5 Super Foods For Your Baby’s Health Suggested By R for Rabbit
As your baby turns 6 months old, the introduction of solid foods becomes your priority since it is time for the little one to get acclimatized to regular food and nutrition. However, this transition gets complicated as you will get advice from everyone around, and if you have not analyzed baby food nutrition yet, you will certainly end up being perplexed about which item is the best for the munchkin and when the right time to incorporate it into the diet is.
Proper food selection and appropriate nutrition have a vital role to play in a baby's physical and cognitive development. Hence, you need to be very selective about your choices and make decisions only after detailed study and consultation with a health specialist.
The solid food will provide protein, minerals, vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, and all other crucial nutrients that your tot's body demands in this growth phase.
While you may think that feeding all kinds of everyday food items is the right approach, we would like you to know that there are particular superfoods that you should prefer feeding your toddler, as these render wholesome nourishment and are rich in all necessary nutrients.
Top Superfoods for Babies that you Must Introduce into their Diet
Today, we will be discussing the top superfoods for babies that you should consider introducing into the diet. These recommendations have been shared by a nutritionist, Rashi Mishra, who has expertise in baby foods, and hence, you should not have any doubts and just start away with these foods if you have not yet.
1. Unpolished Raw Rice
Rice is absolutely a staple Indian food that tops the list of first foods that mommies wish to feed their infants. However, the reality is that unrefined rice is a more suitable alternative than white rice as it has higher values of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
If you are not familiar with unpolished rice, it is also popular as brown rice since the grains have the hulls untouched, and the rice does not undergo milling to extract the outermost coating, which is believed to be loaded with nutrients. Hence, if you are intending to feed rice to your kiddo, go for the unpolished brown rice.
Benefits and how to feed: Apart from the nutrients, rice benefits your baby's digestion and keeps such issues at bay, leading to adequate growth and development. Also, it is rich in vitamin B-complex and fulfills the baby's energy requirements in smaller portions. You can cook the rice by first soaking it for a few hours and then boiling it well.
Mash it properly if you have just started with the solid foods so that the little one does not face any problem in swallowing it, as he is still learning to chew properly. As he gets acquainted with chewing, you can start feeding rice by mixing it with dals and curries of your choice.
2. Broccoli
Not a traditional Indian food, broccoli has recently become popular and people are loving it for the health benefits it brings along. You can start using broccoli from your child's initial eating days, as it is the best food for baby-led weaning. Your child will get vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, folate, calcium, and antioxidants when you feed him broccoli.
Benefits and how to feed: Broccoli boosts your child's immunity and overall health. Vitamin A, along with B-complex vitamins, play a crucial role in eyesight development. Since it is a rich source of iron, it also supports haemoglobin production, which is supposed to transport oxygen via blood cells. Thus, your child will never be anaemic if you feed them this superfood.
The best way of feeding broccoli to your little one is by adding it to a soup with other veggies, making it a wholesome meal. Also, if you are teaching the child self-eating and food exploration, just boil the vegetable well and offer it to him as finger food, which he can hold on to easily and try putting in his mouth.
3. Sweet Potatoes
One of the most popular first foods for infants, sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of nutrients and we highly recommend it to every mommy who is very confused and reluctant to feed new foods. It is easy to prepare in different forms according to your child's preferences and is easily digested.
Proteins, vitamin A, carbohydrates, omega 6, and fiber are present in the vegetable, making it an ideal superfood.
Benefits and how to feed: The high water and fiber content keeps your child's digestive system and gut healthy and ensures that he is away from constipation and acidity. It has a vital role in a baby's eyesight development due to the presence of beta-carotene.
If you start feeding sweet potatoes to your child, you will notice that his body readily fights away cold and flu infections. Experts suggest that mommies whose babies are underweight can get excellent results by feeding sweet potatoes in the diet on a regular basis, along with stronger bones.
You can make various recipes with this vegetable, like if your child has just turned 6 months old, make puree for proper feeding. As he grows, you can either mash it or cut it into small cubes and serve it steamed or boiled.
4. Banana
Health experts highly recommend feeding bananas to babies since it is rich in micronutrients like potassium and magnesium. The presence of calcium and vitamins makes it the best superfood. You can start feeding this fruit as soon as your child turns 6 months.
Your baby's energy levels tend to be higher, which means that he will stay active and be involved in different activities happily.
Benefits and how to feed: The fiber content in bananas is high, so your child stays full for a long, and the fruit also aids in motion.
If you feed one banana every day to your child, he will gain weight and also strengthen the bones. The folate supports brain development, and hence, this fruit is one of the best food options to choose from.
5. Yogurt
This one is for mommies who wish to incorporate dairy in any form in the baby's diet plan. You can start with yogurt as the first food and can easily prepare it at home, ensuring that you get the best nutritional value to support your baby's growth and development.
Yogurt serves as a source of calcium and probiotics, which boosts overall health, making it a great food choice for mothers whose children have gut issues.
Benefits and how to feed: Apart from the popular benefits like strengthening bones, treating gastric issues, and promoting gut health, there are some benefits that most mommies aren't aware of. Yogurt contains lactic acid that boosts immunity and eliminates bacteria that can cause dysentery, diarrhoea, etc.
If your baby has trouble sleeping, you should feed yogurt regularly to induce sleep. Yogurt also works wonders if your child is suffering from UTI, as good bacteria cure the infection. The food is also believed to give excellent results in jaundice and liver ailments.
We recommend you feed plain yogurt to your baby as it is the best way, or you can blend your tot's favorite fruits with it and serve a yummy drink.
Recommendations from R for Rabbit
We have listed the foods along with a detailed description of each of them to help you understand why nutritionists like Rashi Mishra have been promoting superfoods that every mom should consider.
Even though all the foods listed above are safe for kids, we recommend that you consult your pediatrician, discuss the options, and continue feeding them only when the body accepts them well. Whenever you introduce a new food, you should follow the three-day rule wherein you feed the item for three consecutive days and see if the body shows any adverse effects.
Remember that every infant is distinctive, and one food that a baby enjoys and benefits from may not be the same for others. For example, yogurt is absolutely a fantastic food item, but for kids with lactose intolerance, it will have adverse outcomes, and if you keep feeding yogurt to such children, it will do more harm than good.
Hence, be sure that the food suits your child well and continue feeding only once you are confident. In case any issue arises after feeding a new food item, connect with your child's pediatrician and discuss the problem, and he will guide you with an alternate food to make a wholesome meal.
Also Read: Foods that will boost child’s immunity
Key Takeaways
If you wish to gather more information about baby feeding habits, different nutritious baby foods, and care essentials, do check the R for Rabbit website, as there are detailed blogs on different topics every mum would love to know and follow.
There are several natural foods that your child can relish and get excellent health benefits from, so choose them carefully and nurture a healthy and happy kid.
