When to start giving beets to a child. Beetroot in breastfeeding

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Beetroot is a very popular vegetable in our latitudes: it is unpretentious, perfectly stored, inexpensive, has a pleasant taste and a lot of useful properties. Beetroot, along with, and, is one of the main vegetables on the adult menu; it is present as the main ingredient in a variety of dishes (firsts, side dishes, salads, appetizers, even in drinks and desserts). But how suitable is beetroot for baby food and when can it be included in a baby's diet?

For children, the following beneficial qualities of beets are of greatest importance:

High content of dietary fiber - insoluble () and pectin. Dietary fiber stimulates intestinal peristalsis (contractions), promotes the growth of beneficial microflora, and therefore prevents constipation and intestinal dysbacteriosis, and eliminates existing stool retention. Due to the predominance of pectin, and not coarse fiber, the use of beets gives a good laxative effect without concomitant flatulence and cramping abdominal pain. An important property of pectin is that it absorbs and removes various toxic substances from the intestines (heavy metal salts, toxic metabolic products, etc.).
There are a lot of vitamins in beets (, vitamin PP), micro and macro elements (, potassium, copper). Thanks to them, the regular use of beets for food is useful for anemia, iodine deficiency, and in general, the most favorable effect on the growing children's body. Moreover, during long-term storage, beet vitamins and minerals are not lost, a significant part of them is preserved even after heat treatment. Therefore, beets are excellent for consumption in the winter-autumn period, when seasonal hypovitaminosis is not uncommon in children.
Beet coloring pigment - betaine - refers to biologically active substances involved in protein metabolism and other important processes.

Beets can be introduced into the baby's diet from 8 months.

Previously, beets were recommended as a vegetable complementary food from 4–5 months of age. But later, the ability of beets to accumulate nitrates contained in the soil was discovered, and in quantities that could cause acute poisoning. In addition, beetroot, as a brightly colored vegetable, is considered a highly allergenic product. Due to these unfavorable properties, nutritionists and pediatricians have recommended limiting the use of beets in infant nutrition or treating its inclusion with extreme caution. For example, it is impossible to find commercially produced canned food for baby food from beetroot alone, although it may be present as one of the ingredients in multicomponent purees, juices and ready meals (borscht, soup, porridge).

In fact, the harmful effects of beets are somewhat exaggerated. They can be completely avoided or minimized if you follow certain rules for introducing it into the diet of babies. So, it is relatively rare for boiled beets (mainly in predisposed children), with about the same frequency as for carrots. Well, nitrates are almost completely eliminated by proper cooking of beets.

The introduction of beets in the diet of infants

Pediatricians advise introducing beets into the baby's menu, starting with boiled vegetable puree. The rules for the introduction of beets correspond to the general rules for the introduction of other complementary foods:

they begin to give it from 1/2 tsp. in a day;
first, beets are included in the morning meals in order to be able to assess the reaction of the child during the day;
the child’s condition is carefully monitored and if the slightest signs of allergy or intolerance to the product appear (loose stools, abdominal pain), beets are temporarily excluded (re-introduction can be tried in 1-2 months);
in the absence of allergies and intolerance to the vegetable, the volume of its initial portion is increased daily by 1/2 tsp, bringing it up to 4–5 tsp. per day (in the absence of beets, it is enough to give 1-2 times a week).

It is more convenient to give beetroot puree not separately, but to mix it with another vegetable already familiar to the baby (potatoes, cabbage, carrots). And you should not get too carried away with beets - excessive amounts of beets can lead to diarrhea in a child.

If the baby has persistent constipation that is difficult to treat, it is possible to introduce beets a little earlier - at 5-6 months - as one of the first vegetable complementary foods after zucchini and carrots (but only after agreement with your pediatrician). Usually, to achieve a laxative effect, a six-month-old baby is recommended to use 1-2 tsp. beetroot puree per day, sometimes doctors advise using 2-3 drops of freshly squeezed beetroot juice, adding it to boiled water.

But for children with a tendency to allergies, especially to food, it is better to postpone acquaintance with beets for up to a year. It is also not recommended to give beets to infants suffering from and frequent diarrhea, in the presence of oxalate salts in the urine.

