At what age can you give your child strawberries, and how to do it correctly. Strawberry allergy, treatment

Strawberries, or garden strawberries, or Victoria, already at the beginning of summer delight adults and children with their fragrant juicy berries. Parents want to give them to their kids. Then the question arises for mothers: at what age can you give your child these delicious berries so as not to harm the baby?

Cultivated wild strawberries became known in France back in the 15th century. The healthy berry then spread throughout European countries and the American continent. In Russia they began to grow it from the end of the 18th century. The name “strawberry” in relation to garden strawberries is actually incorrect; field strawberries are a completely different berry. But this name has taken root in Russian colloquial speech, therefore in the article and further we call garden strawberries strawberries.

Compound

Strawberries are rich in vitamins and microelements, but they are a highly allergenic product, which limits their consumption by children.

The composition and amount of nutrients in these wonderful berries is admirable.

100 g of berries contain:

7.5-8 g carbohydrates (simple and complex sugars, including starch);
0.4-0.5 g fat;
0.8-1.0 g of vegetable proteins;
2.2 g;
1.3-1.5 g of organic acids (the main ones are malic and citric);
0.4 g ash;
87-90 g of water.

At the same time, the calorie content of 100 g of strawberries is only 30-37 kcal. Its vitamin composition is also striking.

100 g of berries contain vitamins in the following quantities:

– 0.03 mg;
B 1 – 0.03 mg;
B 2 – 0.05 mg;
B 3 – 0.3 mg;
B 6 – 0.06 mg;
At 9 – 20 mcg;
– 0.8 mg;
– 60 mg;
N – 4 mcg.

In terms of the amount of ascorbic acid, strawberries can be equated to lemon or grapefruit. Only there is more of this vitamin.

The mineral reserves of the berries will also impress anyone:

phosphorus;
potassium;
chlorine;
sodium;
sulfur;
copper;
fluorine;
selenium;
manganese;
molybdenum;
vanadium;
nickel;
chromium;
cobalt.

Benefits for children

In addition to the unique aroma and taste, eating strawberries will bring tangible benefits to the child’s body:

The rich vitamin and mineral complex of strawberries helps the growth and development of the child. Berries are especially useful after winter-spring hypovitaminosis.
Easily digestible sugars from delicious berries will serve as a source of energy for children.
Berries help cleanse the liver and body of toxic substances and waste.
Strawberries normalize metabolic processes and enhance the child's health.
Berries will not only quench your thirst, but also normalize sleep.
The antimicrobial effect and anti-inflammatory properties of strawberries will help your child cope with a sore throat or.
A juicy berry will even help get rid of bad breath.
The fiber in berries improves digestion, eliminates inflammation, and helps normalize the ratio of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines.
The presence of folic acid (vitamin B 9) and iron explains the increased effectiveness of treatment and prevention when eating strawberries.
Zinc obtained from berries improves the condition of not only the skin, but also nails and hair. Regular consumption of the fruit helps cure skin diseases (some forms of eczema and).
A teeth whitening effect has been observed when eating tasty and sweet berries.

Harm of berries for children

The greatest danger is associated with the pronounced allergenicity of strawberries due to the histamine it contains. After eating tasty berries that the child likes, he may develop, which can be:

primary (after the first sample of berries);
secondary (after eating a large portion of strawberries).

Manifestations of an allergic reaction may include:

swelling of the lips;
nasal congestion, sneezing;
severe itching;
difficulty breathing, suffocation;
elevated temperature;
diarrhea and vomiting;
convulsions in case of severe allergies.

At the slightest manifestation of an allergic reaction, you should immediately consult a doctor, since in the future, in the absence of medical care, anaphylactic shock may develop, which poses a serious threat to life.

If allergic manifestations occur, strawberries should be completely excluded from the child’s diet.

Even if you have a food allergy to other foods, you should postpone introducing this berry to an older age (up to 3 or even 5 years), and be especially careful when trying it for the first time. It is better to discuss the issue of introducing strawberries into the diet of such a child with an allergist.

fermentation in the intestines;
bloating;
spastic pain;
loosening of stool.

Older children should avoid overeating berries if they have chronic enterocolitis due to the possibility of exacerbation of these diseases.

Eggs and pathogenic microorganisms can accumulate on the small fibers of strawberries. Insufficiently washed berries can cause an intestinal infection or helminthic infestation.

How to select and store strawberries

The most useful, and most importantly, safest for a child, are strawberries grown in your own garden, picked no more than two days ago.

