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Strawberry time – one of the most beautiful times of the year! The scent of the delicious berries is in the air and captivates us all. Since the strawberry season usually only lasts a couple of months per year, depending on where you live, you want to enjoy the precious strawberries all the more with your loved ones. Strawberries are especially popular among children. This brings up the question: are strawberries good for babies and toddlers? How many strawberries can a toddler eat? Are strawberries and sore bottoms related? Find the answers and more in this article!
Can my baby eat strawberries?
Yes, babies are allowed to eat strawberries! It is even recommended, as they contain valuable nutrients for your child’s healthy development. Basically, it is advised to start with strawberries from the complementary feeding age. At the age of about 6 months, you should ideally give them to your baby in whole pieces or in larger halves. From around 9 months of age, you can chop and dice the pieces, which will help your baby to practice fine motor skills with their hands – win win!
Are strawberries good for babies?
Strawberries are full of vitamins and minerals! A good handful of strawberries (100g) contains 57mg of vitamin C. A vital vitamin that protects against cardiovascular disease, strengthens the immune system, scavenges and neutralises free radicals, strengthens connective tissue, protects blood vessels, contributes to the healthy formation of teeth and bones, improves calcium and iron absorption and much more!
The daily requirement of vitamin C for infants and children up to under 4 years of age is 20 mg per day. For adult women, the requirement is 95 mg, for pregnant women 105 mg per day and for breastfeeding women 125 mg per day.
Besides plenty of vitamin C, strawberries also contain potassium, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, fibre and B vitamins. They are therefore part of a healthy and balanced diet. A local superfood!
Organic strawberries are best, as they have a higher nutrient content (e.g. of secondary plant substances such as antioxidants) and at the same time contain fewer harmful substances. Conventional strawberries are often heavily contaminated with pesticides. Especially those that are offered out of season, as they are treated more intensively with pesticides due to long transport routes. Therefore, always prefer regional strawberries and buy organic whenever possible.
Since strawberries consist of 90% water, they are also ideal in summer to cover the daily water requirement in a delicious way.
How many strawberries can my baby eat?
As strawberries are quite acidic, it is advisable to start with small amounts and test how your baby reacts to them. Avoid giving large quantities of strawberries at once. Especially when your baby eats strawberries for the first time, allergic reactions are not uncommon as their digestive system has to get used to the new food. A mild reaction does not necessarily indicate an allergy, but may just be a (temporary) intolerance. In this case, give your baby a short strawberry break. Make sure that you always give your baby washed strawberries, because pesticide residues and pesticides can also lead to skin reactions or intolerances.
Do strawberries give babies sore bottoms?
Sore bottoms can be caused by many factors. For example, it is often the case that a sore bottom develops, especially when starting complementary foods. The digestive system has to adjust to the new food, which can lead to diarrhoea more often. Strawberries themselves are not the direct cause of sore bottoms. However, their high acid content is. Despite their sweet taste, strawberries contain many different acids, most of which are citric acid.
There are about 870 mg of citric acid in 100g of strawberries, which is close to the citric acid content of a grapefruit.
Acidic foods can lead to acidic urine and stool, which is not very pleasant for the baby’s tender bottom. The skin barrier is damaged and can thus become inflamed and sore. However, acidic fruit should not be avoided for this reason, because the infant’s digestive tract is still developing and will therefore develop the ability to digest acidic fruit without problems over time.
Acids as such aren’t bad either. For example, strawberries contain a lot of ascorbic acid, which is also known as vitamin C. Vitamin C, as mentioned above, is a vital vitamin for health. It is also important to note that although strawberries are considered “acidic”, they categorically belong to the “alkaline” foods. A distinction is made here between alkaline and acidic foods, not based on their actual acidity, but on their pH value. A balanced acid-base balance is essential for a healthy body.
Tips for babies with sensitive stomachs
- Babies and toddlers with sensitive stomachs should rather eat fruits with a low fruit acid content, e.g. pears.
- If you still want to offer your baby other fruits, you can steam them lightly, as the fruit acid is partially dissolved in the cooking water and removed during cooking. This makes the fruit more digestible. In the long term, however, it should be eaten raw so that valuable, heat-sensitive nutrients are not lost.
- The riper the fruit, the less fruit acid it contains, because more fructose is formed and acid is neutralised during the ripening process. Therefore, let fruit ripen for a few days at room temperature before giving it to your baby.
- Always wash fruit before eating and choose organic fruit whenever possible to avoid irritants.
Strawberries during pregnancy?
Strawberries contain a lot of folic acid, which is especially good for pregnant women. Folic acid has a blood-forming effect, supports the reproduction of genetic material, prevents malformations in the embryo and supports the growth of the placenta. Strawberries are therefore highly recommended during pregnancy!
Conclusion
Strawberries are full of valuable nutrients for the healthy development of your baby, but should be used with caution, especially in the beginning. Due to their high acidity, strawberries can cause a sore bottom if your baby’s digestion is not yet attuned to the acids or if allergies are known. So test it out slowly and share the joy and benefits of the delicious berries – even during pregnancy!