Beets for kids

Closer to a year, a child can already be offered more dishes based on beets - this is borscht (without frying), children's beetroot, stewed beets and vegetable stews with it, boiled beetroot salads (including vinaigrette), casserole, beetroot fritters. However, it is better to continue to adhere to moderation in the use of this vegetable: the daily amount of beets for a baby under the age of 3 years should be about 50 g, from 4 to 7 years - 100 g.

Beet juice for children

Despite the mass of its useful properties, it is not very suitable for baby food. This is due to the high content of fruit acids in it, which irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and the presence of nitrates (since the juice is not subjected to heat treatment). Definitely do not give your child fresh, undiluted beetroot juice. Fresh beetroot juice is allowed for children with a tendency to constipation, but in small quantities (up to a year - starting with a few drops and up to 3-5 tsp, from a year - up to 1/3 cup) and diluted with boiled water or other juice.

How to reduce the amount of nitrates in beets?

First of all, try to use beets from your garden or buy a vegetable grown in ecologically clean areas. Unfortunately, it is difficult to obtain reliable information about the place and conditions for growing beets, so when buying and preparing beets, be guided by the following recommendations:

Choose medium-sized fruits with maroon flesh, without veins - they have less nitrates.
For a child, it is better to boil beets - most of the nitrates contained in it go into the water. After boiling, immediately drain the water, otherwise nitrates can go back into the root crop.
If you are stewing beets or using a raw grated vegetable for cooking, soak the chopped beets in water at room temperature to eliminate nitrates (3-4 soaks for 5 minutes with a change of water). When stewing, beets do not need to be covered with a lid, because nitrates come out with steam.
If the vegetable was cooked whole, remove the tail and top of the beets - there is a maximum concentration of nitrates.
It is advisable to use beetroot dishes freshly prepared, since during storage nitrates turn into toxic salts (nitrites).

How to boil beetroot?

Beets are cooked for quite a long time - from 40 minutes to one and a half hours, and with such a long heat treatment, a significant part of useful vitamins and minerals is lost. But the time of boiling beets can be reduced if you use simple tricks:

Immerse the beets in boiling water.
Do not add salt to the water in which the beets are boiled - salt makes the vegetable firm and increases the cooking time. Add the already prepared dish.
Cooking a vegetable can be halved by using the contrast cooling method: after boiling the beets for 30 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon or spoon (so as not to pierce the skin) and immerse them in very cold, preferably ice water (you can add ice to the water) for 15 minutes . The temperature contrast brings the beets to readiness, and they become soft even after half an hour of boiling.

Beetroot Recipes for Kids

Puree with beets for babies

Boil the beets. Remove the skin from it, cut into pieces and beat with a blender. Add 1-2 tsp. beetroot puree to carrot or squash.

Boiled beetroot salad

Grate the beets on a coarse grater, season with salt, finely chopped dill and vegetable oil.

Salad with beets, nuts and prunes

Ingredients:

beets - 1 pc. (medium);
walnuts peeled - 1/3 cup;
pitted prunes - 1/2 cup;
cream or sour cream - 2-3 tbsp. l.

Rinse the prunes and pour boiling water for 10 minutes, then cut them into strips. Boil the beets and grate on a fine grater, mix with prunes. Finely chop the walnuts with a knife (not finely), add to the salad. Top with sour cream or cream.

Beetroot for children

Ingredients:

beets - 1 pc.;
potatoes (medium) - 2 pcs.;
water - 0.5 l (for beetroot) + for boiling beets;
greens (dill, parsley);
chicken egg - 1 pc.;
salt;
sour cream.

Boil the beets, peel and grate on a coarse grater. Peel potatoes, cut into cubes and boil in salted water. When it is ready, add the grated beets and boil for a couple more minutes after boiling. Season the beetroot with chopped boiled egg, herbs and sour cream.

Interesting medical facts about beets are told by the program "About the most important thing":

Table beets are useful for a child from an early age. It saturates the body with essential vitamins and minerals, promotes the development of tissues of internal organs, cleanses the intestines. But due to the high content of active substances, it is recommended to include it in the diet of babies after other types of vegetables.

