Can a cucumber be eaten by a 9 month old baby? We give cucumbers to the child on time and in the right quantity

Every mother really wants to diversify her baby's diet and from time to time offers the child new products. It is important that the nutrition system of a growing organism is filled with all the vitamins and useful elements. With the onset of summer, cucumbers are among the first to begin to ripen, which you just want to offer your baby.

Why do children need to eat cucumbers and what are their benefits

Cucumber is an extremely healthy vegetable, which consists of almost 96 percent water, in which beneficial trace elements are dissolved. Cucumber can not harm the baby, because it belongs to the class of hypoallergenic products and does not cause food intolerance. Rather, on the contrary, the vegetable helps to improve metabolic processes in the human body, for example, it helps to best absorb animal proteins. It is for this reason that cucumbers go well with fish or meat dishes.

Cucumber pulp contains a large amount of fiber, and also contains essential oils, which greatly improves the child's appetite and improves the digestive process. Although the cucumber does not contain a wide range of vitamins, it contains a number of useful elements: iodine, sulfur, magnesium, potassium, etc.

Such a nutrient as a cucumber is extremely useful, especially for babies, since each enzyme in its composition contributes to the normalization of many processes in the child's body. So, for example, silicon is the main component for the health of the nail plates, hair, and bones.. Its deficiency in the body of a child leads to complex painful processes: hair loss, frequent fractures, joint pain, and so on.

Potassium, which is also found in cucumber pulp, is an equally useful and important component. baby food. It performs a regulatory function in the water-salt metabolism of the body of not only a child, but also adults. This regulation allows the organs and systems of the body to work fully, performing the appropriate tasks.

Sulfur, as a component of the body, is responsible for the regulation of metabolic processes, maintaining the homeostatic balance of all systems. Sulfur affects the immune system, strengthening it and toning it, contributes to better formation nervous system baby, and is also responsible for the formation of a muscular corset that performs a shock-absorbing function.

Iodine is also important for the baby, taking not the last place in the regulation of processes. He is involved in the formation immune system, a system of neural connections, and also contributes to intellectual development. Scientists have proven that the lack of iodine in the child's body leads to disruption and inhibition of the intellectual functions of the brain.

At what age and how to give cucumbers to children

It can be answered unequivocally that children can and should even eat cucumbers as food, but the age at which a baby can begin to get acquainted with a vegetable is slightly blurred.

Doctor's opinion: it is best to start giving your child cucumbers from the age of one, since the product contains a large amount of fiber, and it can cause colic. The body of a baby up to a year is not yet able to process everything in a row, for this reason one should be extremely careful and selective.

However, if the child is already coping well enough with solid food, then the cucumber will not hurt at all. The fact is that this vegetable prevents the occurrence of allergies and food intolerance, for this reason pediatricians advise starting feeding the baby with zucchini, which are relatives of cucumbers.

It is best to give fresh cucumbers to children, since salinity in early age It's better not to use it at all. Up to a year, a cucumber can be chopped in a blender and cucumber puree can be made. Older children will not only be tasty and healthy, but also interesting to try crunching a fresh cucumber. It is worth peeling only vegetables that were bought, and as for self-grown cucumbers, it is enough just to rinse them well under running water.

Subsequently, you can start using cucumber as the basis for a salad, adding more and more new ingredients to it every month. However, it must be remembered that the combination of cucumbers and tomatoes is heavy food for the children's stomach, for this reason, the tomato is introduced into the diet of small children last.

Contraindications for use

Avoiding the use of cucumbers is only for those children who have serious chronic diseases of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. It is also undesirable to eat cucumbers for nursing mothers, since some of the enzymes that are present in the pulp of the cucumber, getting into the milk, adversely affect the condition of the child. In particular, we are talking about poorly digestible components, such as fiber.

Cucumbers are a healthy vegetable that will not harm the baby, but will only strengthen his health and stimulate the body to full and proper development. Consume these vegetables childhood You can, but everything should be in moderation.