It is better not to buy imported strawberries for children. It is not recommended to give your child the first berries that appear on the market. In order to speed up the ripening of strawberries, chemicals that are harmful to the body may be used.

It is better to give children berries that have reached natural seasonal ripening. But even such berries need to be inspected before purchasing to assess their quality:

Ripe fruits have a special characteristic pleasant aroma.
You should choose bright red berries with grains slightly protruding on the surface.
Fruits that are too dense are unripe.
The berries should be dry and whole, with a fresh, not limp or dry “tail”.
There is no need to buy crushed or damaged fruits or strawberries that smell of fermentation.

Children can be given berries picked no more than 2 days ago. Berries should be washed before eating. You can store strawberries in the refrigerator, but not longer than 1-2 days. Washed fruits cannot be stored. When picking strawberries from the garden, it is better to leave the stem for better preservation of the berries.

For long-term use, strawberries can be frozen. When frozen, it can be stored for about a year. Before freezing, fruits should be washed in running water, dried on a paper towel, packaged in portioned containers and placed in the freezer.

When using frozen strawberries, do not defrost or refreeze the fruit. Berries can be added to various desserts.

When and how to give strawberries to a child

According to the unanimous opinion of experts, strawberries should not be offered to children under one year of age. Many pediatricians advise starting to give it no earlier than 2-3 years.

How to give fresh berries

For the first test, you can give the child only half a berry. In this case, it is necessary to exclude other allergenic foods from the baby’s diet.

In the next 2-3 days, you need to monitor the condition of the baby: the nature of the stool, the skin. If no manifestations of allergies appear and the stool is normal, then next time you can increase the portion to a whole berry.

The child is monitored again. If well tolerated, the portion is gradually increased to 7 strawberries per day.

Strawberry water

A safer way for your baby to try fruit for the first time is to prepare strawberry water.

To do this, pour boiling water over several berries (4-5) and leave for about 2 hours.
Then strain the drink through a strainer and let the child take a couple of sips.

If there are no allergic manifestations during the day, the portion can be increased the next day.

Strawberries with dairy products

Strawberries can be given to children along with the following dairy products:

cream,
yogurt,
ice cream.

They will soften the effect on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract of some biologically active substances that make up strawberries and reduce the risk of developing allergies.

The daily portion of delicious berries for preschool children should not exceed 100 g. Strawberries can be used to prepare:

compotes,
jelly,
jelly,
fruit salad,
smoothie,
jam.

In order to treat children with a treat outside the strawberry season, the berries can not only be frozen, but also dried, preserved in the form of compote, or made into jam.

The beneficial properties are best preserved in frozen berries.

You can also preserve the beneficial substances of strawberries by preparing them using the cold canning method. To do this, the berries need to be rubbed with sugar and sealed in sterile jars.

Dessert Recipes

There are many options for delicious desserts for children. Any of them will bring pleasure to children.

Here are some of them:

Dessert “Pleasure”

It's easy to prepare, no baking, but it can decorate the table for a children's party.

Stages of its preparation:

Use a blender to grind 200 g of chocolate cookies until fine crumbs are obtained;
melt 70 g of butter, cool it slightly and mix with cookies;
Place the resulting mass into silicone molds for muffins (or small cupcakes), pressing it to the edges to form baskets, place them in the refrigerator for half an hour;
Add 2 tbsp sugar to 100 g of cottage cheese. l. and about 70 g of previously washed and dried strawberries;
then add 2 tbsp. l. sour cream (25%) and 2-3 mint leaves;
beat the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth;
Carefully remove the baskets from the molds and fill them with the resulting strawberry-curd mass;
place the baskets for 15 minutes. into the freezer;
Decorate the dessert with strawberries, mint leaves, grated chocolate and serve.

Strawberry jelly

Strawberry jelly is a delicious, healthy dessert loved by children.

It is a children's favorite dessert. And when combined with yogurt, the dessert will become even more tender.

Preparation is easy:

prepare washed berries with stems removed in a blender, adding 1-2 tbsp. l. sugar, 200 ml strawberry puree;
bring the resulting puree to a boil and add ½ dry jelly powder (you can take lemon or orange), stir well;
place bowls or cups stably;
pour jelly into them;
put the cups in the refrigerator so that the jelly hardens well;
dilute the remaining dry jelly powder in 50 ml of boiling water, stir, cool;
add the resulting jelly to 150 ml of yogurt without additives and stir;
After the strawberry jelly has completely hardened, carefully layer the yogurt jelly on it and put it back in the refrigerator.

