Experts say parents should select the food they feed to their babies with care. Though babies need a lot of nutrients instead of calories, we should know which foods are best for babies and which ones to avoid.
Berries and citrus
Not all fruit is beneficial for children. Strawberries and berry-related proteins especially are difficult for them to digest. Citrus fruits like orange, mandarin orange or shaddock also create stomach problems. They should not be eaten until children are at least one-year-old.
Delicious foods
Parents think that good-looking and tasty foods must be more nutritious.
These can sometimes be unhealthy for them and can lead to poor eating habits and health problems in childhood and later in life. It is important to balance the diet. Plain food isn't necessarily bad for babies, but too much of it can deprive them of important nutrients.
Cow and soya milk
The US Baby Centre Medical Advisory Board reported in a study that no milk except the mother's breast milk should be fed to children until they are over one-year-old. Even if the first year has gone by, it is important to keep giving toddlers mothers milk as there are minerals in milk produced from cows or soya, which can affect the kidneys of children.
White portion of egg
Egg whites are not good for very young children and the doctors think it might actually pose a threat to child health.
Egg yolk is okay for one-year-old children, but not white protein.
Hard and round shaped food
Regardless whether food is natural or handmade, no solid and round foods are good for the baby. (Emblic, Almond, Maize, etc. are included in this List).
Honey
Honey is not good for kids even if it is a wonderful meal from nature. For the child, it is can cause allergic reactions and produce toxic side effects.
Fruit juice
Fruit Juice has less fibre and is less nutritious than whole fruit, so, whole fruit is always the better choice. Vitamin ‘C’ enriched fruit juice produces acids that can cause harm to the child. Too much juice can also cause diarrhoea and tooth decay. In addition, fruit juice also tends to be much higher in sugar too.
Raw and semi-cooked foods
Any raw food is bad for the baby and may even be dangerous for them. Raw food can affect their metabolism. Cooking with herbs and spices is a great way to expand the baby's palate, but skip the sugar and salt when preparing it.
Processed white cereals
Processed white flour can produce too much glucose which is not good for your baby as high glucose levels increase insulin levels in the body.
Sticky food
Sticky solid food is not suitable for a baby. Avoid peanut butter or sticky chocolate. In some cases, chocolate milk is okay as a special treat but it shouldn't be a regular part of their diet.
Disclaimer - this article is not intended as a medical reference. If in doubt it is best to check with your health professional.