P:14. Covering the Why, When and How of Introducing Honey for Babies.
Since olden times, honey has doubled up as a wonderful health food as well as a delicious treat. It features prominently in various cultures and is a part of the daily diet of numerous people around the world. It’s popularity and mild flavor might incline you to add it to your baby’s diet too. However, doctors recommend waiting at least until your little one’s first birthday before adding it to their diet. Once it is safe to do so, honey for babies has several health benefits. Read on to learn about the benefits of honey for babies, and ways to introduce it that’ll be best for your little angel!
Benefits of Honey for Babies
This nectar is filled with valuable and healthy properties for little ones, so mummies should make sure to add it to their babies’ diet. Let’s check out a few benefits:
1) Provides relief from coughs
Babies can be very vulnerable to common sicknesses due to seasonal change. Honey can greatly help calm down coughs, as it can soothe your baby’s throat and ease their irritation. If your baby has trouble swallowing, feeding them a spoonful of honey will also certainly help. Consider feeding your little one honey if they are suffering from symptoms of cold like runny nose and mild fever, as it is known to provide relief and fight the infection.
2) Wound healing
Honey has many healing properties and its anti-fungal elements can aid your baby’s recovery from their wounds in a faster and safer manner. Applying honey to any minor scrapes or wounds your little one has unfortunately suffered will help them heal faster. Just like their throat, it soothes the injured skin. It is important to remain mindful of the fact that honey for newborn babies is unsafe, and honey can only help heal wounds once the baby is past the age of 1. Clean the cut or wound with water. Then apply a tiny drop of honey on the affected area and rub gently.
3) Provides energy
Along with being incredibly tasty, the element of fructose in honey gives your babies energy and can keep them alert and sharp in the long run.
4) Contains nutritional value
Honey for babes is not only good to treat wounds and other medicinal benefits. Additionally, honey is good for baby growth and health, as it contains loads of vitamins and minerals. The amino acids and enzymes in honey are also beneficial for your little ones. It is a natural source of multivitamins and therefore helps in developing the bones of your little one.
5) Strengthens the immune system
Honey fuels production of immune cells in the body and plays a vital role in keeping your little one’s immune system strong. It has antioxidants and antibacterial properties, which can do away with bacteria and fight germs. Though adding it makes your baby’s diet nourishing and healthy, honey for infants is unwise and must not be given to a child below the age of 1.
6) Improves digestive system
Although honey has many health benefits, aiding the digestive system is perhaps one of its most commonly known advantages. Feeding honey to your baby can result in a clear digestive tract and regular bowel movement. It also provides relief in case of stomach troubles such as indigestion and constipation.
FAQs
1) When should you introduce honey into your baby’s diet?
Various benefits of honey for babies can be seen, but only after your baby is past the age of 1. Until then, avoid all foods that contain honey, like honey in liquid form, whether raw or mass-produced and baked food that contain honey. Keep an eye on labels of processed foods and make sure that they don’t include honey. In their first few months, babies have an underdeveloped intestine. So, the biggest risk of feeding your little one honey before the age of 1 is that they can get infant botulism. Botulism is contracted by ingesting Clostridium botulinum spores found in honey. When they reach the bowels, these spores can turn into bacteria and produce dangerous neurotoxins in the body.
2) Different ways honey can be added to your baby’s diet.
You can incorporate honey into your baby’s diet slowly and gradually. A good way to do it is by adding a bit to your little one’s favourite foods. You can implement the four-day approach to make sure your baby can tolerate the honey well. This includes giving your child (who is older than 1) honey and then waiting 4 days to see if their body reacts to it. You can add honey for babies to oatmeal, spread it onto toast, squeeze it into smoothies and use it in place of maple syrup to sweeten pancakes.
3) Is pasteurized honey Safe for Babies?
Pasteurizing honey doesn’t do anything to lower the danger of infant botulism. Instead, pasteurization can often wipe out much of the distinctive flavors, aromas and nutrients of the honey. That is why experts strongly advise against honey for newborn babies, whether it is pasteurized or not.
As we can we see above, honey can be incredibly beneficial for your baby, and once it’s safe to start feeding them honey, you’ll be surprised by how quickly it becomes a staple in your baby’s diet!