A seven-month-old child once tasted a piece of pickled cucumber and now, if he sees a cucumber, he demands, sobbing. What to do? Is it possible to give occasionally a small piece? Does this mean that the child lacks something in the body?

Responsible

Seven-month-old children do not try anything on their own - adults give food to seven-month-old children, and then they try to explain the consequences by saying that he, they say, is to blame. So, you see, your seven-month-old child will begin to try, for example, pills. This is generally very important in terms of pedagogy - so that the child never puts anything in his mouth without the permission of adults. It is clear that nothing bad will happen to the child from a small piece of pickled cucumber. And if the use of this piece does not cause any health problems, then once a day, sobbing requirements can be quite satisfied. However, you should know that usually children of the first two years of life react badly enough to excess salt, so salty foods are contraindicated for them. Thus, it is sometimes possible to give a small piece, but remember that sobs do not indicate a lack of something in the body. Apparently, the child just likes this specific taste.

All parents are well aware of how healthy fruits and vegetables are for children. At the same time, not everyone has a clear idea of ​​the age at which it is recommended to introduce these products into the diet. Ignorance of the features of their use can provoke a whole set of various problems.


Useful properties of vegetables

Despite the fact that cucumbers are 95% water, they can have a beneficial effect on health. One of the undeniable advantages is the low caloric content, which allows it to be used with a wide variety of diets. Also, thanks to this, it becomes possible to use a vegetable to cleanse the body of various toxins, as well as quench thirst.

The use of cucumbers is also useful because of their low content of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The introduction of this vegetable into the diet due to the content of unique fibers allows for a short period of time to normalize the work of the intestines. The composition of cucumbers includes vitamins of group B, E. PP, iodine, as well as ascorbic acid. Due to the significant amount of potassium, which is part of the vegetable, it is provided full time job kidneys and heart.

Eating a vegetable has a positive effect on the condition of hair and skin, and also helps to improve the body's defenses.


Contraindications

It is not recommended to use cucumbers out of season, that is, greenhouse, and even more so imported. It is highly likely that they were treated with chemicals to ensure their safety, which can provoke severe poisoning and allergic reactions.

Eating a vegetable is not recommended for those who experience problems with the full functioning of the stomach, in particular, there is elevated level acidity. If we are talking about the use of cucumbers in season, and they were grown independently, it is necessary to peel and cut off the tips of the fruit. According to experts, it is in these places that the greatest amount of harmful substances accumulate.

Another contraindication is individual intolerance. If it is a question of feeding a child this vegetable for the first time, you must offer him a small piece of cucumber and wait for several hours. In the absence of negative manifestations in the future, you can use the product without any fear.


At what age to introduce into the diet?

Many mothers strive to transfer the child to the so-called adult food as soon as possible. That is why they try to diversify the child's diet with fruits and vegetables for the shortest possible period. In their opinion, they are completely safe and also useful, which means that there should be no restrictions. In fact, complementary foods will be useful only if you know a number of features.

  • Many mothers can boast that their child has been eating cucumbers since 8 or 9 months, which is quite a risky business. In no case should a cucumber act as a vegetable, which is one of the first to be introduced into complementary foods.


  • Despite the fact that the cucumber has a huge number of useful qualities, it is recommended to use it as a complementary food only after the child reaches the age of one. You can take risks and experiment with food earlier, but you need to be prepared for the appearance of colic. It should be noted that we are talking only about fresh cucumbers.
  • As for salted and pickled products, since vinegar and salt are used for their preparation, such food is generally undesirable for children to eat. It is important to note the absence in such cucumbers required amount useful substances. Therefore, pediatricians and nutritionists recommend introducing various pickles into the child's diet after they reach at least three years of age.


Could there be an allergy?

Cucumber, like any food product, may not be tolerated by the body of a child. Despite the fact that many nutritionists constantly focus on the hypoallergenicity of a vegetable, although rarely, negative manifestations can still occur. There is a high risk of negative consequences if even before that the baby had an individual intolerance to a particular product.