After hardening, the dessert is ready. When serving, it can be further decorated.

Strawberry smoothie with cottage cheese

Not only healthy, but also a delicious dessert that you can prepare for your child for breakfast. To do this you need:

Grind 1 cup of washed strawberries and 1 banana in a blender;
add 100 g of cottage cheese to the resulting puree, beat;
add 100 ml of milk and add 1 packet of vanilla sugar;
If desired, sugar is added to the resulting smoothie;
When serving, you can add 1 tbsp. l. cornflakes.

Ice cream with strawberries

So tasty that kids will definitely love it.

It's easy to prepare:

add half a glass of sugar to the yolks of 2 raw eggs and beat until fluffy foam is obtained;
add 1.5 cups of milk (3.2% fat) and continue beating;
Bring the resulting mixture in a bowl to a boil over low heat, continuing to whisk, leave on the heat for a couple of minutes and remove;
add vanilla sugar from 1 sachet, mix;
leave the mixture to cool, but continue whisking periodically;
200 g washed strawberries with 2 tbsp. l. sugar and 1 tbsp. l. beat lemon juice with a blender until smooth;
add strawberry puree to the cooled yolk-milk mass and beat well with a blender;
Place the resulting mixture in the freezer for 5 hours, but stir it with a spoon every hour;
The finished ice cream, placed in bowls, can be decorated with a mint leaf or topped with strawberry jam.

Summary for parents

Despite all the beneficial properties of strawberries, you should not rush to introduce them into your baby’s diet due to the pronounced allergenicity of the berries. It is better to postpone acquaintance with the juicy and tasty fruit until 2-3 years of age.

It is imperative to monitor the child’s reaction to the first samples of berries and avoid consuming excessive portions. If all recommendations are followed, strawberries will benefit the child’s body. It will not only improve digestion, provide many vitamins and minerals, but also improve immunity, help prevent and defeat many diseases.

A simple recipe for a delicious strawberry dessert:

With the arrival of summer, we can enjoy delicious berries. Strawberries and strawberries are the most popular types. They have a sweet-sour taste and pleasant aroma, and contain a large amount of important vitamins and minerals.

But, despite the benefits, these are strong allergens that can provoke a negative reaction and stomach upsets. Therefore, doctors advise not to rush to introduce such berries into the diet of young children. Let's find out at what age you can give strawberries to your child.

Useful properties of strawberries and strawberries

Interestingly, strawberry is a large-fruited strawberry variety. Therefore, the beneficial properties of these berries are similar. They include fiber and pectin, tannins and essential oils, organic acids and B vitamins, vitamins A and C. In addition, the fruit contains iodine and iron, potassium and calcium, manganese and copper, zinc.

The benefits of strawberries and strawberries include the following properties:

Improves the functioning of the intestines and digestion;
Increases the body's immunity and defenses, eliminates germs;
Cleanses the body, removes toxins, excess salts and harmful substances;
Improves heart function and strengthens the walls of blood vessels, normalizes blood pressure;
Has a beneficial effect on the condition of joints and the thyroid gland, improves blood composition;
Relieves fatigue and stress, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of nerve cells, gives strength and energy;
Preserves vision and optical nerves, prevents destruction of the retina;
Reduces weight and regulates material metabolism;
Stimulates brain function, improves alertness and memory;
Increases appetite and quenches thirst;
A decoction of plant leaves will relieve bad breath. In addition, this tincture is useful for washing your face. It improves skin condition;
Prevention of rickets in young children;
Helps in the treatment of gout, arthritis and rheumatism, kidney diseases and liver failure, bleeding and inflammation, intestinal disorders.

In Russia, delicious berries appear in May–July. These are the most useful and safe fruits. At other times, strawberries and strawberries are imported from other countries. Such products should be treated with caution, as they often contain nitrates, toxins, preservatives and other dangerous substances.

Possible harm to berries

Strawberries, wild strawberries and garden strawberries are strong allergens. Saturated bright colors can cause negative consequences, including rashes and rashes, redness and itching of the skin, runny nose and tearing, swelling and hives. These signs indicate the presence of an allergic reaction in the baby. More detailed symptoms of food allergies are presented.

You should not eat strawberries if you have colic in the kidneys and liver, with appendicitis and biliary tract diseases, with gastritis and pancreatitis, with ulcers and high acidity of the stomach. Due to the high sugar content, berries are not recommended for people with diabetes. They are prohibited for food allergies in children.