Useful and harmful properties

The red root crop contains a lot of fiber, providing a pronounced laxative effect. Its use quickly relieves constipation. The pulp and juice of beets contain organic acids, iron, potassium, magnesium, iodine, B vitamins, ascorbic acid. This vegetable stimulates the liver, protects it from the effects of toxins.

Beetroot normalizes the functions of the endocrine system, maintains a high level of hemoglobin, strengthens the vascular walls and raises the immune system, binds dangerous metabolites and removes them from the body.

Regular consumption of beets helps to establish a restful night's sleep, reduces nervous excitability, and accelerates overall growth.

Root vegetables contain several times more sugar than other vegetables. For this reason, it should not be eaten with carbohydrate metabolism disorders or diabetes. Beets are contraindicated for children suffering from frequent stool disorders, inflammatory diseases of the stomach, intestines and kidneys.

Intolerance to this fetus is rare. But in babies prone to food allergies, a negative reaction is likely. Its possible manifestations: red spots on the skin, rash, lacrimation, swelling of the mucous membranes, colic. Signs may appear within 2–24 hours after consumption.

When to introduce the fetus to complementary foods

Beets are allowed for children from the first year of life.

The exact time of introduction into the diet depends on the type of feeding and the state of the digestive system. Babies with a “lazy” stomach and frequent constipation are advised by pediatricians to give a little root crop from 6 months. If there are no such problems, they begin to feed the child after they get acquainted with cabbage, potatoes, from 8–9 months. But only in boiled form. Raw fruits can be consumed no earlier than 3 years. They have a rather rough structure, unsuitable for children's digestion.

It is preferable to give homogeneous boiled puree or beet juice to children under 1 year old. When the kids learn to chew, the vegetable can be grated, chopped, cut into small pieces.

The first serving is about ⅓ tsp. juice or beetroot mass in the form of heat. It is advisable to give a vegetable in the morning, separately from other dishes.
In the future, the volume of the product is doubled, then tripled, gradually increasing to 40–50 g.
It is recommended to feed beets to babies under 2 years old no more than 2 times a week.
Older children are allowed to eat up to 100 g of the root once.

You should not consume more than 150 g of beets at a time at any age, otherwise diarrhea can be provoked.

Whether it is possible for children to have beets lying on the counter of the store depends on its variety and appearance. Toddlers should choose strong fruits no larger than an adult fist, in the shape of a turnip. A fresh vegetable is firm to the touch, without stains and moldy smell. The flesh on the cut of a quality beet is juicy, dark red, without white fibers.

Beets for children: recipes

Due to the sweet taste and juiciness, you can combine the root vegetable with most types of vegetables, some fruits, cereals from, corn. It is recommended to cook a variety of dishes from beets for children: soups, side dishes for meat, casseroles, salads, stews, desserts.

Boiled or raw fruit juice can be given mixed with apple, cucumber, or as a vitamin drink.

Boiled beets for children

You can cook it in a double boiler, slow cooker or a regular saucepan with a lid. The fruits are pre-washed with a brush, carefully removing dirt. The tops and tails are cut off. Cooking beets is more useful whole in the skin. So she loses less juice and vitamins. Salt and sugar are not added.

Vegetables are poured with water, brought to a boil and simmered over low heat under a lid for about 1 hour. Readiness is checked with a knife blade or fork.

Cool the beets in a bowl of cold water for 15–20 minutes, then peel them. To puree a child, it can be crushed with a blender, adding a little vegetable oil or cream.

Beet salad for children

For cooking you will need:

boiled beets - 100 g;
large apple - 100 g;
prunes - 2 pcs.;
raisins - 1 tbsp. l;
yogurt - 2 tbsp. l.

Dried fruits pour boiling water for 15 minutes to swell. Chop beets, mix with grated apple. Finely chop the soaked prunes, add to the mass, put the prepared raisins there. Fill the dish with yogurt.

Beet cutlets

For 200 g of boiled beets, 1 tbsp is required. l. butter, 2 tsp. semolina.

Grind the vegetable, add melted butter and semolina. Leave the mass for half an hour to swell.
Form small cutlets, roll in breadcrumbs.
Fry lightly on each side in vegetable oil.

These cutlets can be served with yogurt or sour cream sauce.

