Although garlic is well known for its many health benefits, parents frequently wonder when it’s okay to give their kids this strongly flavored food. The best time to introduce garlic to children depends on a number of variables, such as their digestive system and their level of comfort with new foods.
Garlic has been utilized for many years to strengthen immunity and ward against illnesses, so it makes sense to feed your child garlic. Little ones’ stomachs are more delicate, though, and strong foods like garlic can occasionally make them uncomfortable or react negatively.
It’s critical to know when and how to give your child garlic in order to ensure that they receive the health benefits without experiencing any unintended side effects. Knowing how to prepare it so that it is simple for them to digest is also beneficial.
- Benefit
- Disadvantages
- From what age can it be introduced into complementary foods?
- In what form to give?
- Recipes for delicious dishes
- Komarovsky"s opinion
- Video on the topic
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Benefit
- Rich in microelements, phytoncides, vitamins C, D, B-groups, and, phytosterins and many other valuable compounds.
- It is called a natural antibiotic for its bactericidal properties. Moreover, it does not inhibit the intestinal microflora.
- It has the property of strengthening the immune system, so it is popular for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections.
- Consumption stimulates appetite, so it is recommended to add it to dishes for thin children.
- Traditional medicine recommends the use of this vegetable crop for the treatment of fever, worms, rickets, suppuration, tuberculosis. But most often, garlic is used to treat runny nose, cough and other symptoms of colds.
- Its juice helps to eliminate itching of the skin from insect bites, herpes rashes and warts.
The video will teach you more about the benefits of garlic.
Disadvantages
- It is quite heavy for the stomach, so it is not given to young children.
- It has the property of irritating the mucous membranes, which is why it is prohibited for gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases.
- An allergic reaction is possible, manifested by itching of the skin, rashes on the body, swelling of the face or respiratory tract, decreased pressure. Allergies are possible not only to the use of such a vegetable, but even to the inhalation of its vapors.
- Some children do not like the taste and smell of this vegetable.
- Excessive consumption of this vegetable leads to heartburn and abdominal pain.
- Garlic is contraindicated in case of high body temperature (above +38°C), kidney disease, excess weight and epilepsy.
From what age can it be introduced into complementary foods?
When combined with fresh vegetables, heat-treated garlic can be added to a child’s diet as early as 8 to 9 months and should be avoided until the child is at least 3 years old.
After one year old, children can be introduced to garlic, but it should be done so gradually and in small doses because some children may find the strong flavor too much for them or have mild gastrointestinal problems. To lessen the potency of the garlic, always cook it completely; if in doubt, speak with a pediatrician.
In what form to give?
It is added to soups and vegetable purees for children under one year old, starting with a small piece and working up to 1/2 clove per day. It can also be found in meat-based recipes. It is advised to add it to the kids’ menu no more than twice every week.
For kids aged three to four, add fresh garlic to salads, meat, cheese, or egg snacks. It can be applied to bread as well. At the same time, no more than one clove of raw garlic should be consumed daily by kids this age, and three to five times a week is the ideal frequency of consumption.
You can increase the amount of cloves to three or four per day if you are ten years old or older.
Recipes for delicious dishes
Garlic can be used to make the following dishes:
- Cheese snack. Grate 100 g of cheese on a fine grater, add a finely grated clove of garlic and mix, seasoning with a tablespoon of sour cream. Such a snack is delicious both as a separate dish and as a spread on bread.
- Vegetable salad. Chop one tomato, bell pepper and cucumber, add diced feta cheese (50-100 g) to them. Squeeze the juice from one clove of garlic, mix with olive oil and season the salad.
- Toasts. Cut black bread into slices and fry in a dry frying pan or in a toaster. While the bread is hot, rub it with a cut clove of garlic and sprinkle with hard cheese.
- Butter. Peel and finely grate the garlic, chop dill or parsley. Mix everything with softened butter. Such butter is spread on bread.
See how to cook garlic for a kid with the leftover cucumber brine in the following video.
Komarovsky"s opinion
According to a well-known pediatrician, garlic’s psychological effects on the health of the child’s relatives outweigh its preventive effects.
While Komarovsky acknowledges that keeping a vegetable like this in a child’s room can help ward off colds, the well-known pediatrician says that once the illness has set in, the vegetable will no longer be effective.
Age | Recommendations |
6-8 months | Introduce in small amounts, cooked garlic only, mixed with other foods like purees. |
12 months+ | Small amounts of raw garlic can be given, but monitor for any digestive issues or allergies. |
2 years+ | Children can start eating garlic in regular meals, but avoid giving it in large amounts. |
A child’s diet can benefit from the inclusion of garlic, but it’s crucial to introduce it gradually and at the appropriate age. The majority of experts advise delaying giving small amounts of cooked garlic to a child until they are approximately 8 to 10 months old. This lessens the chance of any gastrointestinal problems or reactions.
Start with a small amount of garlic mixed into other foods when adding it, and keep an eye out for any sensitivity or allergic reactions. You can gradually increase the quantity if there are no issues.
As kids get older, they can savor the flavor and health benefits of garlic in a variety of meals. But moderation is the key, and young palates may find raw garlic too strong, so it should be given with caution.