Expert observations indicate that the recent times just cucumber very often acts as a factor that can cause complex allergic reactions. Usually negative consequences are caused by:

  • vegetables that have managed to absorb harmful substances from the soil;
  • leaves, as well as plant stems;
  • pollen (especially true if the cucumber was not washed properly under warm running water).

The main manifestation of an allergy in such a case is the appearance of a rash around the mouth (many parents think that this is a symptom of a certain childhood infectious disease). As additional features may perform:

  • development of stomatitis;
  • sore throat and sore throat;
  • discomfort on the tongue and in the gum area;
  • nausea (in more rare cases, vomiting may occur);
  • active lacrimation;
  • redness of the eyes and swelling of the eyelids.



In the presence of at least half of the listed manifestations, it is necessary to immediately seek qualified medical help, since there is a significant risk to the health and life of the child. In order to exclude negative reactions, it is necessary to initially talk with your parents, as well as with the parents of the father (mother) of the child in order to determine whether the children had similar manifestations in the family. Such reactions are extremely rare in adults, but are common among children under five years of age.

Very rarely, an allergy of this type is manifested by rashes (the exception is vegetables actively fertilized with pesticides). Most often, we are talking about discomfort in the abdomen, which intensify from time to time (the most important thing is that there is no temperature, as this may indicate more serious problems). If such a situation is observed, it is worth postponing such an acquaintance to a later date.


Not the last role is played by right choice vegetable to be introduced into the child's diet. Soil varieties are considered the most useful. For a baby, it is worth choosing dense cucumbers, which are distinguished by a rich color (moreover, it should be uniform, which indicates cultivation without the use of additional chemicals), as well as matte skin. In no case should you give your child cucumbers that have the following flaws:

  • cracks;
  • spots;
  • bruising;
  • overly soft.

In addition to the fact that the storage process of vegetables has been disrupted, there is a significant likelihood of dirt or substances from the environment favorable for the reproduction of microorganisms being introduced into the fruit. Often just such products become the main cause of the fermentation process in the intestines and, as a result, cause a feeling of discomfort. In large and overripe fruits, the degree of concentration of various substances is much higher than in ordinary ones. This means that the risk of an allergic reaction also increases rapidly.

Special attention deserves the manifestation of food allergies when eating salted and pickled cucumbers. The most common symptoms include:

  • frequent loose (sometimes watery) stools;
  • swelling;
  • excessive thirst, accompanied by drying of the mucous membranes;
  • rashes (especially on the arms and legs).

Such manifestations also act as a signal for seeking qualified medical help.


Young parents should remember that the effectiveness and safety of complementary foods, for example, for a 10-month-old baby, directly depend on how it is organized.

In no case should two new foods be introduced into the diet at the same time, since in the case of negative manifestations, it will not be easy to determine the root cause. It's believed that New Product will be well absorbed only if the child is given it at the same time as the already familiar food. For example, an apple can be offered along with a cucumber, as the former helps the food to be digested more efficiently.


Thus, the organization of complementary foods for a child, in particular, the introduction of new products into the diet, is a rather complex and responsible undertaking. To ensure its effectiveness and safety, it is necessary to approach as responsibly as possible both the individual characteristics of the child's body and the choice of products to be used.

You will learn more about the beneficial properties of cucumber in the following video.


  • This vegetable is rich not only in water, but also in mineral salts of iodine, potassium, silicon, sulfur, enzymes, fructose, essential oils, as well as vitamin C and carotene.
  • Fresh cucumber juice is noted for its ability to destroy certain types of bacteria, including staphylococci.
  • Cucumber is classified as a hypoallergenic vegetable.
  • Grated cucumber or fresh juice from this vegetable has mild laxative properties.