Partner news

"When can I give my child beets?" is one of the most common questions moms ask. The root crop is rich in useful substances, but if it is incorrectly introduced into the diet, it can harm a fragile body.

Before learning about age, let's talk about the vegetable itself. And then - about the rules of introduction.

Benefit and harm

The composition of beets contains a lot of useful and necessary for the child.

The high fiber content (4 g per 100 g of vegetable) contributes to the normalization of stool (when grated, it can act as a mild laxative for constipation) and increase appetite.
For the full development of children, vitamins A, E, C, K, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, which are contained in beets, are necessary.
Antioxidants reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and strengthen the immune system.
A large amount of iron (1.4 mg) has a positive effect on brain function and stimulation of the production of red blood cells. It is also an effective prophylactic against iron deficiency anemia.
One of the rare vitamins U not only normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and stomach, but also helps to cope with allergic reactions.

Did you know that there is a little less iodine in beets than in seaweed?

One of the unique properties is that useful substances are practically not destroyed during heat treatment and long-term storage.

But the root crop has not only useful properties. It can also have a harmful effect on the wrong introduction into the diet.

Poisoning. Because of the ability to accumulate nitrates from the soil.
Acts as an allergen. Feeding should be done very carefully.
Excessive consumption can cause diarrhea.

When can you introduce beets to complementary foods for a child

To avoid the negative effects of the root crop, you must strictly follow the pediatrician's recommendations for introducing it into complementary foods. Doctors recommend doing this after 8 months, and for children with allergic diseases - after a year. Previously, the age was somewhat lower - from 4-5 months. The discovered ability to accumulate nitrates led to an increase in the age threshold. In addition, as a brightly colored product, it will fall into the group of highly allergenic.

It is worth saying that negative properties can be leveled if you choose the right vegetable, cook it and enter it on the menu.

Boiled rarely causes allergies. Buying an environmentally friendly product reduces the likelihood of nitrate poisoning. They can be eliminated if properly prepared.

By boiling, you get rid of nitrates that go into the water, which must be drained immediately after removing from heat. When stewing or using for cooking fresh, pre-soak the pieces (3-4 times for 5 minutes, each time draining the water). If you simmer, then without a lid - the nitrates will “evaporate”. When cooked whole, cut off the top and spine, it is in them that the highest concentration of chemicals is. You need to use a freshly prepared dish so that nitrates do not turn into nitrites (toxic salts) during storage.

How to enter into the diet?

The first serving of beetroot puree should not be more than a teaspoon. It is better to feed before lunch, observing the reaction of the body during the day (the appearance of allergies, diarrhea, colic). If well tolerated, then the portion can be gradually increased, bringing up to 30 grams per day.

Puree can be given not as an independent dish, but mixed with a vegetable familiar to the child (cabbage, carrot, zucchini).

After a year, the kids' menu becomes more diverse, so beets become an additional ingredient, for example, borscht, salads, pastries, stews.

Up to 3 years, it is enough to give up to 50 grams of vegetable per day, at 3-7 - up to 100.

Do not get carried away so that excessive amounts or frequent use (no more than 1-2 times a week) do not cause diarrhea.

By agreement with the doctor, beetroot can be introduced earlier for children suffering from persistent constipation, which is difficult to treat. In this case, it is introduced at 5-6 months of age. A laxative effect can be achieved if you give 1-2 teaspoons of puree per day or 2-3 drops of juice, necessarily diluted with water.

Cooking rules

Raw beets, although they contain a little more nutrients, are allowed only boiled for babies. Since not thermally processed, it strongly irritates the intestines and is a more powerful allergen. When cooking, it loses some of the fruit acids, which adversely affect the intestinal tract, and nitrates pass into the decoction.

A small amount of raw juice is acceptable, but only in a diluted state. It is better to give it after a year.

How to make baby puree:

Rinse the beets well, remove the tops.
Place in cold water and let boil for about 10 minutes.
Drain and fill with clean water.
Cook over low heat with a lid on. The process will take approximately one and a half hours.
Place boiled in cold water to facilitate cleansing.
Grate on a fine grater or chop with a blender.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of boiled water or vegetable broth to the resulting mass.

