Juice for a child: what, when and how much can be given

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

With the advent of a baby in the family, young parents have many questions. Many of them are related to proper nutrition. It is not surprising that some are wondering - how useful (and safe!) Is juice for a child? It will be worthwhile to deal with this issue in as much detail as possible.

Benefits of Juices

Of course, all juices without exception are useful. After all, they are made from vegetables and fruits, which means they are rich in vitamins and a number of vital trace elements, depending on the source of raw materials.

In addition, most juices are also sweet, which means they contain a large amount of easily digestible carbohydrates. This is also an important plus. The child spends a huge amount of energy on the development of the world, especially when he begins to crawl and walk. Can anything keep this fidget in place?

To cover energy costs, juice can be a great addition to the diet, ensuring the he alth and well-being of the child.

However, not all juices are created equal. Moreover, some can even pose a serious danger if certain rules are violated. Therefore, before giving a certain juice to a child, you need to carefully study its properties and possible effects on the body.

Shopped or homemade?

In stores you can see a lot of juices - expensive and cheap, in simple cardboard packaging and glass jars, one-component and assorted. But still, some wise parents prefer to give their children home-cooked foods. Why? There are many reasons for this.

First of all, squeezing juice at home, parents themselves see the raw material. This is a high-quality, fresh product without the slightest sign of spoilage. Is it possible to guarantee that the same quality fruits and vegetables are used in the factory?

In addition, usually factory-made juice for a child has a shelf life of several months to several years. This result can be achieved in two ways: the use of preservatives or heat treatment. The first case will definitely not be of benefit - it is not worth giving the baby extra chemistry, this may well have a negative impact on his he alth. Alas, the second option is also not good. Everyone knows that during heat treatment, part of the vitamins is destroyed. Yes, factory juices are enriched with others instead. But in this case, the juice is just plain sugary water with pills dissolved in it.

How long does homemade freshly squeezed juice last? Usually the child drinks it immediately or during the day. Therefore, all vitamins and useful trace elements are preserved in full.

Importantthe plus is the price. Homemade juice is simply cheaper than store-bought juice. Yes, cooking takes time and effort. But with a juicer, the procedure takes a matter of minutes and even seconds. In sum, with the above pluses, it becomes clear that homemade juice for a child will be much more useful than bought in a store.

The main thing to remember is that it is advisable to dilute such a drink with water in a one-to-one ratio so that it does not taste too harsh and does not harm the baby's stomach.

How much to give a baby?

Here, most experts in baby nutrition and pediatricians agree that it is advisable for a child to give as many grams of juice as he is months old, multiplying his age by 10. That is, a six-month-old child can be given 60 grams, and an eight-month-old - 80. But after a year, this system is no longer suitable. From a year to three years, it is recommended to limit the intake of juices to 100 grams - half a glass - per day. Still, even an adult, having drunk a liter of juice in a short time, may feel unwell.

It is desirable to give after a meal - no matter mother's milk, cereal or other food. Then the juice does not fall into an empty stomach and will not cause irritation. Also, if given before a meal, it can kill the appetite.

The diet should be introduced from six months. And at first you should give little by little, half a teaspoon. And watch for a day or two for a reaction. However, some juices can only be given at a later age. About them separatelywe'll tell you a little later.

For starters, it is better to give your child one-component juices, then you can easily determine which product he develops an allergy to. When using mixed drinks, this task is much more difficult.

Now let's look at specific juices, what benefits they bring to a child, at what age they can be given and whether they will harm he alth.

Apple juice

Of course, the most popular is apple juice for children. Most parents quite rightly decide to give this drink to the baby first. No wonder, because they contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. First of all, these are: A, B2 and C, iron, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, iodine, folic acid and many others. The juice from one good apple can cover your daily requirement of vitamin C!

It is important that apple juice for a child is just perfect. It is not an allergen, and in the vast majority of cases, acquaintance with a new element of the diet passes without unpleasant surprises.

Pomegranate juice

Many parents know how useful straight-pressed pomegranate juice is. It is no coincidence that it is prescribed for anemia (lack of hemoglobin). However, it is worth noting here - the pomegranate itself contains almost no iron. But its juice helps the body absorb this important trace element from other products: meat, liver, beets and others.

Easy to make at home and many kids love it. But here you have to be careful. In-First, pomegranate contains substances that can cause allergies. Therefore, it can only be given to children aged 1 year and older - and little by little, tracking the reaction. Secondly, it is quite acidic, and it is impossible to give it in its pure form, it is better to dilute it with water. Thirdly, the juice has a strengthening effect. So, it is absolutely impossible to give it to children who have problems with constipation.

Remember these simple tips to understand whether pomegranate juice will bring more he alth benefits or harm.

Orange juice

Very popular yet easy to extract juice. Even with a manual juicer, you can get half a glass of juice from a good, juicy orange in a matter of seconds. But you have to be especially careful with it. After all, it's no secret that this fruit is a fairly powerful allergen. Therefore, it must be given very carefully, preferably from one year old.

In general, the juice is very he althy. It contains vitamin C, potassium and folic acid. Due to this, it improves the secretion of the pancreas, improving appetite. At the same time, it has a stimulating effect on intestinal motility. And also this juice can cause a decrease in blood pressure - this is very important to remember. For some children, this will be a very useful side effect, but for others, especially if used excessively, it can be a serious danger. So, each parent should carefully study the features of the juice and know their child well (including the features of his he alth), so that the drink brings onlyfavor.

Tomato juice

Now consider tomato juice for kids. Surprisingly, this valuable, tasty and seemingly completely safe product should be given very carefully and preferably only to children from three years of age and older. The fact is that it can cause allergies, as it irritates the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, tomatoes contain histamine - sometimes it causes a pseudo-allergic reaction.

To begin with, it is desirable to give the child (of course, already relatively grown up - over a year old) fresh tomatoes (preferably from their own dacha, grown without mineral fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides). If the acquaintance with the new product was successful, you can gradually introduce juice into the diet.

Moreover, it is very useful - it contains lycoline, a large amount of fiber. This reduces the risk of cancer, solves the problem of constipation and overweight.

Carrot juice

Finally, let's explore carrot juice for kids. It is introduced into complementary foods at the age of one year and older. Moreover, it is not only possible, but also necessary to give it - this is a real pantry of vitamins and valuable microelements. It is also important that carrots are inexpensive, can be grown by hand and are perfectly stored at the same time.

Orange vegetable contains vitamins such as A, B, E, D, K. In addition, it contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, cob alt and a number of mineral s alts.

Thanks to this, the juice has a complex positiveimpact on child development. He begins to grow faster, and his vision improves significantly - thanks to vitamin A. Calcium improves the condition of nails and hair, makes teeth and bones stronger. The risk of developing pathologies of the nervous system and heart is reduced. A general strengthening of immunity was noticed - the child gets sick much less often.

So if you want to help your children grow up smart, strong and agile, carrots and carrot juice will be your true allies in this matter.

Conclusion

Now you have learned more about the rules for introducing juices into the diet of children. And also de alt with the question of which products are better - store-bought or homemade. At the same time, we read about the features of different juices, their benefits and possible harm.