Unwashed fruits and berries grown with the addition of nitrates and various chemicals cause severe poisoning and the development of intestinal infections. Therefore, it is advisable for a child to use only fresh crops grown in his region. And before eating, carefully sort and wash the fruits!

Overeating leads to digestive disorders, causing bloating, cramps and fermentation processes in the abdomen. Therefore, it is important to strictly adhere to the dosage. Let's take a closer look at how many months you can give strawberries to your child.

At what age can you give

Many pediatricians do not advise giving such berries to children under one and a half to two years of age, and if they are allergic to other foods - before three years of age. Some parents are interested in whether it is possible to give strawberries to a one-year-old child. This can only be done if the baby does not have chronic or allergic diseases. In some cases, it is permissible to give berries to children up to one year old, but not earlier than ten months.

For the first time, let your baby try half a strawberry or a quarter of a strawberry. Observe the baby to see what reaction it has. If you notice a rash, red spots, other symptoms and similar manifestations, it means that your child is allergic to strawberries. Eliminate the product from your diet and consult a doctor. In addition, the baby may experience other stool disorders. In this case, the introduction should also be postponed.

If a negative reaction to strawberries and wild strawberries is not noticed, the baby can sometimes be given berries. Be sure to make sure your baby doesn't overeat! Up to one year you can give 50-80 grams, at the age of one or two years the permissible norm is 100-120 grams. Strawberries for children under four are allowed in a volume of up to 150 grams per day, after four years - up to 300 grams.

In what form and what kind of berries should I give my child?

Be sure to feed your baby fresh fruits. Alternatively, you can puree strawberries or wild strawberries. To do this, mash several berries and mix with water until you obtain a mushy consistency. Don't add sugar, the fruit is already sweet! Puree is easier to swallow and is absorbed in the baby’s body.

After 1 year, you can make compote, juice or fruit drink from strawberries. At first, dilute the drink with water, gradually reducing its concentration. Add fruits to cereals, make yoghurts and desserts. Such recipes are suitable for children over 1.5-2 years old.

Use only seasonal berries. Wash and sort the fruits thoroughly before eating, as they grew close to the ground and may contain many harmful bacteria. Of course, fresh berries are not always available. Therefore, for the winter you can make jam or compote from strawberries and wild strawberries, or freeze the product.

High-quality fruits should be bright red with shiny skin and slightly protruding grains, with a rich and pleasant aroma. Do not use berries with rot or spots, a rotten odor, or wilted or dried stems. Wash the berries and leave them on a plate for several hours. If it leaks juice and leaves specks of juice on the container, you have natural berries without chemicals.

How to properly store strawberries and wild strawberries

Fresh berries should be stored in the refrigerator at temperatures up to +6 degrees for up to four days and no longer than a week at temperatures from zero to +2 degrees. Before storing, do not wash the fruits so that they do not release juice, flow or soften. For the same reason, do not store strawberries and strawberries at room temperature!

If you decide to freeze strawberries or strawberries, sort out the dry, unwashed berries, place them on a flat plate and leave them in the freezer for five hours. After this, package the product in trays, containers or bags and send it for long-term storage. Thus, berries can be stored for about a year at a temperature of -20 degrees, and up to six months if the temperature is above -18 degrees.

To freeze the berries, you can also first puree them. Rinse and sort the product, put it through a blender and put it into containers, and then put it in the freezer. Thaw strawberries and strawberries on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. After defrosting, the fruits will become soft and slightly watery, but will retain most of the beneficial properties and vitamins of fresh produce.

Thawed berries are convenient to use for preparing various drinks, toppings, smoothies and yoghurts. We offer several recipes with strawberries and wild strawberries that can be prepared for children.

Strawberry and wild strawberry recipes for children

Dumplings with strawberries

Strawberries – 0.4 kg;
Flour – 2 cups;
Water – 2 liters;
Milk – 50 ml;
Vegetable oil – 20 grams;
Egg – 1 piece;
Sugar – 2 tables. spoons;
Corn starch – 30 grams.

Mix half a glass of warm water with milk and slowly pour into the flour. Then add vegetable oil and egg, knead the dough until smooth for six to seven minutes. Wrap the resulting mass in cling film and leave in a warm place for forty minutes.