If, after introducing the baby into the diet, you notice that the urine has become reddish, do not be alarmed. This means that the pigment betaine got into the urine, it will soon become a normal color.

Peculiarities

Is it possible to have beets for a child suffering from allergic diseases? It is possible, but the portions should be somewhat smaller and dosed. It is better to enter the menu after a year.

with diseases of the stomach;
with pathologies of the kidneys;
with diarrhea.

Surely, every young mother faced the problem of when to introduce this or that product to the child. As you know, pediatricians recommend starting the habituation to vegetables with the use of zucchini and cauliflower. When the baby is already used to them, you can introduce potatoes and carrots. The main question arises: at what age can beets be given to a child?

Let's try to figure out when, how and in what form to use the baby.

When can you give beets to a child?

To begin with, it is worth saying that beets are a strong allergen. Therefore, the introduction of this red vegetable must be carried out gradually, starting with minimal portions. During the whole time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the reaction of a small organism to the product.

Pediatricians recommend starting to introduce this red vegetable into the baby's menu after six months. If your baby at least once in his life showed an allergic reaction to one or another type of product, you should wait a bit with the use of the root crop.

When can you give beets to an allergic child? It is worth noting that if the child has a reaction to various foods, the red root crop can be introduced into food after a year and a half. If there is no need, it is better to increase this age to two years.

At what age can beets be given to a child in a certain form?

Depending on the age at which the use of this product begins, its appearance may differ.

beetroot juice

At what age can a child be given beets in the form of juice? In this state, the root crop can be offered to the baby as early as three months if necessary. As you know, beetroot is an excellent laxative. That is why, with constipation, its use is the safest medicine.

It is worth considering that at this age it should be made exclusively from a well-cooked vegetable. Squeeze a few drops of the red product into milk, water, or any drink your baby is used to.

Raw root juice can be given to children only after seven years. This is due to the fact that beets absorb all nitrates from the soil and during cooking they evaporate.

Beet puree

At what age can you give your child beets in the form of mashed potatoes? More experienced pediatricians do not give an exact answer to this question. The age range in this case can vary from six months to one and a half years. If the child does not have constipation and digestive problems, then it is worth postponing the moment the baby meets the red root crop for as long as possible.

If your baby has irregular stools, then it is permissible to introduce beets immediately after acquaintance with zucchini, cauliflower and potatoes. To get started, add boiled root vegetable puree to the dish and watch the child's reaction. Over time, you can offer your baby a salad of beetroot puree with olive oil, provided that there is no allergic reaction.

Beetroot soup

At what age can a child be offered beets in borscht and other types of liquid dishes?

Before using such soups, it is necessary to check the child's reaction to this root crop. That is why you need to start by adding it to juices or purees. If everything went well and the baby did not have an allergy, you can offer him beetroot borscht.

Put in it only those foods that the child has already tried: meat, potatoes, carrots, cabbage. Usually, such dishes are recommended to be introduced into the diet of a baby after a year and a half. If necessary, you can reduce this age, but it is not recommended to offer such products before one year.

Conclusion

Now you know when you can have beets for your child.

When choosing a root crop, you should give preference only to fresh and bright red vegetables. It will be better if you grow the product yourself. In this case, the soil will contain a minimum of harmful substances that can subsequently enter the body of a small person.

Enter complementary foods correctly, health to you and your child!

Beetroot is considered an unpretentious vegetable that is well stored and has many useful properties. Salads are made from it, soups are boiled and juice is squeezed out.

Its sweet taste does not leave adults and children indifferent to beets. The tops of this vegetable are as useful as the root. Before introducing it into the diet, you need to know at what age a child can have beets.

The benefits and harms of beets

Vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iodine, iron and copper are useful in anemia. They strengthen the immune system, nervous system and increase the endurance of the body;
Magnesium and potassium have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. They do not allow blood clots to form and clog the walls of blood vessels with cholesterol;
In addition, these elements strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Iron and folic acid improve blood composition and increase hemoglobin, while zinc improves vision;
Pectin and fiber absorb and remove toxic substances from the body. They also normalize bowel function;
Iodine improves the functioning of the thyroid gland. Phosphorus and calcium take part in the formation of the skeletal system, making it stronger;
Carbohydrates supply the body with energy;
Gamma-aminobutyric acid provides the brain with the supply of nutrients;
Betaine improves metabolism and liver function;
Flavonoids relieve tension in blood vessels, strengthen blood capillaries and reduce pressure.

