Although different ingredients have their nutritional value. But in most people's minds, meat ingredients are more nutritious, at least the protein content is higher than many foods.
So for the baby, how old can you start eating meat? What kind of meat is suitable for the baby to eat? How can the baby eat meat to be healthy?
At what age can a baby eat meat?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Nutrition, when adding complementary foods to your baby, priority should be given to adding infant high-iron rice flour, followed by red meat puree, and then introducing fruits and vegetables when adapted.
In fact, the time of eating meat for babies mainly depends on his own development, not necessarily by his age. From a medical point of view, when the baby is 7 months old, you can add meat to the recipe, usually at this time the baby's stomach has the ability to digest meat.
What kind of meat is suitable for babies?
For common meat food additions, mothers can refer to the following order:
• At 7 months of age: red meat (pork, beef, lamb) and animal liver (pork liver, chicken liver) are added;
• At 8 months of age: poultry (chicken, duck), salmon, cod;
• At 9 months of age: add shrimp meat (excluding lobster and crayfish);
• At 10 months of age: Add other deep-sea fish.
Fish and shrimp foods are easy to cause allergies, so let the baby try a small amount before eating, observe the baby's reaction, and stop immediately if there is an allergic reaction.
How to give your baby meat to be healthy?
1. Mix meat and vegetables to make stuffing
According to parenting experts, it is recommended to mix vegetables, meat and staple foods together, instead of feeding them with a spoonful of meat puree and a spoonful of vegetable puree, of course, in the case of ensuring that the baby is not allergic to the food.
2. Be sure to eat high-quality meat
For the meat to the baby, it is best to buy high-quality, freshest meat, such meat is more tender, higher nutritional value, and do not worry about the quality of the meat, so that the baby can eat with confidence.
3. Don't pick lean meat to eat, it's best to eat fat and thin
Don't always pick lean meat for the baby to eat, even if the baby eats a large piece of fat braised pork, don't stop it, because fat is a necessary nutrient for children's growth, fat and thin meat is not only delicious, but also nutritious, as long as you don't eat too much, eating some fat meat is conducive to the growth and development of the baby.
4. Don't think that broth is better than eating meat
Many mothers feel that broth and bone broth are particularly nutritious, and they can also supplement calcium, which is definitely better than just eating meat, so they often give their babies to drink. Broth can only be used to promote your baby's appetite, and the nutritional value is not high!
5. Less frying, more steaming
When making complementary food, do not use fried or braised food, which will not only increase the fat in the meat, but also reduce the nutrient content in it, which is very unhealthy. Also, don't overheat the oil on a high heat.
It is recommended to use more steaming or boiling methods, and the cooking method should be as simple as possible, without adding any condiments. This retains all the nutrients of the meat and is very healthy.
6. According to the baby's age, change the shape of the food
It is recommended that parents can change the practice and shape of the meat, which not only meets the chewing needs of babies of different ages, but also does not cause too much burden on their stomach.
• 6-8 months, use a food processor to puree the meat;
• 9-12 months, cut the meat into diced pieces of minced meat and small pieces of meat;
• For babies over 1 year old, it can be made into meatballs, shredded meat, sausages, etc.
Babies eat meat, pay attention to step by step. Before your baby starts eating sliced meat and shredded meat, you need to let them eat meat floss, meat puree and broth. Mothers don't have to rush it, and the result is self-defeating, resulting in digestive health risks for the baby!