Wash and sort the strawberries, cut into large pieces and sprinkle with starch, mix. Roll out the dough into a layer and cut out circles. We place berries in the center of each piece and secure the edges so that the fruit is completely hidden. Add sugar to boiling water and add, cook for five minutes. Serve the dish with sour cream.

Children's oatmeal

Oatmeal – 1 cup;
Fresh strawberries -100 grams;
Milk – 3 glasses;
Jam, honey or ground walnuts - 1 tablespoon;
Vanillin and cinnamon to taste.

Milk oatmeal is the best breakfast solution for a child. This recipe will diversify the diet of children over two to three years old and will make a familiar dish original and tasty.

To prepare boiling milk, add oatmeal and stir. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and vanilla, stir and cook for one minute over medium heat, stirring the mixture continuously. Wash the strawberries, place them on top and add jam, nuts or honey.

Quick strawberry pie

Fresh strawberries – 0.4 kg;
Chicken eggs – 2 pieces;
Lightly melted butter – 100 grams;
Flour – 80 grams;
Sugar – 80 grams;
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon. spoon;
A pinch of salt.

Prepare the berries; if the fruits are large, cut them into two to four pieces. Lightly grease a baking dish with oil and place strawberries evenly on top. Sprinkle three teaspoons of sugar on top. Separately, beat the eggs with salt, butter and remaining sugar. Sift the flour and mix with baking powder, add to the eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour the resulting dough onto the strawberries and bake for half an hour at 180 degrees.

Raspberry and strawberry compote

Frozen strawberries – 2 cups;
Frozen raspberries – 2 cups;
Water – 5 liters;
Sugar to taste

Carefully place the thawed berries into boiling water and immediately close the container with a lid. When the liquid boils again, turn off the stove and leave the mixture to brew for 20-30 minutes. Then add sugar to taste. If desired, you can remove the berries with a slotted spoon. The drink turns out to be very tasty, healthy and full of vitamins, with a beautiful rich color.

Strawberry and gooseberry compote

Gooseberries – 0.4 kg;
Figs – 2 pieces;
Lemon – 1 piece;
Strawberries – 100 grams;
Water – 3 l.

Rinse strawberries, figs, gooseberries and lemon. Cut the latter into slices. Add the prepared ingredients to boiling water, add sugar and boil for five minutes. After preparation, cool the drink, and it will become a real salvation in the heat. In addition, gooseberry compote effectively relieves swelling.

Strawberry jam without cooking

Strawberries – 1 kg;
Sugar – 1 kg.

Wash and crush the berries, add sugar and mix in a deep bowl. Leave for two to three hours until the sugar dissolves. Place the strawberry mixture into clean, dry, sterilized jars and close the lids tightly. Place the jam in the refrigerator for storage. You will find even more interesting recipes for children at the link /.

Among all the berries, strawberries are one of the most aromatic and delicious. Perhaps none of the overseas fruits can compare with it. Why then do pediatricians advise giving it to children with great caution? Some say from 12 months, others say that babies should not try it until they are two years old.

To be or not to have strawberries in children's diets?

One day in June I happened to hear mothers talking while out for a walk. They discussed baby food, in particular, one of them boasted that her baby loves to eat berries, including strawberries: he eats one and a half servings and asks for more. But another complained of terrible intestinal upset even after a few drops of strawberry juice. I had to take part in their conversation. It turned out that the baby, who reacted to strawberries with a sharp deterioration in his health, both parents are allergic. This is precisely what determines his reaction to the berry.

However, it is not always necessary to focus only on heredity. Sometimes even with a completely healthy mother and father, the child is immune to strawberries, sometimes the reaction is so strong that it is even accompanied by a rise in temperature. How to avoid problems when introducing strawberries into the diet of babies? Follow these guidelines:

the first time, offer the baby not even strawberries, but a couple of drops of juice, see if there is a reaction to it - within two to three days, if there are no manifestations of allergies, the cheeks do not become red and rough, and the stool remains normal, which means you can slowly increase dose;
if the parents themselves are prone to allergies, most likely the child’s body will also not accept this berry in the best way;
Do not offer your baby strawberries before 12 months;
Children who have previously been allergic to other foods should be given this berry from the age of 1.5 years, or even 2 years.

Attention! Sometimes babies perceive berries that have undergone heat treatment better. True, in this case much less vitamins are retained in strawberries.

How can allergies manifest themselves?

