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You must have noticed that your little one is slowly growing up and has started weaning. You’re certainly breastfeeding your baby to fill him or her up with the initial nutritional requirements. But, when it comes to introducing solid food, feeding your little one with bananas could be your first choice. Bananas for babies are a flavourful and naturally sweet fruit that your little one is going to like.
Now you must be wondering can you give your baby bananas just because they are sweet? No! There are surely several benefits to making your babies eat bananas.
Why Are Bananas Healthy For Your Baby?
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Academy of Paediatrics from the age of 6 months old of your baby you can give mashed bananas along with their regular diet. As your little one starts growing up, you can either give sliced bananas to your little one or add the bananas to other foods. After all bananas are full of nutritional value and can benefit your little one in several ways.
Bananas Have All The Important Nutrients
They are high in carbohydrates, folate, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B.
- The carbohydrates in bananas can fill your little one’s energy requirements.
- The folate content can help in your baby’s brain development.
- The potassium content in bananas looks after the overall growth of your baby’s body.
Bananas Help in Your Baby’s Digestion
Besides the other nutrients bananas are rich in fiber, and fiber is good for your baby’s digestive system later. The soft banana pulp can help in the bowel movement of your baby, thus relieving him or her from constipation or any colic problem.
Bananas Help in Promoting Your Baby’s Bone Health
Since bananas have a valuable amount of calcium and phosphorous, they can help in your baby’s bone development as and when your little one starts growing up.
Bananas Help in Boosting Your Baby’s Immunity
According to research, bananas have a protein known as lectin, which has vitamin C and bioactive compounds such as phenolics, carotenoids, biogenic amines, and phytosterols, that have antioxidants in them and can support your little one’s immune system.
Bananas Can Prevent Your Baby From Choking
Since you’ll be giving mashed bananas to your baby, they are not just easy for your baby to digest, but due to their softness, your baby can easily swallow them and save your little one from choking.
Since your baby is just being introduced to solids, it is always advisable to begin with a limited quantity and gradually increase as the baby shows an appetite for the fruit. Otherwise your little one might develop some sort of sensitivity, allergy, or intolerance toward bananas. Adding to this, you may avoid feeding bananas to your baby at night as it might worsen your little one’s cold and cough. Don’t forget to choose those bananas that are ripe and easy to peel off.
However, if you feel that there’s something about the bananas that your little one doesn’t like and he or she is feeling cranky and irritable, consult your child’s specialist right away.
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