Introducing vegetable oil into complementary feeding for infants: from how many months can it be given and which one is healthier for the baby?

The issue of proper nutrition for newborns and infants is relevant for caring parents.

Mothers need to know when and how to introduce adult foods into their diet.

Vegetable oil for babies is considered a useful product.

Benefits and harms of the product

Vegetable oils contain many beneficial components. An important component is unsaturated fatty acids. They also contain vitamins and phospholipids. Table varieties help to absorb tocopherol and beta-carotene in the body.

Useful qualities of the product:

• prevents the accumulation of fat in the liver and pancreas;
• maintains blood vessels in good condition (increases the elasticity and strength of their walls);
• protects the gastric mucosa from irritation;
• activates smooth muscle fibers;
• stimulates the formation and secretion of bile;
• inhibits the development of degenerative processes;
• prevents the appearance of cancer;
• reduces inflammation;
• normalizes hormonal status;
• has a mild laxative effect;
• charges the body with energy;
• strengthens the immune system.

There are many varieties of oils, each of them has certain properties:

• sunflower , effective for anemia, arthritis, gynecological problems;
• olive , recommended for osteoporosis, gastrointestinal pathologies, diabetes mellitus;
• soy : accelerates metabolic processes;
• corn , useful for bronchial asthma, pathologies of the kidneys and nervous system;
• flaxseed , treats allergies, thyroid gland;
• sesame , recommended for metabolic disorders and pathologies of the respiratory system;
• Walnut oil is included in the diet for diabetes, weak immunity, and arterial hypertension.

Vegetable oil is not good for everyone. For example, it can worsen the condition of problems with the liver and pancreas. It is especially harmful to eat foods prepared by frying. People who are prone to diarrhea should also avoid this product.

At what age can it be given to a child?

Having learned about the benefits of vegetable oil, young mothers begin to wonder when they can introduce this product into their baby’s diet.
Infants are sensitive to new foods. Their digestive and immune systems develop and strengthen gradually. This must be taken into account when creating a menu for your baby. When deciding whether vegetable oil is suitable for a baby, you should take into account his age and type of feeding. Artificial babies begin to be introduced to adult food earlier than babies fed on mother's milk: from about 4-5 months.

Vegetable oil is introduced at 5-6 months of age. Oil can be included in a baby’s diet from 7 months. It is added to soups, porridges, and various vegetable dishes.

Which oil to choose for babies?

For the first complementary foods, doctors advise using olive and sunflower oils . These products can be refined or unrefined. The first option has a higher degree of purification, so it is better absorbed and less likely to cause allergies.

Unrefined has a pronounced taste and smell, which may not be to the child’s liking. Olive oil is obtained from the fruit of the European olive tree. It has a lot of positive qualities.

Helps increase immunity in infants, ensures normal formation and development of the heart and blood vessels. Has a beneficial effect on visual acuity and the digestive system.

Sunflower oil is obtained from sunflower seeds. In terms of its usefulness, it is almost as good as olive oil. It contains many vitamins that are good for intestinal function and skin condition.

The child’s diet may also include rapeseed, coconut, corn, flaxseed, soybean, sesame, sea buckthorn, and peanut oils. These products are less common, but also benefit the baby’s body.

Special baby olive oil

08.07.2013

We have already written about olive oil for children in our article children's olive oil. But, then another advertising leaflet called “ Features of extra virgin olive oil for children ” caught my eye. We can’t help but comment a little on the text.

The oil was examined at the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and is recommended for children from six months.

Any top quality oil undergoes regular examinations. And not only at the Institute of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, but also in his homeland. In Greece or in And waist. And there these examinations are much stricter than in the Russian Federation. For example, producers caught in fraud with olive oil may be deprived of their license forever. But with us forever - this is unlikely... The examination itself or several examinations in itself neither add nor subtract from the “childhood” of the oil, and the recommendation to use the oil from 6 months was not given by the Institute of Nutrition and not yesterday.

Each bottle has a unique number registered with the Italian Ministry of Health, confirming that the product is intended for baby food and is under state control.

In general, olive oil does not come from anywhere, and in Europe it has long been customary to put unique numbers on the labels of containers with olive oil. By going to the manufacturer’s website, you can enter the number and see the history of the oil, when it was pressed, when it was poured into containers, the region where the raw materials for the oil were collected (olives), etc. This is not secret and very reliable information. You don’t have to look for it at the Ministry of Health. But registration with all additional regulatory authorities does not in any way reduce the cost of the final product, but most often increases it.

Additionally enriched with vitamins E, A and B, which are necessary for the normal growth and development of the child.

But here there are questions. If it is specially and additionally enriched with vitamins, then the peculiarities of vitamin production mean that the oil is enriched:

• Firstly: artificial vitamins that are eliminated even from an adult body in a couple of weeks
• Secondly: if additional ingredients, even very useful ones, are artificially introduced into olive oil, then it can no longer correspond to the labeling of premium quality oils, because by definition, Extra Virgin, PDO, BIO, Organic olive oil is a 100% natural product without additional impurities and additives.
• Thirdly: olive oil already contains enough vitamins E, A and B. This is exactly one of the beneficial features of olive oil. Why enrich it? Indeed, the idiom here sounds absolutely correct: butter.

