Can Babies Eat Coconut Foods?

Medical Video: If You Are pregnant, This is What Will Happened if you Eat Coconut Foods!

Various types of Indonesian specialties made from coconut milk. So, do not be surprised if your daily food at home contains a lot of coconut milk. But if your baby is still a baby, you should not carelessly provide coconut milk first. Here is the reason and full explanation.

Can babies eat coconut milk?

As long as babies still get breast milk (ASI) exclusively, your baby should not be given other food besides breast milk. Including coconut milk. Because the coconut milk can not replace the nutrients contained in breast milk.

While as long as the baby is still weaning, you are also not recommended to use coconut milk in complementary foods for baby breast milk. You better introduce other food sources that are richer in nutrition than coconut milk. For example fresh vegetables and fruits.

Coconut milk itself has saturated fat which can help baby's growth. However, when compared to other foods such as breast milk or cow's milk, coconut milk is very low in protein and calcium. These two nutrients are needed by your baby.

In addition, coconut milk is very high in calories so the baby will be full quickly. In fact, nutritional needs may not be fulfilled. For these reasons, avoid giving coconut milk to your baby.

When can babies eat coconut milk?

Babies may start eating coconut milk after they have been released from breast milk altogether. Usually this means when the baby is over twelve months old. Babies at this age can eat with the same menu as you and your family.

Don't give too much coconut milk

You can introduce coconut milk slowly. Remember, eating too much is no good for the baby. Coconut milk which is high in saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels in the blood and make babies susceptible to heart disease.

When compared to a cup of cow's milk, coconut milk contains about ten times more fat. A cup of cow's milk contains 8 grams of fat while a cup of coconut milk contains 57 grams of fat.

Therefore, even if you can introduce coconut milk to your baby, make sure that your nutritional needs are still balanced and healthy. Do not let the baby eat too much coconut milk and so do not want to try other types of food.

Coconut milk for babies

Your baby may not be able to eat coconut milk directly with sharp flavors such as pumpkin and curry. So, you can introduce lighter and more delicious foods on the baby's tongue. Consider the following examples of coconut milk for babies.