The fruit lemon is well-known for its high vitamin content and zesty taste, but it also has a high acidity level. While adults benefit from lemons, parents frequently wonder if it’s okay to give their kids access to this citrus fruit.
It is best to introduce lemons to your child’s diet gradually. Because their stomachs are more delicate than an adult’s, babies and young children should be offered lemons at appropriate times and in appropriate ways.
This post will go over when it’s appropriate to introduce lemons to kids, how to do it safely, and what to look out for when you feed your kids this tart fruit.
- Benefits
- Harm
- From what age can it be introduced into the diet?
- How to prepare for a 1-year-old child?
- Why the baby does not frown?
- Treatment
- Video on the topic
- What will happen if you give children lemon
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Benefits
- Improves digestion, eliminating dyspepsia, constipation or diarrhea.
- Disinfects the oral cavity.
- Has an anthelmintic effect.
- Helps in the treatment of flu and colds.
- When added to drinks in the summer, it will help quench your thirst and refresh you in hot weather.
Lemons are particularly beneficial for kids with acute viral infections, digestive issues, and hypovitaminosis.
After a child turns one year old, lemon can be added to their diet, but it’s crucial to start small and watch for any allergic reactions or digestive problems. Lemon juice should ideally be combined with water or other foods because the fruit’s acidity can be harsh on developing stomachs. Children can benefit from lemons, including vitamin C, by gradually consuming more while avoiding irritability or discomfort.
Harm
- Although the color of lemons is not bright, these citrus fruits can still cause an allergic reaction.
- Due to the high content of organic acids, eating lemon can have a bad effect on the mucous membranes of the baby"s digestive tract. Lemon is contraindicated in gastritis, cholecystitis, enteritis, pancreatitis and other inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Also, the negative effect of the acids contained in lemon on tooth enamel is noted.
From what age can it be introduced into the diet?
No earlier than eight or ten months of age should you begin introducing lemon to your baby. You can offer both citrus juice and tiny bits of fruit, diluted with water and sweetened with sugar.
Do not introduce any new foods to your baby for three days after the first time he receives a tiny piece of lemon. This will allow you to identify any negative reaction to the fruit in good time. You can keep giving your baby tiny pieces of lemon if he responded well to it, but not every day.
Giving lemon to infants who are allergic should wait until they are at least two years old. If a child has allergies, most pediatricians advise waiting until the child is five years old to introduce lemons to their diet.
How to prepare for a 1-year-old child?
Lemon, in contrast to other fruits, is fed in tiny pieces for complementary feeding. After giving the fruit a thorough wash, seed it.
Why the baby does not frown?
When given the opportunity to try lemon at a young age (9–10 months), many kids eat it quite calmly and without scowling. The underdeveloped receptors on a child’s tongue account for this peculiar behavior observed in parents when their child eats lemon. Some babies do not yet fully experience the acidity of a lemon wedge at this age.
But kids taste sour most of the time. In the video below, you can laugh a little while you see how kids react when they try lemon for the first time.
Treatment
Limonchik provides relief from a wide range of medical conditions:
- With vomiting caused by indigestion or a nervous disorder, You can mix lemon juice (1/2 teaspoon) with natural honey (teaspoon). Such a product will relieve vomiting.
- To reduce the temperature, combine lemon juice (freshly squeezed) and honey, taking each ingredient tablespoon. Dilute them 200 ml of warm water and let"s drink the child 3-4 times during the day.
- If the baby has tonsillitis, let"s drink warm water with lemon (for a glass of water 1-2 hours. spoons of fresh juice) and honey (tablespoon). Also, for sore throat, it is useful to eat lemon fresh and regularly rinse with water with lemon (for 50 ml of water, take 25 ml of lemon juice).
- Restoring water and electrolyte balance during diarrhea can be done with diluted lemon juice. Add a tablespoon of juice, a pinch of sugar and salt to a glass of water. Give this remedy to your baby in small portions.
- To improve appetite and get rid of bad breath, daily consume a teaspoon of the remedy, which is a mixture of grated lemon zest and honey.
Age | How to Introduce Lemon |
6-12 months | Start with a small amount of diluted lemon juice mixed with water or food. |
12-24 months | Offer small pieces of lemon as a taste, but avoid large amounts due to acidity. |
2-3 years | Gradually increase the quantity, but watch for any allergic reactions or digestive discomfort. |
4+ years | Children can have lemon in moderation, including in drinks and meals. |
Children can benefit from lemons, but it’s crucial to introduce them gradually and at the appropriate time. Although lemons are high in vitamin C, which boosts immunity, their acidity can be irritating to young children’s stomachs.
The majority of experts advise against giving lemons to children until they are at least a year old. Even so, it’s best to start small and see how your child responds by mixing it with food or water.
You can progressively increase your child’s diet’s lemon content as they get older. Always keep an eye out for any indications of discomfort or allergies, and if you have any worries, speak with a pediatrician.