It is a source of unsaturated fatty acids: Oleic, Omega-6 and Omega-3.

Now answer right away - what do you know about Omegas? Or about oleic acid. That is, after reading this information in the store, you will not be able to decide for yourself whether this is a plus or a minus for the child? But we will reassure you. These are useful substances. Both adults and children. But the presence of these components in olive oil does not at all make it more childish, which is what is emphasized in the name of olive oil.

In terms of fat composition, extra virgin olive oil is very similar to mother's milk, so it is ideal for the baby and is easily absorbed.

This is not entirely true. A number of components of olive oil are, in fact, similar in chemical composition to a number of components of mother's milk. But, naturally, it cannot replace it in any way. As for “perfect fit” and well digestible, I would like to remember that some children may be allergic to breast milk...

Contains natural antioxidants.

Well, it does. This is good for both children and adults. Any olive oil contains them. Those. There is no need for special baby oil here, and there is absolutely no need to specially enrich special baby oil with antioxidants.

Made from selected farm-grown olives.

And this fact does not add uniqueness to olive oil. Any good oil is pressed from nothing but selected olives. Those. any good olive oil is just as baby-friendly as “special” baby oil.

The olive harvest is harvested by hand and mechanically converted into olive oil within 24 hours.

This is wonderful. BUT what does this have to do with “baby olive oil”? Any good olive oil is collected and processed this way and pressed from the olives into olive juice.

Organic product, as confirmed by the corresponding marking on the packaging.

And it is true. Any good olive oil is an organic product. This is confirmed by the Organic or BIO or Extra Virgin labeling itself, etc.

Packaged in a convenient 250 ml container. made of dark green glass, which retains its beneficial properties throughout its shelf life.

This is true. The smaller the packaging capacity, the faster it will be used up. The less contact there will be with oxygen, which “oxidizes” the oil, the less contact there will be with light, which is also not good for the oil, and the dark green color of the bottle will also not harm it, protecting the olive oil from exposure to light. You can read more about what can harm olive oil here

An irreplaceable and tasty product for adult family members.

That's right. This is where we could and should have started. Let us repeat our postulate: there is no special baby olive oil . There is good oil that is useful for both children and adults, and there is not very good olive oil. It's better not to use it. Those. in other words, positioning any olive oil as a special one for children is nothing more than a marketing ploy. This oil can be found at ordinary olive oil sellers, as well as in specialized children's stores. It is noteworthy that in most cases it will be Italian, although for children we would recommend Greek.

How to introduce it into complementary foods?

It is important to begin your introduction to a new product carefully. First, one drop of vegetable fat is added to the puree or porridge. Changes in the child’s well-being are monitored for two days.

If no negative symptoms are observed, then the product is given a second time in the amount of 2-3 drops. Then, over the course of a week, the dosage is increased to 1/3 teaspoon.

It is important to follow the daily norm. It depends on the age of the child. The optimal amount of product for infants is shown in the table below.

You can add vegetable oil to porridge. It also goes well with sour and sweet fruits and potatoes. It is useful to use it as an ingredient for making carrot puree and vegetable soups.

It is not recommended to use the oil in combination with ready-made baby food.

Butter

When to introduce into complementary foods: 7 months, if there is no allergy to cow protein.

Which one to choose: butter must contain at least 80% milk fat. Carry out an experiment: put the oil in the freezer for 3 hours. If the product is hard, chips and does not spread, then the oil is of high quality.

Butter contains vitamins A and D, as well as “good” cholesterol and fats that our body needs.

For 100 grams of puree or porridge, add 1 teaspoon of oil (this is approximately 5 g).

Outdoor use

Vegetable oil is actively used not only in cooking.
It is often used during massage. It helps to moisturize and nourish the skin with beneficial substances. It also effectively eliminates irritation and has a regenerating effect. It is suitable for use from birth. Many mothers consider this product safer than special cosmetics for children. It is important for external use for infants to choose purified oil, without any additives.

It is recommended to sterilize the oil for massaging and moisturizing the baby’s skin. To do this, thoroughly wash and hold over steam the glass jar in which the product is supposed to be stored.

Next, you need to heat the vegetable fat in a water bath for 15-20 minutes. You can bring it to a boil and turn it off. The cooled product is ready for use. It must be stored in a jar with a tightly closed lid.

Experts do not recommend sterilizing a large volume of oil at once. It is better to prepare a new portion every few days.

Linseed oil

When to introduce into complementary foods: from 1.5-2 years.

Which one to choose: cold pressed, small bottle volume.

Among vegetable oils, flaxseed oil has the highest concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and alpha-linolenic acid is especially beneficial. But frying in such oil is strictly forbidden due to the high content of free fatty acids.

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