Garlic is a popular ingredient in cooking; its strong taste adds flavour to any recipe. Hence, a dish prepared without garlic seems to lack flavour. Garlic also has high medicinal value. Your grandmother must have raved about the medicinal properties of garlic and how it helps in treating the common cold and boosting immunity. Of course, garlic has many health benefits, but is it good for a baby? Many new mothers are not sure about giving garlic to their babies, therefore, we have incorporated all the necessary information to help you decide if you can give it to your baby or not. Find out if garlic is safe for babies and when you can introduce garlic in your baby’s diet.
There’s no harm in feeding garlic to babies if it is given in a safe manner. Garlic allergies do exist, but their occurrences are quite rare. The strong and pungent flavour of garlic could be a little too much for your baby, so it is best to introduce only a tiny amount in the beginning.
There is no specific time as such to introduce garlic into your baby’s diet. Some moms may choose to introduce garlic in very small quantity from as early as 6 months of age, while others may choose to wait for a year or so. Doctors usually recommend introducing any kind of solids, and especially the strong ones like garlic, once the baby turns 10-11 months.
The constitution of garlic is quite interesting to observe since it has one of the most peculiar combinations of ingredients that make it healthy. In 100g of garlic, the distribution can be observed as follows.
Constituent | Quantity |
Fibre | 2.1 g |
Carbohydrates | 33.1 g |
Protein | 6.4 g |
Calories | 149 |
Sodium | 17 mg |
Iron | 1.7 mg |
Source – http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2446/2
What Are the Health Benefits of Garlic for Infants
The reason most people tend to include garlic in their baby’s diet is due to the numerous benefits it offers to the child, which can be temporary as well as long-lasting.
Garlic is known to boost the immune system of a baby by stimulating the cells of the body, namely eosinophils, dendritic cells, natural defence cells, and lymphocytes. Furthermore, it even stimulates the secretion of cytokine that improves metabolism and keeps any possibility of obesity in check.
The properties of garlic that protect an individual from bacteria, viruses, and oxidants are enhanced when it is in the crushed form, as it contains a higher amount of organosulfur compounds. All of these work together in stimulating the immune system to react against inflammation and protects the baby from various types of cancer, like oral, colon, renal.
The collection of cholesterol along the lines of arteries begins from a young age and the presence of bad cholesterol needs to be kept in check from the start. Garlic helps in reducing the levels of cholesterol in the blood, which lowers the risk of hypertension and the chances of heart attacks in future.
Worms may enter a baby’s stomach and intestine through food or their eggs might find their way within the intestine which leads to infections and other diseases. Garlic is one of the best ways to kill these worms.
The intestinal tract contains both good bacteria as well as bad bacteria. Any medication to fight infection usually ends up killing all the bacteria without discrimination. However, garlic contains phytochemicals, which effectively helps in removing the harmful bacteria alone. Furthermore, these help in promoting the healing activity within a child as well. Climate changes and extreme weather conditions can lead to cold and cough in babies. Garlic is very effective in treating cough and cold. The oils in garlic work in returning the respiratory tract to a normal level, whereas the antimicrobial properties fight against the viruses and bacteria causing the illness.
When introducing garlic to a baby, do it properly. As with any new food item, it is necessary to check for chances of allergies. Therefore, give only a small clove of garlic at first. If there doesn’t seem to be any problem for a few days, then you can give him the same amount or a little more gradually, but not as much as an adult may have.
There are a couple of things that need to be kept in mind before introducing garlic to a baby in any form. Here is what you must note before giving garlic to a baby:
Choose a clove that is clear, white, and juicy. Add it to the food of your baby while cooking. Avoid giving it in the raw form.
If your baby seems to react adversely to the smell or taste of garlic, pair it with a little sugar a few times in the beginning. Don’t give him too much.
There are a few interesting ways you can make garlic a part of your baby’s diet once he gets started on solids.
Give garlic roti to your baby once he turns one, and not before that. This will have him munching on the flavour with zest.
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How to Prepare
The absolute classic preparation that is known for its nutrition as well as a soothing effect.
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How to Prepare
Give garlic soup with chicken to your baby at dinner time.
Ingredients
How to Prepare
Any healthy food provides benefits when it is consumed in the appropriate quantities. The same goes for garlic as well. Your baby will have the best of it when it is introduced in the right form.