Cucumber has many health benefits and tastes good for kids


  • Fresh cucumbers on the menu of nursing mothers can cause digestive problems in babies.
  • Cucumbers should not be consumed by children who have chronic diseases of the digestive system and kidneys.
  • The baby may choke on a small piece of cucumber, as it is slippery and smooth. This is especially true for salted vegetables.
  • In a vegetable bought in a store or on the market, there may be great content nitrates.
  • The use of such a vegetable in a pickled form can cause diarrhea, swelling, severe thirst and a rash in the baby.

What is the best age to give?

Cucumber is recommended to be introduced as complementary foods after a year. Earlier exposure to this product may lead to colic.

The benefits of pickled and pickled cucumbers for the child's body are much less than fresh ones, since vinegar and salt are used in their preparation, and there are almost no vitamins and other useful substances left in them after processing. And although children often really like such products, they should not be given until the age of 2-3 years. Some doctors recommend introducing a child to pickled and pickled vegetables at the age of 5.

Always remember that pickled and pickled cucumbers lose almost all of their beneficial features Introduction to the diet

After giving a one-year-old toddler a small piece of cucumber, follow the reaction to this product. If the child has discomfort or pain in the abdomen, postpone acquaintance with cucumbers until a later period.


In what form can it be given?

Fresh cucumber should be peeled and then given to the child whole or grated. If the cucumber that you are going to give to the child is grown in your garden, you can not remove the skin - just wash the fruit well.

Also, cucumbers can be offered to one-year-old children in the form of different salads, dressing vegetable oil. You can offer your child a salad of cucumber and boiled egg, seasoned with sour cream. Since the combination of cucumbers and tomatoes in a salad puts a strain on the baby's digestive tract, it is recommended to give such dishes to older children.

After the first feeding with cucumbers and the absence of a negative reaction, they can be combined with other products already introduced into complementary foods. How to choose the right cucumber?

For baby food, it is best to purchase ground cucumber varieties. Choose dense cucumbers for your baby with a rich color and matte skin. Do not buy fruits that are bruised, cracked, or stained. Excessively large (overripe) vegetables are also not suitable for feeding children.

Summer pleases us not only with warm days and the opportunity to swim as much as you like. Almost from the very first days, greens first appear on sale, and then vegetables, which allow you to stock up on vitamins for the coming winter. And one of my favorite summer foods is green, crunchy, pimply fresh cucumbers. You can cook delicious and nutritious salads from them, or you can just crunch in the heat when you don’t really want to eat. And cucumbers perfectly quench thirst and hunger, make up for the lack of certain substances.


Many mothers, guided by the desire to pamper their baby with healthy yummy, try to feed their children with cucumbers. But how harmless is this desire? At what age can children still be given this vegetable? And is it possible for kids to pickle, so loved by many of us? Despite the fact that cucumbers are one of the most delicious and healthy vegetables, there are some restrictions in their consumption. It is worth knowing and observing them so as not to harm the young body (especially when it comes to pickles).

Such a useful cucumber

We know from childhood that eating cucumbers is good for digestion, because they contain fiber. And on our own experience, we managed to make sure that they perfectly quench their thirst in the heat and are quite satisfying. But the benefits of vegetables are not limited to this. Cucumbers contain a considerable amount of useful substances:

  • vitamin C, so necessary for immunity;
  • potassium (useful for the cardiovascular and nervous systems);
  • sulfur is also necessary for the nervous system, improves metabolism, strengthens the immune system;
  • silicon is needed for nails, hair, skin;
  • iodine is an essential element for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, and therefore for the protection of the whole organism;
  • carotene - serves to prevent cancer, is good for the skin and vision.

And all this benefit can be obtained from an ordinary cucumber, if you give your child to eat it sometimes. But still, it is worth following the recommendations of experts on the age at which this vegetable can be introduced into the diet of children, since too early use can be simply harmful.


How to feed children cucumbers?

Many experts do not recommend giving cucumbers to babies until they reach the age of one. This happens due to the fact that the stomach of young children is still too weak to digest such food, and the child may begin colic and increased gas formation.