Most often, a child’s body’s rejection of strawberries can be judged by the following symptoms:

diarrhea - stool disorder begins suddenly, almost immediately after eating the berries;
urticaria - sometimes appears a few hours after eating strawberries;
attacks of dizziness - usually appear almost immediately after eating berries;
nausea after a while;
sharp pain in the abdomen;
increased sweating;

Sometimes digestive system disorders occur not because of the berry itself, but because of the presence of nitrates in it. Ideally, it would be nice to measure their content in strawberries, but if this is not possible, it is better to buy berries from friends who grow them without the use of chemical fertilizers.

Do you doubt that strawberries are the source of the problem? A skin test will give you the exact answer - contact an allergist and he will make a reliable diagnosis. Hives or diarrhea sometimes occur as a result of eating too much. This is due to the fact that the substances present in strawberries accumulate in the body, and when their content becomes high, symptoms of diathesis appear. The maximum portion is no more than 5–6 berries per day.

Are strawberries healthy?

Without a doubt! This is a valuable berry, surpassing many others in its usefulness. More details about the advantages:

rich in organic acids - in the range of 0.75–1.57%, including oxalic and succinic;
contains a complex of vitamins and, believe me, they are much healthier than those sold in pharmacies - B12, B2, B6, as well as E and ascorbic, phosphoric and folic acids;
in terms of microelements present in it, it can compete with black currants or raspberries - calcium, copper, phosphorus, iron, sodium and, of course, such important substances as potassium and calcium;
it contains many antioxidants;
will give the body energy and strength - has a great effect on its tone;
has a positive effect on brain activity - it receives important nutrients from it;
effective for constipation and intestinal dysfunction;
has a positive effect on digestion and the activity of the genitourinary system;
increases the body's protective ability - it better resists colds and inflammatory diseases.

Of course, you shouldn’t buy strawberries for your baby throughout the year - only in season, only from the garden.

Attention! If your child is significantly overweight, offer him strawberries daily; their energy value is only 37 kcal/100 g.

This berry is also useful for children with anemia. An excellent aid in the fight against staphylococci, pneumococci and other pathogens.

Healthy recipes

With the advent of strawberries, try to include them in your baby’s diet every day. It is advisable to give it mainly fresh - this way it retains more useful substances. The baby won’t get tired of this berry if you prepare a new dish from it every day. We offer a couple of simple recipes:

Strawberry salad in jelly. Ingredients: half a banana and half a kiwi, 5 strawberries (medium size), 1 pack of strawberry jelly. Soak the jelly powder for 10–15 minutes in cold water (see the quantity on the package), then boil and leave to cool. Peel the kiwi and banana, cut the fruit into small pieces. Place them in a bowl, fill with the already setting jelly, place in a cold place - the dish should completely harden. Serve as an afternoon snack or a light dessert for lunch. The recipe is universal; instead of kiwi, you can use orange, raspberries, cherries and any other fruits.
Strawberry pudding. Beat four egg whites with 100 g of sugar, then add a few drops of lemon juice to this mixture. Place the prepared (washed and cut into pieces) strawberries (0.5 kg) in a baking dish, pour in the creamy mixture. Bake for 20–25 minutes at a temperature of about 180? C. Attention! The recipe can be supplemented: a popular option is to add corn flakes or nuts, cinnamon apples or other ingredients. Dessert will only benefit from this.
Strawberry jelly. For 1 liter of water you will need about 500–700 g of strawberries, 100 g of sugar. Use starch as a thickener - 2 tablespoons. Beat the berries with a blender, add water to the bowl, then bring the mixture to a boil - as soon as “bubbles” appear, add sugar, wait 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Pour the starch dissolved in the mug into a saucepan in a thin stream - while constantly stirring the mixture to prevent the formation of lumps.

Strawberries are an excellent topping for yoghurts and an ideal component in fruit salads. It can and should be used to prepare all kinds of mousses, pancakes and other summer delicacies.

Summer is a time of active growth of vegetables and berries. In order for the child to receive vitamins, you need to take advantage of the moment and eat fresh fruits. However, when a baby develops a rash, parents wonder whether they are feeding their child correctly. One of the most delicious and also allergenic summer plants is strawberries. What are its advantages and at what age can a child be given strawberries?

Beneficial features

The fruits have a wonderful taste and are famous for their high content of vitamins. The berries contain vitamins A, C, iron, calcium, folic acid, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Unfortunately, strawberries do not always contain a sufficient number of substances beneficial for children. The berry can only be considered useful during the season, which lasts only three months.
With regular moderate consumption of freshly picked fruits, the benefits of strawberries for children are manifested in:

improving the functioning of the digestive system;
increased appetite;
improving blood composition, strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
strengthening the immune system;
diuretic effect;
quickly quenching thirst;
diaphoretic effects.

