With how many months can you give mashed potatoes to a child?

Potato dishes are popular with most children, so mothers who have started introducing complementary foods are always interested in knowing when to make mashed potatoes for babies and how to give them to your baby.

Potatoes have a positive effect on the digestive as well as the cardiovascular system. This vegetable contains a lot of potassium, iron, iodine, phosphorus and other elements, as well as organic acids, antioxidants and vitamins.

Another plus of potato dishes is a pleasant taste that children like.

On the benefits of potatoes for children and adults, see the program "To live healthy." You will also learn about the fact that it is worth eating a raw potato, which, unfortunately, is not accepted in our country.

• Potato tubers are rich in starch, which can cause allergies and digestive problems.
• Boiled potatoes have a very high glycemic index.
• If the mother did not pay attention to the green spots on the roots, then there is a risk of poisoning the baby with solanine.

For children who eat only mom's milk, they start giving potatoes from 6 months. The introduction of this vegetable in the diet of artificial children is possible from 5 months, but it is better to postpone the first feeding up to 6 months. Often, familiarity with potatoes occurs after the introduction of zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli in the children's menu. Chopped greens in mashed potatoes can be added from 10 months of age.

The famous pediatrician recommends the introduction of vegetable food in the form of mashed potatoes after the baby gets used to sour-milk dishes and cereals.

For the first time, a child should try mashed potatoes in an amount not exceeding a teaspoon. A baby who has normally responded to such a vegetable dish is next time increased the portion. If the mother noted any negative or alarming signs, familiarity with the potatoes should be postponed.

For baby mashed potatoes it is worth using small tubers that do not have stains and defects. Best of all, if mom can cook dishes from potatoes grown in her garden. If the mother is not sure of the quality of the market or store potatoes, she can get canned food. In this case, it is preferable to single-component product, which is not added salt and cream. As part of the puree, with which the mother decided to introduce the baby, should be only potatoes and water.

Potatoes can be baked, boiled in a double boiler or in boiling water under the lid.Baked or boiled potatoes need to grind to a puree state, then add a little milk to the dish.

A little later, chopped potatoes can be combined with cow's milk. Butter (better vegetable) should also be added to the potato dish.

• Before cooking, potatoes should be soaked in cool water. This will cause the loss of some vitamins, however, it will relieve the vegetable from both nitrates and part of the starch.
• It is best to boil the potato "in uniform", so its nutrients will remain in larger quantities. Brown potatoes can also be steamed. After removing the skin from it, the vegetable is crushed into a slurry and given to the baby.
• It is preferable to chop the potatoes in mashed potatoes manually, because after processing the blender in the dish will be a lot of gluten.
• The child should be given only fresh mashed potatoes, which the mother prepared before feeding.
• Salt the first mashed potatoes that baby tries, not advised.
• Due to the large amount of starch, potato dishes are recommended for small children only 2-3 times a week.