From what age can barley be given to children, from what age?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Porridge is one of the best types of food for adults and children. One of the varieties is pearl barley. It is made from barley and is introduced into the child's diet after other types of cereals, including corn, rice, and oatmeal. Many different dishes can be prepared from pearl barley, such as soup, pilaf and others. Many mothers ask at what age barley can be given to children. The article will discuss the features of introducing porridge into the child's diet, its advantages and disadvantages.

Composition and calorie barley

Pearl contains nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, water and dietary fiber.

Moms are interested in how many months you can give barley to children. Despite the useful composition, its inclusion in the diet should be postponed.

Porridge contains complex carbohydrates.

Barley contains vitamins E, PP and group B. It is also rich in minerals, among them such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and others. The energy value of pearl barley (100 g) is 315 kcal.

Benefits of barley

Porridge has a positive effect on the children's body, which is associated with its composition:

1. Cereals can be called sources of energy due to the complex carbohydrates and the presence of amino acids. Lysine synthesizes antibodies to pathogens of viral infections, which prevents SARS and exacerbations of herpes.
2. Amino acids are involved in the production of collagen, which strengthens ligaments and contributes to the strength of the skeleton.
3. Increases the strength of the teeth due to phosphorus and calcium.
4. B vitamins are needed to maintain the normal state of the brain.
5. Thanks to dietary fiber, porridge improves digestion and prevents constipation in a child. Helps cleanse the body of toxins and toxins. It helps prevent allergies, improve kidney and liver function.
6. Minerals regulate acid-base and water-s alt balance.
7. Vitamins PP and group B take part in metabolic processes.

How much can you give barley to a child, many mothers ask. It has a lot of benefits, but it can also harm the baby's body.

Disadvantages of pearl barley

The main disadvantage of barley is the presence of gluten in its composition. This specialvegetable protein of cereals, which in some people can cause allergies. The lack of an enzyme to break down gluten in the body is a hereditary pathology. Most often, the diagnosis is made in an infant, but sometimes the disease is diagnosed at an older age.

Moms ask when it is safe to give barley to children. She has some shortcomings, so it is not recommended to rush. Babies with gluten intolerance should not eat barley dishes. Other disadvantages include the following:

• Pearl groats take a long time to cook. And heat treatment leads to a partial loss of nutrients.
• Porridge is hard to digest, so there are restrictions on eating barley dishes.
• It is a high-calorie product and is contraindicated for overweight children.
• Carefully give barley porridge to children who are prone to flatulence and diarrhea.

Such manifestations can be caused by large portions of porridge, so barley should not be given to children suffering from gastrointestinal diseases.

When to give barley to a child

Porridge refers to indigestible dishes. Therefore, there are features for including it in the diet of babies.

Moms are interested in when it is possible to give barley to a child. Experts recommend starting to feed it into the child's diet when he reaches 3 years of age. Over time, the digestive system will be more formed, improveproviding the digestive tract with enzymes.

How old can you give a child barley, mom asks. Usually this can be done no earlier than 3 years. Like any new product, cereals on the first day give no more than one spoonful in the morning. During the day, parents observe the child to exclude an allergic reaction. In the absence of undesirable symptoms, the portion of porridge can be increased up to 100 g per day.

What barley to take for children

There are different ways to process barley. The usual pearl barley is obtained after the removal of the outer shells of the grains. It requires a long heat treatment. Some of the nutrients are lost during cooking.

Deeper cleaning of the grains with the removal of the awn makes the grits spherical in shape, called "Dutch". The nutritional value of such porridge is slightly lower, but it boils faster. The dish turns out with a delicate texture.

Moms are wondering at what age they can give barley to children. To get a he althy porridge, you need to choose the right product. When buying, the quality of cereals is evaluated by its appearance and smell:

• there should be no debris and pebbles in pearl barley;
• dry grains can be white, yellow and somewhat greenish;
• groats should not have an unpleasant odor.

When buying, pay attention to the production time. Although it is more than 2 years old, it is advisable to use cereals for childrenbefore. Barley is stored in a closed container.

How to cook barley

Before using the cereal, you need to sort it out. To do this, remove debris and thoroughly rinse it with running water. To obtain crumbly porridge, you can use the following methods:

1. The first way. Pre-soak the cereal in water for 10-12 hours, which reduces the cooking time and reduces the loss of nutrients. For soaking, a glass of cereal is poured with a liter of water. In the morning, barley is drained and placed in a cooking container. The volume of cereals increases several times, which must be taken into account when choosing a container for cooking porridge.
2. Another option. Grains are poured with one liter of water and boiled for an hour and a half. Then remove from heat and leave for 30 minutes. If you pour the cereal with hot water for an hour, the cooking time is reduced to an hour. The readiness of porridge is checked by the consistency and type of grain, it should be swollen and soft. Add butter to taste. It can be put in ready-made porridge. Barley is best consumed warm, as it tastes better.
3. Third way. Porridge can be cooked in the oven. Pour boiling water over cereal for 1 hour. After draining the water, it is placed in a heat-resistant dish. For a glass of cereal - 600 ml of water. Then put in a preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes. And after turning off - for another 30 minutes.
4. Porridge with milk or water is perfectly cooked in a slow cooker. This will save a lot of time. It is necessary to soak the cereal in cold water overnight, drain and place in the multicooker bowl. For 200 g of cereal, add 400 ml of water, s alt and add butter. The "Milk porridge" mode is selected, regardless of whether it is cooked in milk or water. After finishing work, butter or sugar is added to the porridge if desired.

Mothers ask at what age barley can be given to children. Babies after 3 years can cook first courses with cereals. Barley is used instead of rice in the preparation of cabbage rolls.

Conclusion

The article was told at what age you can give barley to children. Groats have a rich composition, it contains minerals and vitamins. But it is poorly digested, so it is better to introduce it into the children's diet after 3 years. This is due to the fact that the child's digestive system becomes more mature, and he moves to a common table. In addition, pearl barley contains gluten. Therefore, it should not be given to children if they have intolerance to it (celiac disease).