In addition, the plant has anti-inflammatory effects and antiseptic properties. Therefore, strawberry jam is used in traditional medicine for colds and inflammatory processes of the nasopharynx. The plant perfectly fights viruses and bacteria such as staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus.

The antioxidants that fruits are rich in help eliminate waste and toxins, have a strengthening function, and reduce the likelihood of getting the flu.

Strawberry allergy

In addition to the benefits, strawberries can have a negative effect on the child. The plant is a fairly powerful allergen. A child's allergy to strawberries manifests itself especially strongly when the child's complementary feeding is incorrect, when unfamiliar foods consumed by adults gradually appear in the diet. Undesirable manifestations may include skin rashes, diarrhea, and vomiting.

In addition to allergic reactions, consumption of berries entails the following risks:

bloating;
pain, spasms;
disruption of the stomach;
disruption of the functioning of all digestive organs.

You need to be careful with imported products. Their appearance compares favorably with strawberries collected from their own garden. Unfortunately, this very appearance indicates that the berries have been processed to preserve them during transportation. The biphenyl contained in the composition has a detrimental effect on human health and is very difficult to wash off. Getting into the still unformed body, the poison causes vomiting, allergies, and weakness of the entire body.

Nitrates also cause serious harm. Their content directly depends on the desire of the manufacturer to exceed production volumes, obtaining maximum profits. To do this, strawberries are fed with nitrogen fertilizers and treated with chemicals. In addition to allergies, eating such foods risks causing headaches and sleep disturbances.

A child needs the highest quality product. This is why it is so important to monitor where the berries come from on the table. The best option is your own garden. Naturally, the lack of processing and aggressive feeding of plants affects the shelf life of strawberries, however, for the baby such food will not only be tasty, but also safe.

At what age can children be given strawberries?

It’s worth starting with the fact that the fruits should not be eaten by a nursing mother. This can provoke serious allergies in a baby from the very beginning of his life. You can try eating the berry until about six months. The baby himself can start eating strawberries only from the age of two. Thus, the risk of skin rashes and other reactions is minimized.

When children reach the age of two, strawberries can be offered in their natural form, but little by little. You should start with half a berry. If during the day the baby does not show any unwanted reactions from the digestive system, then you can feed him a whole berry. During the process of introducing the product, the daily norm can be up to eight whole fruits.

How to add a child to the menu?

As already noted, berries must be introduced gradually. Some parents use a more gentle method using strawberry infusion. To prepare it you will need a handful of fresh strawberries and a quarter liter of hot water. The berries are poured and infused for at least half an hour. Then the composition is filtered and cooled to the required temperature. After the temperature of the drink has decreased and it has acquired the appropriate aroma, you can give it to your child. Once your baby gets used to homemade juice, he will be ready to add fresh pureed berries.

It is recommended to introduce a new product into complementary foods in the morning. This will allow you to carefully monitor all changes in the baby’s condition, which is not always possible to do at night. In addition, if parents feed their child strawberries before bed, they risk experiencing digestive disorders at night. When the risk of allergic reactions is minimized, you can start giving your child berries and feed them more often.

Strawberries will undoubtedly please even the most picky child. Proper use of the product in the diet will give the baby the opportunity not only to enjoy it, but will also benefit the entire body, which is in dire need of vitamins.

An excess of berries will not benefit the child’s body. They must be given to the baby in moderation. Otherwise, due to fermentation in the intestines, strawberries can cause bloating and diarrhea.

An overdose of vitamin C is dangerous, which negatively affects the functioning of the kidneys and the urinary tract.

Only fresh fruits, picked no more than two days ago and not stored in the refrigerator, are suitable for the baby’s sensitive body. High-quality berries have a strong aroma. If there are notes of fermentation or rot in it, then you should not offer such strawberries to your child.

You can also choose good berries based on external features. So, they should be bright red, shiny, and have protruding grains over the entire surface. Fruits with dried tails are often sold in markets. It is definitely not suitable for a baby.

Berry dishes

You can prepare many dishes from the fruits that your baby will like. The best recipes are:

- desserts crushed in a blender;
- pies, dumplings with strawberry filling;
- homemade jelly;

yoghurts;
compote, which has antibacterial properties and has a beneficial effect on the entire oropharynx.