There is an opinion that it is possible to introduce cucumbers into complementary foods from the age of six months in order to develop motor skills and chewing skills, massage the gums. But still, for such purposes, you can give the child special toys, and experimenting with children's digestion in this way is not worth it.

Naturally, like any new product, cucumbers should be carefully introduced into the diet of a one-year-old child, carefully monitoring his reaction. If nothing unpleasant has happened, then you can safely feed the baby with this tasty and healthy vegetable. To begin with, it is worth grinding the pulp into porridge. And only when the child grows up a little, you can give him a whole cucumber, previously peeled. It will also be possible to make cucumber-based salads, but season them not with sour cream, but with vegetable oil. Try to avoid salt. Many experts believe that until the age of three, this seasoning should not be present in the children's menu.

Here are some simple and tasty salads that you can safely give to your child.

  1. Mix cucumber, boiled egg, a little dill and oil. All ingredients should be finely chopped, but it is better to grind them on a grater. When the child grows up, the butter can be replaced with sour cream or natural yogurt. This salad can be a great meal replacement.
  2. You can make a salad with the addition of boiled chicken meat or grated cheese, carrots, bell peppers.

In general, cucumber-based children's salads can be made in almost any way. All the vegetables that your baby's body reacts to normally can be added to the dish little by little. True, tomatoes and radishes, so beloved by us, will have to be excluded. These vegetables are still too heavy for a child's stomach.


Apart from general rules introducing cucumber into complementary foods, it would be useful to mention what the vegetables chosen for these purposes should be. Everything is simple here. Try to wait until the moment when ground cucumbers are already on sale, since there is absolutely no benefit from greenhouses. Yes, and special taste too. Choose small fruits, strong, without yellowness. Try to buy vegetables in large supermarkets or markets where all products are pre-sale tested and there is no risk of buying cucumbers with nitrates.

A little salinity

In our country, not only fresh cucumbers and salads from them are dearly loved, but also various preparations for the winter. Again, the question arises: can children eat pickles? And if so, at what age? Here experts agree - as late as possible. Pickled cucumbers contain salt and vinegar in large quantities, which are simply harmful for children's digestion. And, in principle, pickled vegetables do not contain any benefit - except that they are very tasty. But this adult person can delight his taste without much risk (and then you should limit yourself to consuming such a product, since pickles are food that is quite difficult to digest). For a small child, this product is simply harmful. Therefore, you should not react if the baby is naughty and requires pickles. By the way, there is a risk that slippery pieces can simply slip into the esophagus and the child will choke. So fresh vegetables this risk is much lower. If you want cucumbers to be present in your child's diet, then only fresh and only when he reaches the age of one.

The baby is growing and developing. Along with this, its menu is expanding. In the season of vegetables and fruits, I want to pamper the baby and saturate his body with vitamins. Especially if the fruits are grown in their own garden. During the introduction of complementary foods, young mothers are concerned about when children can be given cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. Let's take a closer look at the first.

What's the use?

A cucumber consists of two-thirds of the purest structured water. Heat - best time when you can give cucumber to a child. The vegetable will refresh and replenish the water-salt balance. The composition of the cucumber includes such trace elements: potassium, iodine, zinc, chromium, potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, cobalt, magnesium, fructose. It also contains ascorbic and folic acids, vitamins A, K, PP, B1, B2. Separately, it is worth paying attention to the presence of iodine in cucumbers. The use of crispy treats will be an excellent prevention of deficiency of an important trace element.

These green vegetables are high in fiber, which aids in the digestion process. Cucumber has a beneficial effect on the pancreas. The product is easily digested and does not require her participation, giving the body a rest. Fresh vegetables are good for children. Heat treatment almost completely destroys vitamins. Pay attention to appearance cucumbers. Benefits will bring small specimens with small seeds and bright green skin. Overripe large yellow vegetables contain few nutrients. And more seeds can cause bloating.

At what age can cucumbers be given to a child?

