Contents:
- Medical Video: Why Salt, Sugar & Honey Should Not Be Given To Babies Before 1 Year?
- The first solid baby food determines its eating habits to adulthood
- No need for baby food plus salt
- So, when can you use salt in baby food?
- Be careful with the 'hidden' salt in food
Medical Video: Why Salt, Sugar & Honey Should Not Be Given To Babies Before 1 Year?
Foods that taste salty savory do taste better. No wonder food for children and adults often uses salt. Then what about babies? Most baby solids taste tasteless. Is it allowed for baby food plus salt? When can a baby eat salty food? Find out all the answers below.
The first solid baby food determines its eating habits to adulthood
Once the child is 6 months old, you can start introducing it with complementary foods. Allow your little one to try and explore a variety of new foods. The more he is accustomed to a variety of foods, he does not grow up to be a picky individual.
However, taste problems also need attention. Besides adjusting to various food textures, your little one also tries to get to know the different types of flavors from his first meal. Therefore, you should avoid adding salt or flavorings to baby solid foods. Because, he will become accustomed to savory food. As a result when given vegetables that tend to be bland or sweet fruit, chances are your baby will reject it.
This shows that taste recognition in infants is very easy to form. If from the beginning the child eats a lot of salt, then even adults will continue to love salty foods high in salt.
This theory is proven by sa study published in the American Journal of Clicinal Nutrition. The study reported that infants who, from the age of 6 months, had been given high-carbohydrate solid foods tended to prefer the tasty chicken soup instead of fresh water, when it was large. Meanwhile, babies who have not been introduced to savory solids still resist salty taste.
No need for baby food plus salt
In fact, adding salt to baby food is actually not needed. Children have actually known saltiness since he was born, because breast milk has natural salt content. So, there's no need to worry about introducing this flavor to the MPASI menu.
Although the taste of the food is bland, it will actually be dangerous if baby food is added with salt. Because the baby's kidneys have not been able to process excess salt.
So, when can you use salt in baby food?
It's okay to start introducing a little salt for baby food. Reported by Tempo, according to Damayanti Rusli Sjarif, a nutrition specialist pediatrician and metabolic disease, the addition of salt can be a strategy to provoke a child's appetite. Because, some children do not like to eat because of the taste of tasteless food.
However, you need to be careful in measuring the amount. Babies only need less than 1 gram of salt every day until they are 12 months old. Still, the best step for you is to actually delay introducing salt to your little oneuntil he turns 1-2 years old.Even at around 1-3 years old, children only need 2 grams of salt.
Be careful with the 'hidden' salt in food
If you do not add salt to children's food, check and check every type of food you provide. Because, some "processed foods" contain hidden salts that are often deceptive.
Take for example fried potatoes, bread, biscuits, soup, chips or some other type of cereal. A number of these foods are classified as foods that contain high sodium.Therefore, don't forget to read the packaging label of the food you buy, yes!
