Healthy Or Harmful? Foods You Should Never Give To A Baby

WorldExecutivesDigets | Healthy Or Harmful? Foods You Should Never Give To A Baby | Do you know what food you give your child to eat? Below, you will find some dangerous products every parent should avoid giving to a baby or toddler. You may be surprised, but the list is not too long. Most products (prepared appropriately) can be included in a child’s diet from 6 months. Of course, not all at once, but you don’t have to wait for some mythical 10th month to serve tomatoes or eggplants.

Raw Eggs

Eggs can be a source of Salmonella infection. That’s why we don’t give raw eggs to children and take care of hygiene after touching raw eggs. Contrary to popular opinion, Salmonella is not only found on the shell but also inside the egg, in the yolk (although less frequently and in smaller quantities). Therefore, soft-boiled eggs are not recommended for small children.

Raw Meat and Fish

Raw meat and fish (any kind) are a threat to the baby’s health and life. They may be a source of infection with pathogenic bacteria, which may not pose a great threat to an adult (that’s why adults may sometimes eat good quality raw meat) but may be very dangerous for a child. So if you want sushi, make it with baked or boiled fish!

Honey

Honey may contain bacteria and spores of botulinum bacillus. Honey consumption by infants was associated with the risk of developing botulism, i.e. botulinum poisoning. Poisoning can also happen to adults and older children, but it is not as dangerous for them as for infants. Clostridium botulinum bacilli die at high temperatures (above 60 degrees), but it is worth remembering that all specific nutritional values of bee honey are also lost at this temperature. All that’s left is sugar… which is also not suitable for children under a year.

Forest Mushrooms

Why not serve mushrooms? Generally, there are no contraindications to giving an infant mushrooms or cultivated oyster mushrooms. Contrary to popular belief, mushrooms have high nutritional value and are not more difficult to digest than, for example, raw vegetables. 

But wild mushrooms are risky. There is a huge risk of poisoning, a deadly threat to a small organism. Therefore, do not offer your toddler mushroom soup or a bit of sauce with wild mushrooms. It’s not about quantity, because one tiny poisonous mushroom is enough. And just like in the case of honey, the risk of poisoning is the same for a child and an adult. But an adult can survive such poisonings, while the child’s body cannot cope with such a strong toxin.

Wild mushrooms should not be given to children under the age of 12 (some sources say at the age of 10, others say they should not be given to children at all).

Unpasteurized Cow’s Milk 

Dairy products from cow’s milk (yogurt, cottage cheese, buttermilk, butter, cheese) can be served to an infant from the beginning of the diet expansion. Pasteurized cow’s milk may also appear in a baby’s diet in the first year but as an addition to dishes (e.g. in pancakes, milky rice, or pudding). However, cow’s milk should not be given as a beverage to replace mother’s milk or organic baby food, such as a quality baby formula.

Baby foods should also be adapted to the infant’s abilities and served in a safe form. A raw apple, which is certainly suitable for a baby, can be dangerous if given in the wrong form (never give it in chunks; offer a whole apple instead). Overall, when serving any products for your little one, you should be guided by common sense.

Photo by Gabriel Crismariu on Unsplash