Bananas are a great food for babies, to find out why and how to properly introduce them into their diet? Bananas are great for feeding babies, although it is not recommended to start with it first.
Also, bananas, along with apples, pears, potatoes, and carrots, are one of the first foods commonly introduced into baby food.
This diet should be started from the fifth or sixth month of the baby’s life.
But if you have ever wondered why bananas are on the list of the first foods to start the supplement, these important facts will come in handy.
Why is a banana a good food for babies?
Apart from being nutritious, bananas are easy to digest and very rarely cause allergies, which is good evidence to start with, but far from being their only trump card.
Banana is an excellent source of potassium, protein, and complex carbohydrates, as well as numerous vitamins and minerals.
For example, compared to apples, bananas contain three times more phosphorus, five times more vitamin A and iron, and twice as much as all other vitamins and minerals.
It also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that the body converts to serotonin.
Serotonin is known to relax and boost mood, thus helping to calm the baby even a little.
For nutrition, use ripe bananas that are easier to digest than greens and will not affect the appearance of constipation.
However, we must emphasize that the banana should not be your first choice when you start feeding.
Namely, the banana is quite sweet and very tasty, so some babies know how to reject all the new flavors that they will try after it.
So first let the baby get used to trying new flavors, combine it with apples, pears, and cereals.
What are the benefits of bananas for your baby?
Now that you know about the banana that can be given as a supplement to your baby, let’s see what are the benefits for your baby.
Babies love the sweet taste of bananas
Babies love bananas because they have a naturally sweet, irresistible creamy texture that makes them easy to eat.
Eating raw bananas is really important because all the necessary nutrients and vitamins in the fruit are kept intact.
For example, if we distinguish between other fruits and vegetables that you need to cook first, and only then give them to the baby to consume.
Also, some of the other fruits and vegetables lose some of their nutritional value during cooking.
Bananas are very nutritious for the baby
Bananas are not only delicious food for babies but also perfect for their small growing bodies.
Medium-sized bananas contain about 100 calories and 19 grams of fructose, a simple, natural sugar. Bananas are also a great fruit rich in potassium.
Potassium is a key nutrient for growing babies because it acts as an electrolyte that controls hydration levels and allows oxygen to reach their cells.
Bananas are also rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, B12, fiber, and folate. All of these ingredients are essential vitamins and nutrients that help babies gain healthy weight.
Banana is good for babies because it has a lower risk of allergies
Babies are often prone to food allergies and as soon as mothers ingest solid substances, they must be careful about allergic reactions.
Most cases of allergies are caused by amino acids that are not digestible when it comes to babies.
Bananas are actually great for babies as they contain simple amino acids that are easy to digest. Because of this, there is very little chance of allergies due to the introduction of bananas in meals.
Bananas are easy to digest in babies’ stomachs
Babies’ small stomachs need easily digestible food – and when looking for a light meal, nothing can replace a banana!
The percentage of fat in bananas is zero and it is really easily digestible and hypoallergenic.
Bananas are a great source of carbohydrates, especially when ripe, and most babies can easily eat them.
Make sure the banana is ripe enough because in ripe bananas the pectin starts to break down, softens them, and makes them digestible.
Bananas as we have emphasized are rich in vitamin C, which helps prevent urinary tract infections. Diarrhea and constipation are very common in young babies.
Bananas help control diarrhea and supply the baby with lost nutrients.
Banana puree can help treat constipation in babies because it contains dietary fiber.
This makes it easier for the baby to pass stool and have no stomach problems.
read more: Banana Benefits for our Skin and Beauty
Bananas are a great food for your babies
Bananas are also very useful when you are on the move because they can be easily carried in a bag, backpack or bag, and are additionally protected because they have their own packaging.
This way you can use them whenever you need them.
Also with bananas, you do not need special equipment for feeding babies and food preparation, or even a refrigerator.
Because we all know that bananas are best stored at normal room temperature.
You can mix and match bananas
One of the great things you can do with bananas is to add them to other foods.
For example with foods such as apple, pumpkin, or rice puree so that your baby can expand his range of foods to the taste he already loves.
When should you start introducing bananas to your baby’s diet?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it encourages parents to wait until their baby is between 4 and 6 months old before they start giving them firmer foods like bananas.
Several other health groups strongly encourage parents to wait until the end of that 6-month period before starting to feed their babies bananas.
Of course, it is advisable to talk to a pediatrician first about the ideal time to introduce food and bananas into your baby’s diet.
How to choose and store bananas for babies
When buying bananas you should choose those that have a yellow to yellow-green color, without a lot of black dots. The banana is ready for your baby when most of the green bananas turn yellow and the banana is easily peeled off.
Store bananas at room temperature, as there is no need to refrigerate them.
When you make a banana puree, then you can store it in the fridge or possibly freeze it for another occasion. Keep in mind that bananas will always be blacked out once they are ready.
This is perfectly normal, should not worry you, and is free for your baby to consume.
Conclusion
So, I think you are ready to introduce your baby to one of the healthiest fruits in the world.
Banana in the diet simply can not be avoided, because it is really a great solution for babies. Not only is a fruit rich in potassium, but bananas are great when it comes to lightness and convenience.
Millions of babies around the world love bananas – and hopefully yours too!
Happy eating bananas in the diet of your dear babies.