Vegetables are introduced into the diet of babies at 7-8 months. They start with the lightest and non-allergenic: zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes. In the diet of crumbs, vegetable and fruit purees, homogenized meat and fish will appear. Closer to the age of one, the period begins when children can be given cucumbers. Offer the baby a small piece and follow the reaction to the product.

Damage from cucumber

Nursing mothers and children under one year old need to carefully introduce cucumbers into the diet. Coarse fiber, which the vegetable is rich in, can provoke colic and intestinal upset in the baby. Consider the season. Summer is the only time when children can be given cucumbers. Only ground specimens are suitable for feeding babies. Greenhouse vegetables contain nitrates. In no case do not offer babies early cucumbers. They contain a large amount of harmful substances that cause severe eating disorders. Vegetable juice irritates the gastrointestinal mucosa. If the crumbs have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then you should consult a doctor before starting complementary foods. When you can give a cucumber to a child, only a doctor can decide.

How to give cucumbers?

For the smallest cucumber, you need to peel it. Even in season, it may contain nitrates. The peel of vegetables is a coarse fiber, which is difficult for the delicate digestive tract of children to cope with. Offer a one-year-old baby a grated cucumber, seasoned olive oil or low-fat sour cream. A baby can eat a whole or sliced ​​\u200b\u200bvegetable in 1.5-2 years. If you are not sure about the quality of the product, then before using it, it is better to soak it in salt water for 2 hours. In this case, you need to change the water several times.


Pickled cucumbers - for kids

Previously, grandmothers and mothers offered babies a salted version of the product, without thinking about how many months you can give a cucumber to a child. When the teeth erupted in the crumbs, they gave him to scratch their gums. But do not underestimate the benefits of barrel cucumbers. Among the advantages of the product are the following factors:

  1. Salted barrel cucumbers retain most of the vitamins. The lactic acid they contain is a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.
  2. The product improves appetite.
  3. A large amount of fiber favorably affects the stool.

As for the harm, it consists in the following points:

  • Such cucumbers are distinguished by a high salt content.
  • The acid is destructive to tooth enamel. Therefore, giving children who are teething to scratch their gums is not a good idea.
  • The product irritates the gastric mucosa. Nutritionists and pediatricians agree that 3 years and not earlier is the age when children can be given salted cucumbers.

In addition to salted ones, canned pickled cucumbers are present in the diet of adults. Their usefulness is questionable. During heat treatment, 70% of vitamins are lost, which are few in this vegetable. The only benefit of canned cucumber is that it stimulates the appetite, and the fiber it contains helps to cope with constipation. Unfortunately, there is vinegar in the preservation. It destroys tooth enamel. Excites the nervous system and interferes with normal sleep. In addition, a large amount of salt in the marinade is bad for children's kidneys. Offer canned cucumbers to children from 5-6 years old in limited quantities. They are good for toddlers with poor appetite. The product diversifies the diet of children in the winter.

Vegetable salad in the diet of crumbs

Parents want to quickly make the diet of the crumbs look like their own. So, vegetable salads gradually appear in the baby's menu. To the question of when a child can be given cucumber, fresh tomato, bell pepper and other vitamin-containing foods in one dish, nutritionists answer ambiguously. On the one hand, a crunchy vegetable is not an allergen and may be present in the diet of a one-year-old baby. On the other hand, red tomatoes can cause allergies. And the combination of these vegetables is considered difficult for digestion. It is better to offer such a tandem to a baby after two years. In the heat, children (from 1.5-2 years old) can be offered okroshka from kefir, eggs, potatoes and green onions. If possible, harvest together in the country or in the garden. The child will be interested. And he will eat such a dish with pleasure.

A younger crumb can be offered a salad of grated cucumber, eggs seasoned with vegetable oil, low-fat sour cream, unsweetened yogurt. In order to assimilate the carotene that the product contains, it should be consumed with any fats. In the cool season, imported vegetables are sold in supermarkets. They look and feel like plastic. Never give these products to children. They are treated with chemicals that can cause severe poisoning and severe allergic reactions. Offer your kids only fresh natural vegetables.

