From what age do dates are given to children?

Dried fruits are useful foods that many adults like. But when it comes to baby food, many mothers doubt whether it is possible to give dried fruit at an early age. In particular, a lot of questions cause dates. Are they beneficial for children, are they acceptable in the diet and how to offer them to babies?

• They contain a lot of fructose and dextrose. When these simple sugars enter the children's body, they become a source of energy and strength for the child.
• They also act as a source of many nutrients involved in the development of the child’s body and supporting health. Among them are folic acid, vitamins B1, B6, B3, K, beta-carotene, zinc, lutein and many other compounds.
• Due to the relatively high content of magnesium and calcium, the use of dates has a positive effect on the formation and maintenance of healthy bones.
• Presence in the composition vitamin a makes this kind of dried fruit useful for children's sight.
• Like dried apricots, dates are the source of potassium saltstherefore, they affect the growth and development of the brain of the child, and are also good for the heart.
• Because they have ironSuch a product will be the prevention of anemia.
• Proved that they have a beneficial effect on the children's intestines. They help to get rid of parasites and stimulate the growth of normal bacterial flora, preventing the development of dysbiosis.

• Including them in the child’s menu with peptic ulcer or acid reflux helps to get rid of such pathologies.
• Due to the high content of dietary fiber, they can help with constipation. Their use improves intestinal motility and increases water absorption.
• Date puree is used for dysentery, as a means of preventing the spread of the pathogen in the intestine.
• Their chewing massages the gums and stimulates teething.
• Their use after ARVI helps to strengthen the body and recuperate faster.. During a viral infection, you can give milk with cough dates.
• Pretty high nutritional value allows you to include such a product in the diet of little kids and underweight.

For other useful properties, see the video:

• Dates sold in stores are often treated with various harmful compounds.preventing their damage. Because of them, the child may be allergic.
• Since their structure is rather sticky, such sweetness remains on the teeth for a long time, which provokes the development of caries. For this reason, dates should drink water, and after their use, it is desirable to clean the teeth.
• In the immature fruits of many tanninsthat can cause intestinal upset in a child.
• Their use in excess may contribute to weight gain.
• Due to the high content of simple sugars they should be excluded from the menu for diabetes.
• The use of such dried fruits not recommended for chronic pathologies of the digestive tract.

The inclusion of dates in the children's diet is recommended at a time when the baby has already begun to try semi-solid and solid food. The optimal age period for exploring such dried fruits is 1-1.5 years. Give their one-year-old child advised in the form of mashed potatoes or compote. If the crumbs have a tendency to allergies, the introduction to its menu of any dried fruits should be postponed until two years or later.

Only soft dates can be included in the diet of children of the first years of life.. You should not buy an overly dehydrated product, because it will be difficult to make mashed potatoes out of it, and it will be difficult for a child to chew it whole. The surface of a quality product should be matte.

It is advisable to buy for the child dates without seeds. If you bought a product with stones, then before offering them to children, the seeds should certainly be removed. If this is not done and a child has swallowed a bone; it is necessary to monitor its condition and consult a doctor with any warning signs.

Begin acquaintance with dates should be a small amount of puree of such dried fruits. Having offered the baby a small portion (half a teaspoon) in the morning feeding, then watch the reaction to a new dish. In the form of mashed potatoes, they continue to be given until at least 10 teeth appear, when the baby can chew on the dense, dense pulp on her own. From this point on, dates can be offered in pieces the size of raisin.

Boiling dates for the child is not advised, because it will destroy many useful nutrients in their composition. Thoroughly rinse a few things, they are stoned and sent to the steamer for a while. When the fruits are soft, they should be crushed with a blender or mash with a fork. The shelf life of such mashed potatoes is small, so cook the product only for one portion.

These dried fruits can be included in the diet of a one-year-old child and in the form of compote. When cooking, some of the valuable substances volatilize, but many of them remain.

For compote, take 1.5 liters of water and 100 g of dates. Bring the water to a boil, dip the carefully rinsed dates into it, wait for the boil and simmer the dried fruits on low heat for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave the drink to infuse for 3-4 hours. Filter before serving compote.

In order to strengthen the body after viral infections and other diseases, you can give a 2-year-old child a date syrup. To prepare such a tool to increase the body's defenses, you need to take water and 500 g of dates. After removing the seeds and finely chopping the dried fruits, they are poured with a small amount of water so that the liquid only slightly covers the crushed raw materials.

The mass is brought to a boil and continue to boil over medium heat until a thick consistency is obtained. When the syrup has cooled, it is poured into a clean jar and tightly closed. Giving such a tool is recommended for a teaspoon in between meals.

For more information about the properties, see the program "Live Healthy".