From what age can garlic be given to a child: age for complementary foods, the beneficial properties of garlic, the pros and cons of adding it to a baby's diet

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

Garlic has many he alth benefits. It can reduce the risk of strokes, reduce inflammation, reduce swelling in arthritis, and even partially eliminate pain. It turns out that this spicy vegetable is an essential ingredient in human life, which contains organic acids, trace elements, substances that can fight pathogenic microflora.

This is an antibiotic given to us by nature. It is also used as a natural bactericidal agent. Many are interested in knowing at what age garlic can be given to a child. It is necessary to study all its pros and cons in order to answer this question.

Useful properties of garlic

This spicy vegetable is able to have a positive effect on the entire human body, increasing its tone. It activates our brain cells. One clove of garlic is enough to remove toxins such as cadmium, lead and mercury. Everyone knows it and as an excellent tool for the prevention of SARS. There are people,who constantly eat garlic without being afraid of its smell, which helps them to be he althy, active.

Let's list the main advantages of this amazing vegetable:

1. Garlic contains allicin, which destroys bacteria, viruses.
2. Phytoncides in its composition counteract bacteria, pathogens of dysentery, staphylococci.
3. It removes toxins and harmful substances from the human body.
4. Reduces the risk of obesity.
5. Does not allow insulin to rise, normalizing its activity.
6. Strengthens the walls of blood vessels, they become elastic.
7. Activates the synthesis of methionine, which is important for the functioning of the liver and the development of cartilage.
8. Increases appetite.
9. Normalizes digestion.
10. May calm the nervous system.

The benefits of this vegetable are obvious, so it seems that everyone needs it. And it makes no sense to ask the question of at what age you can give garlic to a child. But do not rush, as it also has disadvantages.

Harm of garlic

Not everyone loves him. This vegetable provokes irritation of the gastric mucosa. Especially when it comes to the delicate body of the child. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully eat this vegetable for children and adults who have gastritis.

Garlic sometimes causes allergies. The child may become covered with a rash, everything will begin to itch. There is a risk of anaphylactic shock. Even getting garlic juice on delicate skin can be dangerous.

Allergic reaction

Any spicy vegetable can cause this kind of trouble,because it contains components that are heavy for the human body.

Signs of Allergy:

• red spots;
• itch;
• swelling of the respiratory tract or other organs;
• low blood pressure;
• rapid breathing;
• anaphylactic shock.

In children with hypersensitivity, even the smell of garlic can cause a reaction. If an allergy appears, you should try to remove the pathogen itself from the body.

Other contraindications

It is impossible to add garlic to food if a person has:

• being overweight as it can increase appetite;
• pregnancy - garlic can increase uterine activity, provoke premature birth;
• lactation, since garlic can change the taste of milk, make it bitter, and babies don't like it;
• epilepsy - garlic can trigger her attack;
• fever, as this vegetable can raise it even more;
• individual intolerance.

But let's not talk about sad things, hypersensitivity and allergies are not so common. Let's deal with the main question, namely: at what age can garlic be given to a child? There is an opinion that it is better not to do this until six years old, even boiled. But pediatricians themselves say that one should not be afraid of everything in this regard. However, there are a number of reservations.

Weaning age

It is important not only to know at what age garlic can be given to a child, but also inhow to do it:

1. Fresh garlic is contraindicated for very young children.
2. After heat treatment can be given to he althy babies who do not have any problems with digestion. Already at eight months, soups or vegetable purees with garlic (no more than one clove) can be introduced into the diet.
3. Fresh garlic is allowed to be given to children from the age of three, but also no more than a clove. There are kids who love to chew on a crust of bread grated with this wonderful vegetable. Moms sometimes add chopped garlic to salads and snacks, soups. Is it possible for a child to give garlic, the pediatrician will always tell. Consult with him so as not to take risks and know how to do it right.
4. Children over ten years old are allowed to eat up to 5 cloves. It is important not to abuse it, so as not to provoke heartburn or other problems of the stomach or intestines. Remember the sense of proportion, even if you love garlic and respect its healing properties.

Before you decide when you can give garlic to a child, it is good to study in detail its composition.

Chemical composition of garlic

1. Water.
2. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
3. Dietary fiber.
4. Vitamins: E, B1-B3, B5, B6, B9, C, K.
5. Biotin, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, copper, potassium, selenium, fluorine, chromium, cob alt, iodine, allicin.

