Can Your Baby Eat Dried Fruit

Adults usually eat dried fruit as a snack or add to certain foods before serving. Then, what about babies or children, can they consume it too? Dried fruit comes from fresh fruit that has been through the drying process to eliminate the water content contained in it. This type of dried fruit is diverse, including raisins, dates, plums and apricots. The drying process does not change the meat on the fruit and nutrients, so that the fruit remains delicious to eat.

Paying Attention to Children's Readiness

Little can be given dried fruit, when he is ready to eat solid food or eat finger food, which is approximately in infants aged 8 months or 9 months. His readiness can be seen through signs such as when he tries to grab the spoon that other people use to feed food in his own mouth. There are pros and cons regarding the consumption of dried fruit for health. Indeed fresh fruit is still the best choice, however, dried fruit is still considered better than consuming factory-made juices or not eating fruit at all. Dried fruit can be stored for a long time and easily packaged, so it can be enjoyed as a snack wherever located. Certainly it will be more inconvenient when going to eat fresh fruit, especially fruits that have hard skin. In addition, dried fruit also contains fiber to improve intestinal health and reduce cholesterol, and contains many nutrients and antioxidants. It's just that many dried fruit sold in the market often contain preservatives and added sugar which can cause weight gain to increase the risk of diabetes.

How to Safely Give Dried Fruit to Your Little One

Even though your child can already chew food, you should still pay attention and take care of him when he is eating dried fruit. Some types of dried fruit have a sticky texture and are somewhat difficult to chew, thereby increasing the risk of choking when eating it. When you are about to give large, dried fruit, do not give it as a whole. First cut the fruit into small sizes, about the size of a raisin so that your little one can easily eat it and not choke. Dried fruit tends to have a sweet and chewy taste so it can stick to teeth when eating it. If not cleaned immediately, bacteria will multiply in your baby's teeth. And if left for a long time, will make a child's teeth cavities or damaged. To avoid this, make it a habit to clean teeth by brushing teeth, drinking water or gargling after eating. Although Little can be given dried fruit, you should still give fresh fruit to them well. Dried fruit can be used as an option for alternative snacks when he feels bored with fresh fruit.