Babies and children often pay attention to and imitate what their parents eat. Then, what if you like spicy food? Can your little one be introduced to this food from an early age or is there an age limit? Come on, find out the answer here.
Can Babies and Children Eat Spicy Foods? - There are food that's rich in spices, such as chili, pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and various other spices. Apart from being a flavor enhancer in food, spices are also beneficial for health, such as ginger which is believed to reduce dizziness, cramps during menstruation, and nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Although beneficial for health, various spices can leave a spicy taste in the mouth. Adults may be used to eating spicy food, but at what age should spicy and spicy foods be introduced to your little one?
The Right Time to Introduce Spicy Food to Children
When Mother eats spicy or spiced food while breastfeeding, in fact the Little One also feels the taste of the food through the breast milk he drinks. However, giving spicy food directly to the baby needs to be reconsidered. To be safer, Mothers should start introducing your little one to spicy food when he has entered the following ages:
8 or 12 months old
Mothers are advised to wait until the child is 8 or 12 months old, if you want to introduce spicy flavors directly. This is done to reduce the risk of digestive disorders or allergies that your little one may experience. To introduce a spicy taste, you can start adding a little spice with a mild spicy taste to your food, such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
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18 months old
After your child is 18 months old and is used to spicy foods that have a slightly spicy taste, you can introduce other spices with a stronger spicy taste, such as black pepper or chili, in small amounts. However, Mothers should be careful when giving fresh or powdered chilies to your little one, because maybe he will feel spicy and have an impact on his health condition.
How to Introduce Spicy Food to Your Little One
To introduce a spicy and spicy taste, you are advised to do it gradually. First of all, put one type of spice into your little one's diet in small amounts. Wait about 1 week before introducing a new spice or spicy food. This is done to see if your little one likes the taste and aroma of the food, as well as monitor the possibility of an allergic reaction after consuming the given spice or spicy food. Mothers can add spices to their baby's food in the following ways:
- Grate a little ginger or a clove of galangal, garlic, then add it to your little one's food
- Adding turmeric powder, cumin, and coriander to soupy dishes
- Adding ground nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom to sweet foods, such as pudding or oatmeal
- Putting mint leaves or coriander leaves as a decoration on your little one's menu
Adding spices, such as cinnamon, to your little one's diet is a natural way to introduce them to a variety of food flavors without having to add sugar and salt.
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Excessive intake of sugar and salt in infants or children under the age of 1 year can make their kidneys work too hard and can cause health problems when they grow up. The decision to give spicy food to children is choice of each parent. However, if you are in doubt whether giving spicy food is safe for your little one, you can first consult with your pediatrician.
Can Babies and Children Eat Spicy Foods?
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