The summer-autumn period is rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits. One of the first on the shelves of stores, and then in the country, there are juicy green cucumbers. And how many mothers want to diversify the children's menu, and even fortify it! What are the benefits of cucumbers for children, we will tell in this article.

What are the benefits of cucumbers

Can children give cucumbers? And what benefit will they bring? Almost every mother asks these questions, worrying about the health of her baby.

Cucumber is rich not only in water, which contains dissolved mineral salts. The skin of the vegetable contains a small amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and carotene. And that is not all. Cucumber contains potassium, silicon, sulfur, iodine, fructose and fiber, which stimulates digestion. It contains a lot of vitamins, enzymes that improve digestion, and essential oils that increase appetite, and tartranic acid perfectly regulates the processes of carbohydrate-fat metabolism.

Fresh cucumber juice can destroy some microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus.

What is the role of trace elements contained in cucumber

  1. Silicon affects the health of hair, nails, teeth and skin. Its deficiency in children leads to the development of anemia, hair loss, softening of the bones, joint diseases and many other pathological conditions.
  2. Potassium is no less necessary for the child's body than silicon. It regulates the water-salt balance together with its partner - sodium. In case of imbalance, the nervous system and muscles begin to suffer. Also, this microelement is simply necessary for the normal functioning of many organs (liver, kidneys, brain, heart) and endocrine system both in adults and in children.
  3. Sulfur is responsible for the normal course of metabolism, improves immunity, has a positive effect on the formation of the nervous system, helps to strengthen muscle tissue, especially in adolescents, when there is an intensive growth and development of a young organism.
  4. Iodine is almost the most important trace element needed primarily by children. It is responsible for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, contributes to the development of mental abilities, participates in the formation of immunity and has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system. Naturally, with its lack, a failure will occur throughout the body. The child will be lethargic, his performance and attention will decrease, irritability and constant fatigue will appear.

Contraindications to the use of cucumbers by children

  • Nursing mothers should exclude fresh cucumbers from their menu, because, going into breast milk, some substances can cause abdominal pain, flatulence and loose stools in the baby.
  • Children older than 3 years are contraindicated in the use of cucumbers only if the child has chronic diseases of the kidneys, stomach and intestines.

At what age should you give your child cucumbers

Doctors recommend introducing cucumbers into children's diet after a year. And all because the body of a baby-baby does not yet produce enough enzymes to digest all vegetables and fruits without problems. Sometimes a cucumber in babies can cause colic due to the fiber it contains.

But if the season of vegetables is in full swing, and there is very little left before a year old, then it is quite possible to introduce the baby to new tastes a little earlier. Especially if the child does not suffer from food allergies.

In addition, the cucumber has hypoallergenic properties, because it is not without reason that it is a relative of the zucchini, which pediatricians often recommend to be one of the first to be introduced into the child's diet in the form of mashed potatoes or as part of soups.

How to choose the right cucumber for a child

This is not difficult. It is advisable to buy soil varieties. Such cucumbers should be dense, 10-15 cm long. Their color is rich, and the skin is matte. All this indicates that the vegetables were plucked quite recently. And in no case should you take cucumbers with cracks, spots or bruises.

In what form can you give a child a cucumber

Cucumber should not be offered to children under one year old, and older ones can and should gradually introduce this healthy vegetable into the diet.

Closer to the year, the baby can be offered grated cucumber, previously peeled. Older children will happily crunch a whole cucumber on their own. At the same time, only purchased vegetables should be peeled. Cucumbers grown on their own plot should be washed well enough and given to the child.

After a year, the baby can be offered not just a juicy cucumber, but

o and various children's salads. Only you should fill them not with sour cream or mayonnaise, but with any vegetable oil - olive, sunflower. To begin with, it is recommended to give babies mono-salads, and then gradually add greens and tomatoes to them. By the way, everyone's favorite combination of cucumber + tomato gives a big load on the child's stomach, so it is administered last to already grown children.

