Quail eggs are becoming more and more well-liked as a healthy substitute for chicken eggs, providing a distinctive choice for families trying to introduce more variety into their kids’ diets. These little eggs are a great addition to meals because they are a powerful source of vitamins and minerals.
Giving your child access to quail eggs can be a wonderful way to give them important nutrients like iron, protein, and vitamins B12 and D. However, especially if there is a family history of egg allergies, it’s crucial to make sure your child is ready for new foods and to keep an eye out for any possible allergic reactions.
Safety is paramount when it comes to preparing quail eggs for your child. A thorough cooking process will lower the chance of contracting a foodborne illness from the eggs. Quail eggs can be served boiling, scrambling, or incorporated into well-cooked dishes. When your child is 8 to 10 months old, start introducing them to them. As they get older and become more accustomed to new tastes and textures, you can progressively increase the amount.
Quail eggs are a delicious and nutrient-dense food that you can gradually introduce to your child’s diet to help with growth and development. Before introducing new foods, always check with your pediatrician to make sure they are suitable for your child’s specific requirements.
Topic | Details |
Can you give a child quail eggs? | Yes, quail eggs are safe for children and provide valuable nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals. |
How to cook quail eggs for a child? | You can boil them for 2-3 minutes, peel, and mash or chop them before adding to purees or soft foods. |
At what age to introduce quail eggs? | You can start giving quail eggs around 8-9 months old as part of complementary feeding, but always check for potential allergies. |
- Benefits
- Harm and contraindications
- Is there an allergy?
- Can you eat raw?
- From what age can you introduce complementary foods?
- Do you need to use shell powder?
- How to cook?
- Video on the topic
- When to give, how to INTRODUCE the YOLK into complementary feeding for a baby? All about chicken and quail eggs for a child
- Complementary feeding: how to give the yolk to a baby?
- How long to boil quail eggs for a child
- From what age can you give an egg to a child
- Eggs in complementary feeding: how, when and how much can a baby eat them?
Benefits
- Although the weight of a quail egg is not very large (on average it is 10 grams), but such a product is rich in a large number of useful substances. Among them are beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin A, magnesium, sulfur, vitamin D, sodium, B vitamins, potassium and many other compounds. The content of some of them is much higher than that of a chicken egg.
- Like other eggs, quail eggs provide the child"s body with valuable amino acids. They are rich in lysine, cysteine, tryptophan, glutamic and aspartic acid.
- They are noted for their properties to improve digestive function, increase hemoglobin levels, strengthen the nervous system, bones, vision. In addition, the product has the ability to increase the body"s defenses. They are recommended for underweight and frequent illnesses.
- Due to their smaller size, it is more convenient to introduce them into the baby"s diet. Such a product stays fresh longer and is stored well. In addition, children like their colorful appearance and tiny size.
- In a child with an allergy to chicken eggs, introducing quail eggs into the diet may not cause an allergic reaction.
Generally speaking, the advantages of quail and chicken eggs are not significantly different. View Dr. Komarovsky’s video on this subject.
Harm and contraindications
- Since the cost of quail eggs is higher, they can lie in the store longer, so there is a risk of buying a stale old product. You should carefully look at the expiration dates and buy such eggs in trusted places.
- Due to the thin shell and colorful appearance, you may not notice damage and cook a spoiled product for your child. Be sure to inspect the product before cooking and do not buy eggs that are too light or shiny. You can also test them by putting them in water – a fresh egg will sink to the bottom of the container, and a stale one will float on the surface.
- Although quite rare, they can cause allergies and salmonellosis. To prevent these problems, they should be introduced into the child"s diet gradually, and should not be given to the child raw.
Is there an allergy?
One of the characteristics that set quail eggs apart from chicken eggs is their hypoallergenicity due to the presence of ovomucoid, a protein that triggers allergies far less frequently than other proteins. But, allergic reactions can still happen, so you should proceed with the same caution when adding such a product to the baby’s diet as you would with any other new food.
If given to your child at the appropriate age and prepared properly, quail eggs can be a nutrient-dense addition to their diet. Due to their high vitamin and mineral content, parents often begin giving these tiny eggs to their 9–12 month old children as a supplement to other foods. To minimize any risks, such as salmonella, make sure the eggs are fully cooked. Additionally, serve the eggs in small, soft portions to prevent choking. Quail eggs should be introduced gradually to avoid any allergic reactions, just like with any new food.
Can you eat raw?
It is frequently advised to consume them raw because there is virtually no risk of salmonellosis development when eating them as opposed to eggs from domestic chickens. For the following reasons, doctors caution against giving children eggs that have not been heat-treated:
- A child can become infected with another intestinal infection, pullorosis, through quail eggs.
- Raw protein takes longer to digest and can also cause flatulence and upset stomach.
- Many children do not like the taste of raw eggs.
Whether or not to offer a baby a raw quail egg is a decision for the parents to make, but if they do plan to do so, they should take extra care to wash the shell (it needs to be thoroughly cleaned with soap).
From what age can you introduce complementary foods?
A baby who is breastfed can receive a quail egg for the first time at 9 months of age, while a baby who is fed formula can receive one or two months earlier. Keep in mind that we are only discussing the introduction of the yolk.
The child should initially only taste a tiny grain of boiled yolk; if there is no adverse reaction to this product, the amount can be increased to 1/4, then to half, and finally, by the time the child is a year old, to a whole yolk. Crushed yolk is typically added to vegetable dishes or porridge.
The infant can be introduced to protein after a year. This allows you to serve the baby not just hard-boiled eggs but also egg-based omelets, casseroles, pastries, soufflés, and other dishes.
Do you need to use shell powder?
Eggshells from quail are rich in readily absorbed calcium and also contain trace amounts of fluorine, zinc, copper, and other elements. They can be a great source of these nutrients for the child’s body because of their composition.
Quail eggshells in crushed form are suggested for hypovitaminosis, brittle and fragile hair and nails, anemia, and puberty.
After soaking in vinegar for two minutes, rinse the shell under running water and allow it to dry before powdering it. All you have to do is let the shell air dry or bake it at 200 degrees for ten minutes or so. It is then necessary to grind it in a coffee grinder and put it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
This powder is given to older children to drink on an empty stomach, mixed with water and a few drops of lemon juice. For younger children, it is added to food.
For such a product, 1/2 teaspoon per 10 kg of the child’s weight is the ideal daily dosage. Children older than one year old should take the shell powder, ideally after speaking with a physician.
How to cook?
Because quail eggs are small, boiling them doesn’t take long. To achieve hard-boiled eggs, boil them for a mere two to three minutes. Here, it’s important to take into account the following details:
- First, wash them carefully, trying not to damage their fragile shell.
- Do not put them in boiling water, but in cold water, so that they do not burst due to the temperature change.
- For the eggs to boil, the water should cover them completely.
- You can add a pinch of salt to the water, then the risk of cracks on the shell will decrease.
- When the water starts to boil, start timing and cook for no longer than 5 minutes.
- You can take the boiled egg out with a slotted spoon or, after draining the boiling water, pour cold water over it (then peeling will be easier).
A child’s diet can benefit from the inclusion of quail eggs, which are a great source of vitamins and minerals. It’s crucial to introduce them at the appropriate time, though, to prevent any possible allergies or gastrointestinal problems.
Around 7-8 months is when experts usually advise introducing quail eggs. Start with small amounts and observe any reactions. Make sure they’re cooked all the way through to minimize the chance of illness or contamination.
Quail eggs can provide diversity and an extra nutritional boost to your child’s meals as they grow and discover new foods, whether they are hard-boiled, scrambled, or added to other dishes.