Every mother needs to know when and what kind of greens you need to enter in the diet of their child.
Young greens of dill, parsley, arugula is very useful for the child’s body, adds flavor and variety to children’s diet, however, you need to use it with caution, writes the Chronicle.Info with reference to My child.
Almost any leafy greens are a great source of ascorbic acid, is essential for the absorption of iron, a whole range of vitamins, minerals, volatile and essential oils. However, with some herbs we need to be cautious.
Dill and his brother fennel
These two plants are so similar that it is very easy to confuse. Also, if fennel and fennel growing nearby, is their cross-pollination and as a result, hybrid varieties of plants. I must say, nothing wrong with that, because both dill and fennel are extremely useful: for vision – herbs with a high content of beta-carotene. The volatile oils, flavonoids and minerals, dill (like fennel) improves the appetite, helps with flatulence. A good source of calcium, potassium and iron. But be careful – lots of dill lowers blood pressure. As for the fennel, its flavor is not so bright as that of its relative dill, but it was out of fennel seeds is served to all mothers vodichku dill.
After years old are allowed to add a bit of dill while cooking soup, and with 1.5 years in the form of cheese.
Parsley leaves
Starting at 2 years of age, you can add to salads and ready-made meals of fresh parsley leaves. Parsley has a pronounced diuretic and cholagogic properties, due to potassium, parsley normalizes intestinal peristalsis, and essential oils not only increase appetite, but also have antimicrobial action. The combination of ascorbic acid, iron and beta-carotene makes the leaves of parsley is an excellent means to enhance immunity.
Parsley root kiddies to offer is not necessary, because its biological activity is higher than that of the leaves and the child’s body can not cope with them. But add some herbs when cooking the soup can be from 1.5 years of age.
Arugula
This beautiful pot has become in recent years very popular in our latitudes. Slight bitterness of the arugula give the essential oil, among which mustard is a great source of essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-9. Arugula stimulates the appetite, has anti-bacterial properties, normalizes water-salt balance, and according to some protects the stomach lining from irritation. By the way, arugula is very regularly recommended in diabetes because it can lower blood sugar levels. Thanks to the perfect balance of iron and ascorbic acid in arugula helps to maintain normal hemoglobin level.
Arugula raw, such as lettuce, it is recommended to offer children not earlier than after 1.5-2 years.
Basil
A characteristic and intense aroma of Basil leaves provides an abundance of essential oils, which not only increase appetite, but also have antimicrobial properties. These aromatic leaves is recommended to use only raw, because during heat treatment, they lose most of their useful properties. Due to the eugenol and estragole, in the composition of essential oils of Basil, it stimulates mental activity.
Despite all its beneficial qualities, Basil is not recommended for children under 5-6 years of age because it may cause irritation to mucous membranes and even poisoning.
Spinach
Spinach is one of the Champions on the content of folic acid, which is vital for the formation of all cells of a growing child’s body, is important for the regulation of the nervous system, is involved in the process of hematopoiesis and is essential for hair growth. As for iron, which so helped the sailor when Popeye, alas, it turned out that the spinach in it, not so much – it was proved by German researchers in 1937.
Of the downsides of this useful plant – it can cause an allergic reaction. So, take baby soup with spinach, carefully observe the child.
Opinion of pediatricians about the spinach children’s menu is mixed – some are allowed to add to the soup the young leaves in 1.5 years, others insist – no sooner than 2 years.
Green onions
Young onion increases the appetite and helps to combat microbes at the early stage of mastication.
Pediatricians allow a little fresh green onion kiddies after 1.5 years, and in the preparation of soup it is possible even earlier in the year.
General rules of cooking greens for a child:
1. Best suited for children young greens during its natural growth, and not grown in greenhouses.
2. Any greens should be carefully washed, and then soak in cold water for 10-15 minutes to reduce the number of possible nitrates.
3. Raw retains more nutrients, particularly of vitamin C, but brief heat treatment makes the greens more secure.
4. To enter any greens you need to gradually, in small amount, watching the reaction of the body.