This vegetable has a laxative effect and does not cause abdominal pain. In addition, a large amount of vitamins in beets affects the mental and physical development of the child.

But, even despite such a number of useful properties, one can also see the negative effect of a vegetable on the body.

Introducing an uncontrolled amount of beets into complementary foods can upset the stomach and cause vomiting and diarrhea;
Those who are concerned about kidney stones should also eat beets with caution;

It is best to feed the child with the beets that are grown in your garden. Or, you should at least know that the beets are grown in an environmentally friendly place.

Otherwise, there is a risk that the beets will contain harmful impurities. After all, she can take in herself nitrates and salts from the soil, and they are contraindicated in the child's diet.

If the child has a tendency to indigestion, then the frequent use of the root crop is contraindicated for him. In any case, when beets are introduced into complementary foods, the measure must be observed.

From what age to give beets

There are many opinions about how many months a child can have beets.

The World Health Organization allows it to be introduced into the diet of a child from 6 months (read the related article: WHO Complementary Food Table >>>). But still, it is better to do this after 8 months, as it has a lot of fiber and flavonoids.

That is, beets in the diet of a child before 8 months can cause him an upset stomach. Yes, and beets cannot be the first complementary food, because it belongs to highly allergenic products;
Another fact, due to which the inclusion of this vegetable in the diet should be postponed until 8 months, is nitrates. It was found that the nitrates accumulated by the root crop from the soil can lead the child to poisoning.

Allergy to beets

It is useful for someone to include beets in their diet, while for someone it can cause allergies. Small children are especially sensitive to it. You can talk about an allergic reaction to beets:

rash;
abdominal pain;
nausea;
vomit;
diarrhea;
edema;
eye redness;
lacrimation;
nasal congestion;
sneeze;
cough.

Such symptoms will pass quite quickly if you start the correct and timely treatment of the child.

Important! If tightened with it, then allergies can lead to complications such as Quincke's edema, respiratory failure, anaphylactic shock and death.

Naturally, when the first signs of an allergy appear in a child, it is necessary to stop eating beets and seek help from a doctor.

How to properly introduce beets into a child's diet

Beets, like any other complementary foods, should be introduced gradually.

You start either with a pureed vegetable, mixing it, for example, with carrots;
Or start giving with a microdose. It all depends on your feeding strategy and understanding how to introduce complementary foods safely.

We completely analyze all the subtleties and nuances of introducing complementary foods to a baby in the online course ABC of complementary foods >>>

If a child has loose stools or another allergic reaction after beets, exclude the vegetable from the child's diet for a while.

In this case, you need to know when next time to give beets to a child. You can re-enter it after a couple of weeks.

How to cook beets for feeding

Before feeding the child with beets, it must be washed and boiled for 1.5 hours;
If the knife easily sticks into the vegetable, then the beets are ready;
Drain hot water, fill the root crop with cold water. And immediately proceed to the removal of the skin, so it will be removed faster and easier;
Grind the beets with a blender or meat grinder. To make the puree homogeneous, it can be rubbed additionally through a sieve.

For the first time, offer your child only monocomponent puree. Gradually add olive or sunflower oil to it, as well as other vegetables, such as zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower.

Beets can not only be boiled, but also baked in the oven;

To do this, rinse the vegetable thoroughly, wrap it in foil, put it on a baking sheet and bake for an hour. If the beets are large, then it will take a little more time.

Older children can make salads;

To do this, grate the boiled beets, cut the prunes into thin slices and season with sour cream. Instead of prunes, you can use other ingredients: carrots, apples or raisins.

The nutrition of the child after 1 year is enriched and becomes more diverse. You can already cook borscht with beets, vinaigrette or beet cutlets.

We talk about the nutrition of a child older than a year on the Internet course We eat with pleasure >>>

If your child does not eat well, chooses products, does not want to eat on his own, be sure to review this course.

This root vegetable is very useful. It should definitely be included in the diet if an allergy to beets in a child is excluded. With a well-constructed diet, it will only bring benefits.