At what age can cucumbers be given to a child?

Vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fiber, so they must be included in the diet. Cucumbers are watery, thereby maximizing the benefit of the human body. Parents are always worried about children, so they are anxious about any new products in their menu. This raises logical questions regarding when it is permitted to treat a child with a particular vegetable. Today we will talk about cucumbers and their importance for the health of the baby.

Composition and action of cucumbers

1. We have already mentioned that this vegetable is considered the record holder for the accumulation of water in the composition. She is allocated more than 96%. The rest relies on carbohydrates, protein compounds, esters, dietary fiber and fats. The latter are very few. The ratio of nutrients in the composition is changing, it all depends on the cultivation and variety.
2. It is not the flesh that is endowed with special value, namely the peel of the vegetable. It has a lot of fiber, which cleanses the intestinal tract and other important organs. Dietary fiber absorbs all poisons, gently eliminating them from the body. Many children suffer from constipation, a watery vegetable will come to the aid of the digestive system and establish stools.
3. In addition to many dietary fibers, plant enzymes, vitamin C, carotene, tartronic acid are present in the composition. The latter compound is very important because it is responsible for the carbohydrate and lipid balance. Acid cleanses blood vessels, improves the functioning of the circulatory system and heart. For a child who is obese or overweight, consumption of cucumber will be counted as a plus.
4. The composition contains vitamins belonging to group B. They are aimed at stabilizing the psycho-emotional environment and calming. Eating cucumbers shortly before going to bed should be children who are capricious and suffer from problems falling asleep. Esters set the body to rest and relax.
5. As for minerals, they are represented by sulfur, silicon, calcium, potassium, sodium, etc. All elements reinforce the positive effects of each other. With their shortage, the baby develops problems with bone tissue, thyroid gland, muscle fibers.
6. Many doctors advise treating children with this vegetable crop due to the accumulation of iodine in large quantities. This mineral enhances physical stamina and mental activity. With its deficiency, concentration decreases, memory worsens, whims and chronic fatigue appear.

The introduction of cucumbers in the diet of children by age

1. Having studied the positive impact of vegetable culture on the human body and the child in particular, it makes sense to talk about the subtleties of feeding. Giving cucumbers to a child who is breastfed is allowed from a year. Sometimes this period is shifted by a month, children are treated already at 11 months. As for babies, feeding mixtures, they can taste the cucumber from 1 year 1-2 months.
2. It is important to rely on how the baby reacts to vegetables already included in the menu. Cucumbers are saturated with dietary fiber, which is not always absorbed. Fiber is stiffer in structure than, for example, in zucchini with cucumbers.
3. Due to poor production of enzymes that can digest fiber, colic and flatulence begin. Before any manipulations, it is necessary to exclude food allergies. The rules for introducing cucumber into the menu are the same as with any new product. You need to start small. First remove the skin, then grind the pulp and give to the baby.

Baby pickled and pickled cucumbers

1. All pediatricians agree that until the age of 3, treat the baby with salty foods should not.But some children are very fond of salted cucumbers, so parents cannot refuse them. However, you have to wait.
2. Pickled products concentrate salt with vinegar, which are harmful to a child under 6 years old. Vinegar is detrimental to tooth enamel, heart and central nervous system. When a vegetable undergoes conservation, it loses almost all of its valuable substances (more than 85%).
3. As for salted cucumbers, ascorbic acid remains in them, but other compounds disappear. As part of the salted vegetable, lactic acid is present that improves the microflora of the digestive tract. Such cucumbers can sometimes be given to a baby who is 3 years old.

The selection of cucumbers for children

1. There are basic rules that must be followed. So, you need to give preference only to seasonal cucumbers grown in an environmentally friendly environment. It is important that the baby tastes the vegetable crop when it is in the natural ripening cycle. A ground vegetable is better tolerated by the body than an instance from a greenhouse, a greenhouse.
2. Do not neglect the inspection if you purchase the product in a store. Give preference to bright green cucumbers. They should be dense, pigmented evenly. Watch the area of ​​the stalk, often in this part the vegetable begins to wither. Such a product should be discarded.
3. On a quality cucumber there are no yellowish inclusions. Such traces indicate overripeness, so you do not need to buy them, and even more so give them to children. Equally important is the size. Vegetables grown without chemicals do not exceed 7 cm in size.
4. Of course, there are larger specimens, but usually they are bitter. If you find black dots on the skin, they indicate a running process of decay. Even if you cut this section, the bacteria will still remain inside. If they get into the baby's body, problems can not be avoided.

Without a doubt, a cucumber is valuable to the baby's body. It is necessary to carry out feeding in the morning, without adding more new products. Follow the reaction throughout the day. If there are no negative consequences, continue to treat the crumbs. If possible, consult your doctor first.

Video: proper nutrition for young children