The food that a child eats will have a huge impact on his dietary habits when he grows up. It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children are getting proper nutrients required for their age. However, sometimes, it can be very difficult to manage it as children are generally fussy eaters. To deal with fussy eaters, picking the right foods and cooking them in a way that makes the food delicious becomes very important. One such food is sweet potatoes. ‘Sweet potatoes’ are an amazing food to introduce to your child when you introduce solids to them.
Sweet potatoes are highly nutritious, not to mention delicious, making them the perfect first food for your baby. They have a lovely creamy texture which is generally liked by the babies.
You can start giving sweet potatoes to your baby from the age of six months. Introduce it to your baby in the form of a puree, so it is easier for her to eat. By around eight months, she will be able to eat it in the mashed and lumpy form or with rice or oats.
Nutrient | Amount per 100 grams |
Proteins | 1.6 grams |
Omega 6 | .01 grams |
Fibre | 3 grams |
Carbohydrates | 20.1 grams |
Calories | 86 |
Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/sweet-potatoes#section1
Sweet potatoes have a lot of health benefits. Here are some that your baby will gain:
Being a good source of fibre, sweet potato can prevent constipation in your baby and will help in maintaining a healthy dietary tract.
Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin A, which improves eyesight. Sweet potatoes also have high amounts of beta-carotene and more than 100% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A is present in them.
Sweet potatoes have a lot of Vitamin C and E, which aid in strengthening your baby’s immunity system, helping her fight common cold or infections that infants can be prone to catching. It is also very good for her skin.
It is a healthy food that will help weight gain in children due to its high-calorie levels. Infants need to put on weight, and sweet potatoes are the perfect way for you to help your child’s physical development.
It is loaded with calcium and iron, both of which are vital for growth in babies and children. Iron is also very beneficial in the prevention of anaemia.
Side effects that may happen from eating sweet potatoes are quite low when compared to other vegetables like spinach and carrots. They don’t generally cause allergic reactions in babies, and this is why sweet potatoes are highly recommended to wean your baby onto sweet potato puree baby food. However, there are chances that your baby may be allergic to sweet potatoes, so look out for any signs of vomiting, rashes, and diarrhoea. They are also prone to developing gas if it doesn’t agree with them and it may cause them to spit it up.
Here are a few tips on the best ways to select and store sweet potatoes:
It is always best to buy vegetables that have been grown organically as this means you do not have to worry about pesticides being present on the potatoes. The sweet potatoes should be medium sized and have firm and smooth skin. Avoid picking the ones that have soft or brown spots, holes or any liquid oozing from them as they may be contaminated. Remember, the deeper the colour of the potato, the richer it is in antioxidants.
It is not necessary that sweet potatoes should be kept in the refrigerator; they can be stored at room temperature. If being stored at room temperature, then it should be used within a week. If you store it in a cool, dark place, like a cellar or a dark and cool pantry, then you can keep them for up to a month. It is never advised to keep them for longer than that.
One of the most important things to do when cooking for your baby is to wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly before peeling or cutting into them. Make sure you remove the skin of the sweet potato to ensure that it has a soft and creamy texture. There are many cooking techniques that can be used to prepare sweet potatoes for your baby. Here is how to make sweet potato baby food:
Now that we have seen the different techniques used for cooking sweet potatoes, we can look at a few simple recipes to make your baby’s food taste even better:
Mixed with carrots, this dish can help improve eyesight because of the Vitamin A present.
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Mash sweet potatoes to help your baby swallow the food easily.
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This dish has a nutritious broth loaded with protein and helps in the development of your baby’s body.
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This recipe is rich in dietary fibre which helps avoid constipation.
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Plantain has plenty of Vitamin A which helps in building the immune system of your little one.
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As we have seen, sweet potatoes are an amazing first food to give your child. It is a natural multivitamin and antioxidant and provides many benefits to your baby. Sweet potatoes are good to freeze, so these recipes can be prepared and then frozen to be used at a later date. There are many sweet potatoes baby food recipes that you can make, like a sweet potato and apple puree, sweet potatoes and peas, sweet potatoes and butternut squash and many more. So, don’t shy away from cooking it for your baby. It is tasty and healthy too!