Introducing solids and semi-liquid foods into a baby’s diet can be an intense tug-of-war between parents and their babies. Out of the many meal options, parents easily adopt yogurt for babies due to its creamy texture, nutritional value, and extensive health benefits. However, the introduction of yogurt to a baby’s diet is not without its considerations such as; the nutritional advantages, potential risks, and the crucial guidelines for incorporating this dairy delight into an infant’s diet. In this article, we will guide you through these considerations and arm you with enough information to help you navigate this phase.
Nutritional Benefits of Yogurt for Babies
Yogurt offers several nutritional benefits for babies, including:
1. Bone development: Yogurt is rich in calcium, which is essential for the development of strong bones and teeth in growing infants. Every cup of our yogurt contains 100mg of Calcium, and science proposes that toddlers between the ages of 1 to 3 need about 700 to 1,000 mg of calcium daily to enhance their growing bones.
2. Muscle building: Yogurt is a great source of protein, which is necessary for muscle and tissue development.
3. Improved Digestion: Yogurts contain probiotics (live and active cultures) that can help improve their digestion and metabolism. Children are born with a lot of bacteria in their gut microbiome, mostly good bacteria. Probiotics help to clear their gut microbiome of negative bacteria which sometimes causes constipation and indigestion.
4. Supply of vitamins: Ranging from vitamins B6, B12, and C to D, which is highly necessary for a child’s overall growth.
5. Reduction in hunger: Yogurt meals are one of mother’s secrets to keeping babies full and satisfied. The combination of protein and fats in yogurt helps to reduce the frequency of their hunger and keeps them satisfied for a long.
Choosing the Right Yogurt for Your Baby
There are so many yogurt varieties and yogurt for babies on the shelf nowadays that it could be hard to decide what to get started with. However, one of the best ways to decide on what yogurt to use is to look for a product that contains all the above-listed nutrients, you can check the nutritional value on the product packaging for reference. The best Greek yogurts are usually richer and have a very thick consistency.
When introducing yogurt for babies, it is necessary you start with small portions of plain Greek yogurt to enable you to monitor bodily changes and possible allergies. However, regular and Greek yogurts are excellent options, so it’s a matter of what works best for you and your baby.
Also, ensure to see your pediatrician before introducing new meals for your baby.
Recipes for Homemade Baby-Friendly Yogurt Treats
The creamy texture of yogurt makes it convenient to be served solely without any add-ons, and it is also soothing to baby’s teething gums. However as they are growing older, they’ll want to enjoy a more flavorful and yummy meal.
This is why plain Greek yogurt is the most preferred yogurt for babies, it has a neutral flavor that makes it versatile and can be mixed with different ingredients ranging from fruits to nuts. You can combine simple fruits or nuts that your baby is already used to and create a healthy yogurt meal for them.
Here are some yogurt combo ideas you can try for your baby:
- Yogurt mixed with no-sugar-added applesauce
- Yogurt mixed with mashed banana
- Yogurt blended with cooked peas
- Yogurt mixed with mashed avocado
- Yogurt blended with cooked sweet potato and a dash of cinnamon
- Yogurt blended with fruit and water (for consistency) to make a smoothie
- Yogurt mixed with strawberry
- Greek Yogurt Pancake
Avoid adding honey to any of these yogurt meals if the child is less than a year old. You can check with your doctor before you introduce new varieties of yogurt and yogurt combo ideas.
Finally
Yogurt is not just a healthy meal but also a fun meal for babies. You can serve it plain or explore different yogurt topping ideas as allowed by your pediatrician. Your baby will enjoy its creaminess anyway. Need further help in introducing yogurt to your baby? We would love to help, you can send us a message through our contact details.
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