber in fresh orange fruits and pectin in the juice of oranges helps cleanse the intestines from harmful substances and improve digestion. Eating oranges, you prevent constipation and indigestion, increase appetite.
• Drinking orange juice helps to keep calcium in the children's body, which supports the health of the skeletal system.

• Orange is considered to be quite a strong allergen.
• This citrus and juice from its pulp should not be used for diseases of the stomach, in which the acidity is increased.
• Due to the presence of acids, an orange can adversely affect tooth enamel.

Oranges should not be given to children with:

• Citrus intolerance.
• Peptic ulcer disease.
• Pancreatitis.
• Gastritis.
• Diabetes mellitus

Orange peel is not advised to give up to 6 years of age, because in it when the fruit ripens, harmful compounds can accumulate.

In the absence of a tendency to allergies and contraindications to the use of citrus orange can be given to babies from 9 months of age.

On citrus fruits, which include oranges, an allergic reaction is not uncommon. After consuming even a small amount of such fruit, a child may develop a rash, swelling and redness of the skin, swelling of the eyelids, respiratory disorders, bowel disorder.

Allergy can be caused not only by the active substances contained in the orange fruit, but also by the chemical means with which these citrus fruits are processed for longer storage.

Offer the kid a fresh orange, giving the crumbs a start for a small part of one orange slice. In the absence of a negative reaction, you can continue the acquaintance of the baby with such citrus. Each time you add to the portion of the child in half slices.

The best choice for a child's diet will be making fresh juice from oranges with your own hands. It is important to remember that such juice must be diluted with water 1k 1. For a change, orange juice is often combined with the juices of other fruits or vegetables, for example, with carrot or apple juice.

Kids older than one year can make a healthy and delicious dessert, for which you should take two oranges and peel them, and then cut them into small pieces. Also for dessert, you need carrots (take two medium carrots, peel and chop on a grater), raisins (50 grams) and sour cream (about 150-200 grams). Mix the grated carrots and sliced ​​oranges, add the raisins and sour cream, then mix everything. If desired, add a little sugar and lemon juice.

For adult children you can make homemade orange marmalade, the recipe of which you can see in the video of the channel “Our recipes”.

• You can easily determine a ripe and tasty orange by its weight (the fruit will be quite heavy), density (citrus should be strong) and pleasant aroma.
• If the orange has a thick skin, it is not at all connected with its sweetness. Thin-skinned fruits are also very sweet. At the same time, it is easier and more convenient to clean a fruit with a thicker skin for a child.
• It is not possible to judge by the color of the orange peel how tasty and high-quality it is. Even outwardly greenish fruits can have ripe juicy flesh. It is better to focus on the smell and weight of such citrus.