Can I give Seeds to Babies & Kids?
Why give supplements when we have superfoods that can help overcome deficiencies? “Food is the medicine” is one of my favorite sayings and truly one of the best approaches for staying healthy naturally.
Babies and kids need to be offered a wholesome diet, not just porridge or mashed rice all the time. This is the major reason for deficiencies and then we supplement, again we go back to offering their favorite food, saying “something is going to the child’s tummy” and again the cycle of supplementation starts.
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In this article, we will talk about the superfood category of “Seeds,” which are incredibly nutritious and greatly beneficial for the optimal growth and development of young children.
Why should we give Seeds to Babies?
Growing children have an appetite for all new tastes and textures and love exploring. Did you know babies have more taste buds than adults? This helps them experience new tastes better. Talking about the benefits of Seeds for Babies & Kids
- Good for the Brain – Contains Omega 3 Fatty Acids, also called Essential fats because they are not synthesized in the body and must be obtained through baby’s diet or supplementation. This helps in brain development particularly focus, memory, and sight.
- Muscle Building – Muscle mass helps in improving posture, balance, coordination, and immunity in babies. Seeds are high in protein and aid muscle development.
- Healthy Gut – Due to high fiber content, seed intake supports digestion and regular bowel movements in babies. A healthy gut is an indication of a happy baby.
- Weight Gain & Build Immunity – Seeds are good sources of magnesium, zinc, and iron, which are vital for a child’s growth and development.
- Good for Skin & Hair – Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals like zinc and selenium nourish the skin and promote healthy hair growth.
Worry of Allergy in Babies and Kids
“Seeds cause allergic reactions in babies, and hence, I am scared to offer them to my child.” – This is the most common worry we hear from young parents. Allergies due to seeds occur in less than 0.02% of cases, and in babies, the incidence is even lower.
Studies suggest that any allergen, when introduced during the first year of a baby’s life, the chances of allergic reactions are much lower. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce all varieties before the baby turns one. Even if there is a family history of allergies, it is still advisable to offer seeds individually before a year and monitor for any rashes, vomiting, or diarrhea within 24 hours of offering. If there are no adverse reactions, you can continue to offer them regularly.
How to Offer Seeds to Babies and Kids?
Soaked and pureed or Roasted and powdered, these are the best ways to offer seeds to babies. This not only prevents choking hazard but also helps them digest the seeds well and get the maximum benefit of seeds. You can add a spoonful of this to any baby porridge, puree, mix it with dosa or idli batter too. For toddlers, you can mix it with their smoothies, pancakes, etc. One can also prepare butter from all these seeds by dry roasting it and grinding with a spoon of any oil of your choice and mix it with any baby food or spread it over roti and offer it to toddlers.
Seeds can be offered to babies after completion of 8 months. Remember to start slow and increase from 1/2 to 2 tsp a day for babies and 2-4 spn per day for older children. Ensure to do a roll over all with all the seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Watermelon seeds, Muskmelon seeds, Chia seeds, flax seeds etc.
At Tots and Moms we have Nuts and Seeds Powder which is made from Watermelon Seeds(25%), Sunflower Seeds(25%), Foxnuts/Makhana(25%), Pumpkin Seeds(10%), Almonds(6%), Cashew Nuts(5%), Pistachio(4%) – A 100% in total. You can use it the same way in porridge, puree, dosa, idli, paratha, roti, juice, smoothie, etc. The best topping ever.
Happy Feeding.
Video: Can I give Seeds to my Baby?
Video in Kannada: ಬೀಜಗಳನ್ನು ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಕೊಡಬಹುದೇ?
Video in Hindi: बीज बच्चो को दे सकते हैं?
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