At what age can you give eggs to a child?

The egg is a valuable baby food product, so it is included in the diet of babies from an early age. But, when it comes time to enter it in the children's menu, parents begin to doubt at what age and how many offer eggs to the crumbs, how to prepare them correctly and how they can be dangerous for small children. In addition, they wonder if it would be better to give quail eggs to quail, and not to chicken. Let's analyze such questions in more detail.

• Eggs give animal body proteins to a child's body with a complete amino acid composition. They are important for building tissue in a growing baby.
• Egg yolks are a valuable source of vitamins that are fat soluble. Without their sufficient income, the growth of the child’s body and the work of the various systems of the baby’s body are disturbed.
• Also, the yolk is noted for a rich mineral composition, thanks to which the health of the baby’s skin, its immunity and the function of the nervous system are maintained.
• They are classified as dietary and low-calorie foods, so they are included in the diet of children of any body weight, and can also be consumed at any time of the day.

Previously, an egg was considered a harmful product due to the presence of cholesterol in its composition. They were called culprits of cardiovascular diseases, claiming that their consumption increases the level of cholesterol, which clogs the blood vessels.

Eggs (especially chicken) often cause an allergic reaction associated with the presence of animal proteins in their composition, which are highly allergenic. There is an opinion that quail egg is non-allergenic and can be used by children safely, however, there are cases of allergic reactions to this type of eggs.

Since the highest allergenicity is characterized by white molecules and their content in squirrel eggs much more than in the yolk, then egg white often causes allergic reactions. At the same time, the baby’s immune system can also react negatively to the yolks, although much less frequently. In addition, during the preparation of fully separate egg yolk and white is very difficult, therefore, in the presence of allergy, separate use of yolks is also not recommended.

An egg can cause Salmonella contamination, especially if it is homemade and has not undergone proper heat treatment. To prevent the development of salmonellosis, the child should not be given the egg of any bird raw. Heat treatment should last at least 5-10 minutes, so giving a soft-boiled egg to children is also not recommended.

Chicken eggs are considered the most optimal for feeding a child, given its nutritional value and cost. The benefits of quail eggs are slightly higher, but the cost of such a product is more than chicken eggs. For example, a quail egg has a higher content of minerals, vitamins B1, A and B2, as well as essential amino acids. You can verify this from this table:

In general, there is no fundamental difference in the benefits of chicken and quail eggs. Look about it in the video of Dr. Komarovsky.

Children should not be given turkey eggs, because they have a less useful composition, and cholesterol is contained more than in chicken and quail eggs. It is also not recommended to cook duck or goose eggs for children. The reason is that they are more allergenic and contain more fat. Moreover, the risk of catching salmonellosis from such eggs is much higher than from chicken eggs.

Babies are introduced to eggs from 7-9 months of age. First, the crumbs give a try a grain of boiled yolk. This happens at 9 months for babies who are breastfed or 1-2 months earlier for toddlers who are fed with a mixture.

The amount of yolk is gradually increased to a quarter, and then to half a day. It is usually kneaded and added to vegetable dishes or porridge. From the beginning of the year, they begin to give the baby eggs with protein. This allows you to replenish the menu for karapuz steam omelette, different types of soufflé, casseroles.

The rates of consumption of eggs for babies depend on the type of egg and the age of the baby:

Eggs for babies are not only hard-boiled, but also added to various dishes, as well as used to make souffles and omelets. Older children are cooked scrambled eggs, adding cheese, ham, tomatoes and other vegetables to it. In the children's menu, it can also be an ingredient in a salad, sandwich, cold soup, or baking.

Boil a chicken egg should be about 8-10 minutes, quail - about 2-3 minutes. If cooking is less lasting, the risk of salmonellosis infection from such a dish will be higher than from boiled eggs. But you should also not allow very long heat treatment, as this may affect the appearance and quality of the product.

• Wash eggs thoroughly before cooking or cooking any food.
• Having prepared a boiled egg for a crumbs for the first time, the baby should be given a very small crumb of a product, the size of a match head.
• It is best to add such a small amount of boiled yolk to the porridge, which the baby will eat in the morning, in order to note in the evening whether a negative reaction has appeared to the new product.
• Remember that the yolk should not be offered for the first time if the child is sick or has recently tried some other unfamiliar product.

Remember that shell color and size are not related to the nutritional value and quality of the product. It is much more important to pay attention to the freshness and integrity of the eggs. Do not buy eggs that have cracks or chipping. You should also be wary of very clean eggs - if they have been washed before selling, then they remove the protective film from their surface, as a result of which they will deteriorate faster.

Try to get them in the checked places where you can be convinced of quality and freshness of a product. At home, you can check whether the egg is fresh in front of you by dipping it in a saucepan with cool water. A substandard product will remain floating, and a fresh one will sink to the bottom.