Ideally, any dish contains a sweet berry with the addition of a dairy product. Milk is necessary in order to neutralize allergy-causing components that the plant is so rich in. You can treat kids with cut strawberries, pouring sour cream and cream on top, and treat older children with ice cream with the addition of strawberries.

Unfortunately, the strawberry growing season is short, which gives reason to think about storing the product for the winter. The fruits are preserved in the form of jam, compote, or without cooking, by rubbing the berries with sugar and rolling them into a sterile container. In addition, housewives often simply freeze the berries, preserving most of the vitamins in them. The latter method will not only allow you to obtain a fortified product, but also preserve its taste.

Very soon the sunny, long-awaited summer is the time for fragrant berries, sweet fruits and juicy vegetables. One of the first and most beloved berries is strawberries. Every parent would like to pamper their child with such a fragrant and tasty treat. But caring moms and dads are wondering at what age they can give their child strawberries so that the berry only brings him benefits.

The first strawberries and wild strawberries appear in gardens already during the first weeks of summer. Bright, tasty and aromatic strawberries are very popular with both adults and children. Let's consider at what age you can introduce berries into the children's menu and avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon as a child's allergy to strawberries.

Strawberries, like their close “relative” - garden strawberries, are a real natural storehouse of useful microelements, vitamins and amino acids necessary for normal human life.

What are the beneficial properties of strawberries:

Strawberries and strawberries contain vitamins A, B and C, which are recognized as excellent antioxidants that help eliminate accumulated waste and toxins, as well as help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of influenza.
The fruits contain vital microelements: folic acid, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus.
Excellent for the destruction of viruses and bacteria: streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Strawberry juice is effective for various dental diseases, sore throat and sore throat.
Improves appetite, normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, acts as an effective source of energy, and perfectly quenches thirst.

The latter indicator indicates that strawberries are well absorbed by the child’s stomach, improves intestinal motility and normalizes stool. This list clearly demonstrates that berries are extremely beneficial for the child’s body. But in some cases, the berry can be harmful.

Harmful properties of berries

Eating fresh, juicy strawberries, like garden strawberries, can cause significant harm to the body. The berry contains natural histamine, due to which strawberries are considered a strong allergen.

Even when wild strawberries are well tolerated by the child’s body, their consumption should be strictly dosed. Eating too many berries can lead to:

bloating;
spasms;
pain in the stomach;
digestive disorders.

Of course, all berries consumed by a child must be perfectly clean. Strawberries need to be washed with plenty of running water, preferably several times.

At what month should you start feeding strawberries?

Parents are worried: at what age can children be given fresh strawberry or wild strawberry dishes? Experts are confident that these products should under no circumstances be present in early complementary feeding. The reason for this, as mentioned above, is the high level of a powerful allergen called histamine.

Strawberry histamine can cause skin rashes, itching, and irritation that look like allergies.

But this is not a real allergy, but a so-called pseudo-allergy that disappears on its own.

Mothers are interested in what age is best to introduce berry complementary foods.

Pediatricians are absolutely sure that a month-old baby should under no circumstances be exposed to fruit acids. Strawberries can be given to the baby only after reaching the age of seven months, and even better - after a year.

In the first months after the birth of the child, mothers who are breastfeeding should give up strawberries. After 6-7 months, a breastfeeding mother is allowed to add a few berries little by little to the menu, carefully monitoring the condition of the child’s body.

How to include strawberries in children's menus

It is best to give complementary foods to your baby in the morning. This is important because parents can observe the baby’s behavior throughout the day. You should not feed your baby strawberries in the evening to avoid digestive disorders at night.

If no negative changes occur: the baby is cheerful, eats well, there are no rashes on the skin, digestion is not affected, the number of berries can be increased to two. After some time, you can give your child 6-8 berries.

But even with excellent tolerability, it is important not to overdo it: the maximum permissible daily dose of fresh strawberries should not exceed the volume of the child’s palm. This daily dose is permissible only for children over 1-1.5 years old.

One of the most gentle ways to “introduce” a child to strawberries is to drink delicious and fragrant strawberry water. To prepare it, pour 200 ml of boiling water over a handful of strawberries, leave for 30-40 minutes, then strain and give to the baby to drink. After the child’s body gets used to strawberry water, you can leave a few berries in the drink, lightly rubbing them with a teaspoon.

Strawberries are a tasty and healthy berry, loved by almost all children. Proper introduction of berries into the diet will allow the child to fully enjoy the sweet strawberry taste without harm to health.

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