Garlic has more calories than onions.

Additional benefits

Garlic is not only a tasty and he althy seasoning. It is useful to give it to children as a tonic and preventivemeans. There is even speculation that garlic cures cancer. Medicines are made on its basis.

There is ajoene in garlic - in high concentrations it can thin the blood, lower cholesterol. During heat treatment, this vegetable loses many useful properties, so it is better to use it fresh.

In order for the child to get used to this particular vegetable, add it more often. In small doses, garlic should be placed in an almost ready dish. Older children can eat mashed garlic in seasonings, fried foods, soups, sauces. In meager doses, they do not notice it, and therefore get used to the special aroma of this spice.

Dried garlic is also used. The answer to the question of how much garlic can be given to a child in its pure form is not unambiguous. You can try after a year to add quite a bit to the soup, and from 3 years old to accustom to larger portions. The main thing is to know that the child does not have intolerance to this vegetable.

Ways to teach your child to garlic

Knowing when to give garlic to a child in soup, salad, sauce or other dishes is not enough. It is necessary that the taste of this vegetable is not repulsive. There are different ways to teach a child to garlic. The most interesting of them:

• make beads from teeth;
• come up with an interesting bracelet;
• put garlic in a plastic container from Kinder Surprise, make holes in it, thread a thread and give the child to wear around his neck, for example, in kindergarten, when the season of viruses andcolds.

It has been proven that inhaling the vapors of this vegetable has a positive effect on the human body, helping it to better resist harmful bacteria and viruses. Therefore, some people like to chop garlic and arrange it in rooms on saucers.

Traditional medicine and garlic

There are different ways to treat colds using this vegetable. They even do inhalations. Five cloves of garlic must be crushed, pour boiling water and hold in a teapot. Then inhale through the nose, then exhale. The procedure is recommended to be carried out several times a day to get the result.

Recipe for a runny nose is:

1. Make carrot juice.
2. Add the same amount of vegetable oil.
3. Inject a couple of drops of garlic juice.
4. Then you need to bury your nose 3 times a day.

Sometimes mothers argue about whether or not to give garlic to a child a year. Everything is individual. Someone gives this vegetable to a he althy baby as early as 9 months. With allergies, stomach problems and other contraindications, of course, reasonable parents will not take risks. Even if a child can taste garlic this early, safety must be observed. It should be heat treated, the amount should be small, such as half a clove or one small one.

If the child is a year old, then it makes sense to slightly increase the portion. It is important to observe the reaction of the crumbs, start with a lower dose, gradually increasing it. If the baby feels great, add this first anywayspice in dishes no more than 2 times a week. At the slightest sign of intolerance or allergy, eliminate it from your child's diet immediately.

Now you know how many months you can give your child garlic, what are the pros and cons of this spicy vegetable. Especially many appreciate this vegetable for its ability to resist parasites.

Worms control

Kids love to play in sandboxes, put everything in their mouths. Regular consumption of garlic in the diet protects our babies from parasites.

Here's a recipe to kill parasites. Mix 300 g of garlic juice and 500 g of honey, cook in a sealed container in a slightly boiling water bath for about 35-45 minutes, remove the foam and mix occasionally. Store such a garlic-honey mixture in a cool and dark place, placing it in a tightly closed container. Take this folk medicine for 1 tbsp. spoon three times a day.

Another recipe: eat garlic juice on an empty stomach 3 times a day, first a small dose, then increase it. In the first days - 5-10 drops, then five days - twenty drops. That is, every 5 days, add ten drops of juice until you reach two teaspoons. Then you need to increase the dosage again. At first it is quite difficult to swallow garlic juice, there may be a burning sensation, sometimes a headache. But time passes, and the body gets used to it. If there are no contraindications, then children should be taught to eat this he althy vegetable.

It is clear that every parent eventually understands by experience when it is possible to give garlic to a child insoup, salad or other dishes. No need to insist and force your child to eat this vegetable when the baby categorically does not accept it. Yes, this spice can improve appetite, normalize digestion, and calm the intestines. Helps to strengthen the immune system, can even increase the body's resistance to infections. But it is important to remember: children who are still very young should be given garlic with caution.