Pickled and pickled cucumbers: benefit or harm

Salted and pickled cucumbers are less beneficial for the child's body, because they contain salt and vinegar added during cooking. But babies often like them so much that mothers have to listen to long concerts until their beloved child gets her way in the form of a small slice of pickled cucumber. Still, you should not give such vegetables to children under two or three years old, since pediatricians generally do not recommend adding table salt to children's dishes in the first years of a child's life. In general, there is practically no benefit for children from pickled and pickled cucumbers. A child may well choke on a smooth slippery small piece of cucumber. And this is already dangerous.

With the approach of the summer period, every mother tries to balance the nutrition of her baby with a variety of fruits and vegetables collected from the garden. Not an exception are cucumber and tomato, which are not only tasty, but also useful for a small organism. Therefore, every mom and dad should know at what age you can give your child fresh cucumbers and tomatoes and how much these vegetables will be safe for the health of their little crumbs.

Useful properties of cucumbers

  • Rich in vitamin C, iodine, salt, potassium, silicon, fructose and other minerals.
  • Does not cause allergies and serves as a laxative for constipation.
  • Regular consumption of cucumber juice contributes to the destruction of certain types of bacteria that adversely affect the infant's body.

Benefits of tomato for baby food

  • Contains a whole group of vitamins: A, E, B, C, trace elements and minerals that contribute to the healthy development of the child.
  • Lycopene and carotene help to strengthen the immune and cardiovascular systems, as well as improve the functioning of the organs of vision.
  • The presence of salts and acids ensures the normal functioning of the baby's body as a whole.

Doctors say that tomatoes and cucumbers are a storehouse of health for all young children. One thing only confuses parents is that it is allowed to give these vegetables no earlier than 1-1.5 years, and this should be done carefully and in small portions.

When can a child be given fresh cucumbers

For babies under 1 year old, the use of cucumbers is strictly contraindicated. Since cucumber is related to raw foods, it is poorly digested by the still fragile gastrointestinal tract, therefore it can cause intestinal colic and other disorders in the body. Despite the fact that the vegetable has anti-allergic properties, you should be careful when giving a fresh cucumber to a child.

It is better to start complementary foods with small slices (pieces), while observing the reaction of the baby's body. It is strictly forbidden to combine cucumber and tomato together until the peanut is at least 2-3 years old.

When can I give my baby tomatoes?

The first acquaintance of a baby with a tomato should begin after a year. Until this time, starting from 7-8 months, the baby is allowed to use only fresh tomato juice. You need to introduce this vegetable into complementary foods from small slices (previously peeled) so that you can see how the baby's body reacts to the new product. If there are no problems during the day (rash, allergies, itching), then the tomato can be gradually introduced into the daily diet.

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  • What is included in the diet

Tomatoes for children up to a year

From 2 to 3 years old, fresh tomatoes can be given to children only in small portions. So, for example, if it is tomato juice, then you need to start giving 1 teaspoon per day. The daily diet of vegetables for children from 1 to 2 years old should not exceed 150-200 grams. Starting from the age of three, it is allowed to introduce salads into complementary foods, but only seasoned with vegetable oil, not sour cream.

At what age can vegetable salads be given

In addition to fresh tomatoes and cucumbers 2-3 one year old baby doctors recommend introducing salads into complementary foods. Given the still unformed digestive tract, gastroenterologists recommend diluting vegetable salad boiled egg.

Moms take note! Until the age of 3-4, exclude pickled and canned cucumbers and tomatoes from the child's diet, which, after heat treatment less useful for the infant body.

If, after taking this food, your baby felt discomfort in the lower abdomen, or pain, then it is urgent to postpone the intake of such food at a later time.

Conclusion

Buy your child only those vegetables that were grown in the garden. In such fruits, there is a minimum of nitrates and therefore more benefit for the baby's body. When visually inspected, cucumbers and tomatoes should be whole, without cracks and bruises. Give preference to young fruits, not overripe ones, which, even when growing in the ground, have lost some of their useful properties.