As parents we want the best for our child. Be it clothing, food or skin care products we purchase the best for them. However we are always pretty cautious about the foods which we must feed our child. Is it well for my baby? Is the potency warm? Will my baby be able to digest it? So on and so forth.
One such fruit which we fear giving our little one is papaya. Since ages it is considered that since papaya has a warm potency and it should not be given to a child before he/she turns a year old. But let me tell you papaya in moderation is absolutely safe for a 7-8 months old baby. It is a wonderful tropical fruit which should be a part of your child’s diet as it is easily digestible and moreover is accepted and tolerated well by little ones.
Let’s take a closer look at the goodness of papaya. Papaya is an extremely versatile fruit which has been endowed with nutrients. It is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, folic acid and fiber. However once you put your child on weaning introduce few foods before you go ahead with papaya.
When To Introduce Papaya?
Papaya should be introduced as a later first food. By that I mean once your child has well tolerated foods like banana, sweet potato or potato you can add papaya to the diet. Preferably around 7-8 months should be the ideal time. Start with 2 teaspoons in the beginning and then increase the amount once your child is comfortable with it.
Whenever you go to a store pick up a papaya which is not too hard or soft. The skin of a papaya is easily bruised and hence make sure the papaya is not pitted or rotten from one side. A papaya with a slight orange color is what you need to pick. If it hasn’t ripened you can keep it for a day or two and then give it to your little one. Raw papaya can lead to cramps and aches, hence the papaya has to be ripe before you give it to your toddler.
- It is a great source of Vitamin A which means it is great for your child’s vision
- The iron content can help in maintaining the Hemoglobin levels at optimum
- The high calcium and magnesium levels aid in good bone and dental health
- It can improve your child’s digestion and is a natural laxative in case of constipation
- Papaya can strengthen the immune system a major concern for most of the parents
- Riboflavin in the papaya leads to proper brain development by strengthening the nerve cells
Best Ways To Give Papaya To Your Toddler-
- Steamed and mashed papaya
- Papaya as finger food
- Papaya with rice
- Papaya soup
- Peel and deseed the papaya properly and cut it into small chunks
- Now you can either puree or mash the papaya according to your little ones preference
- 1 Cup ripe papaya
- 2 Tbsp boiled rice
- Peel and deseed the papaya and cut it into small chunks
- Boil some rice and place it aside
- Now in a blender mix together rice and papaya
- Make sure you give only ripe papaya to your little one
- Do not start before your child has completed 7-8months
- Never overfeed papaya to your child just because it is considered healthy
- Always do 4 days tests to see whether your child is allergic to papaya or not
- If your child suffers from cystic fibrosis please avoid feeding papaya
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