Jam for Babies: Can a baby eat Strawberry Jam?

Strawberries are one of the tastiest and irresistible fruits. Strawberry jam is made from strawberry and your little one would love the taste. As a parent, you might wonder “can a baby eat strawberry jam because there’s no doubt that your baby would love the flavor. It has been recommended that babies are not introduced to solid food till 6 months of age. Yes, a baby can eat strawberry jam but it should only be given to a baby from 12 months of age. Ensure you monitor your baby while eating strawberry jam because, although strawberry has so many nutritional benefits, it can cause allergic reactions for some babies. It is also important to note the history of allergies in your family so you would not put your baby at risk of a severe complication. Strawberry has so many benefits, below are a few benefits your baby would get from eating a strawberry.

Benefits of strawberry for babies

1.         Boosts immunity

Strawberry is rich in Vitamin C which improves your baby’s immune system, health issues like anaemia, influenza, etc. can be caused due to a poor immune system, but with the help of the vitamin C present in strawberry, your baby’s immune system becomes strong enough to fight against these health issues and this boosts the immunity of your little one.

2.         Essential nutrients

Strawberry contains essential nutrients that your baby needs for healthy development. Strawberry is rich in calcium and phosphorous, which aids the healthy development of your little one’s nerves, heart and muscles. It also aids the proper digestion of food in your baby’s body.

3.         Maintains the healthy development of the brain

As a parent, it would be a great delight to see your child intelligent and smart. Instead of giving your baby supplements to boost their brain development, you can give your baby strawberry which is rich in folic acid, a nutrient responsible for the proper development of your baby’s brain.

4.         Prevents bad cholesterol

Strawberry is rich in phytonutrients, ellagic acids and likeflavonoides which prevents your baby from having bad cholesterol. It also prevents any heart-related issues that your little one may have.

5.         Improves digestion

A baby who has a deficiency in fibre can have gastrointestinal issues like diarrhoea, constipation, etc. Strawberry is a good source of fibre which helps in the proper digestion of your baby’s food and prevents your baby from making a fuss due to stomach upset.

When feeding your baby strawberry, some side effects should be put into consideration so you do not expose your little one to severe complications. Below are a few side effects of feeding strawberry to your baby.

Side effects of strawberry for babies

1.         Allergic reactions

Some babies are allergic to strawberry. It is important to understand this before introducing strawberries to your little one. Ensure you consult your paediatrician if you have a case of allergy in your family due to the intake of strawberry before giving your baby strawberries to eat. Although allergic reactions like swelling of the face, tongue or throat and rashes of the skin caused by the intake of strawberry can be treated, it is advisable to prevent it from happening.

2.         Choking

Babies are still learning to chew and don’t know they are to bite and swallow in bits. So, your baby might gulp the strawberry down without chewing and might eventually choke on it. It is important to cut the strawberry into smaller pieces and also monitor your baby while eating the strawberry to avoid a choking hazard. Strawberry jam that contains lumps of strawberry can also lead to choking hazard. So, ensure you blend the strawberry into a smooth puree before making the strawberry jam.

Homemade strawberry jam for babies

Homemade strawberry jam is great for your baby since it is preservative-free and doesn’t have any additional artificial flavours and colours. Below is a step by step guide on how to make strawberry jam for your baby.

Ingredients

• Strawberries- 20 pieces
• Lemon Juice- 2 tsp.
• Brown sugar / Jaggery powder ½ cup

Method

• Wash strawberries under running water, remove the stem from the strawberries and chop them into tiny pieces
• Put the chopped strawberries in a blender and puree until it gets smooth.
• Transfer the pureed strawberry into a saucepan and add either the sugar or the jiggery powder.
• Stir the mixture well then add lemon juice before you continue to stir the mixture in the saucepan
• Keep stirring the mixture for 10-15 minutes till it has a jam-like consistency.
• Keep the flame on the saucepan low to avoid the mixture burning at the bottom.
• Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool down before transferring it into a jar

Ensure you use a clean jar while storing your jam to avoid exposing your little one to germs. Keep the homemade jam refrigerated and consume within a month.

Nutritional value of Strawberries

Can a baby eat Strawberry Jam?

Strawberries have a lot of nutritional benefits and babies can hardly resist the flavor of a strawberry jam. Parents have been advised to give a baby any food or product that contains strawberry, including strawberry jam from 12 months of age. The above benefits are some of the benefits your little one would get from taking strawberries.

Ensure you monitor your baby while eating strawberry jam and also ensure that the strawberry jam does not have any strawberry lump in it to be sure your baby does not choke or have any allergic reactions due to the intake of strawberry. It is important to brush the teeth of your little one properly to remove any stain of the strawberry jam so your little one does not have teeth related issues. Ensure you contact your pediatrician immediately if you notice any sign of allergy in your baby after the intake of strawberry jam.