Apricot, also known as “khuabni” in the Indian subcontinent, is a sweet-smelling perennial fruit that has a sweet and tart flavor. In addition, it has a juicy, fibrous texture and is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Generally, apricot for babies seems a good choice, but feeding it at the right age and in age-appropriate ways is vital to ensure the baby swallows and digests the fruit well. Read on to learn more about whether babies can eat apricots, when they can do so, their nutritional value, possible health benefits and side effects, how to select and store them, and precautions to take while feeding them to infants. This article also offers some easy and delicious apricot recipes for babies.
Can Babies Eat Apricots?
Yes, babies can eat apricots. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suggests feeding ripe and fresh apricots to infants as a source of vitamin A. However, in general, both fresh and dried apricots can be fed to babies in an age-appropriate manner.
When Can Babies Have Apricots?
Babies can have fresh and ripened apricots as soon as they start eating solids. Most babies start solids between four and six months of age (1). However, the age for starting solids may not be the same for all the babies. Therefore, consult a pediatrician or pediatric nutritionist about the right age for your baby to start eating apricots. Once you have the go-ahead from the expert, you can begin serving the fruit to the baby as a homemade apricot puree made from fresh or frozen apricots.
Nutritional Value Of Fresh Apricot
The apricot is available in fresh, dried, canned, and frozen fruit forms. Below is the nutritive value of one cup (155g) of fresh and ripe apricot, with the recommended amount of nutrients as required by babies (2) (3). Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture and World Health Organization
Possible Health Benefits Of Apricots For Infants
Regular consumption of ripe apricots as part of a well-balanced diet can be helpful in the following ways. Regular consumption of fresh apricots is beneficial, yet it has some side-effects that must be explored.
Possible Side-Effects Of Apricots In Babies
It is good to know the side effects to mitigate any problems for the baby. Stay cautious and reduce the chances of side effects by selecting and storing ripe apricots in an appropriate manner.
How To Select And Store Apricots For Baby Food?
Selection of apricots
Pick plump, fairly firm apricots. However, while you do so, avoid picking apricots that are too firm or have a hard coat, as it indicates that they are not tree-ripened. The outer skin should feel delicate and velvety to touch. They should have an orange to yellowish-brown color with rich red inside.
Storage of apricots
Precautions To Take While Giving Apricot To Infants
You may follow these precautions while feeding apricot to your baby. Apricot, when selected and stored well, can be used to prepare several homemade baby food recipes.
Apricot Baby Food Recipes
There are several apricot baby food recipes that you may like to try. However, the most simple and easy-to-prepare recipe is an apricot puree. Though can use either fresh or canned apricots, fresh apricots are preferable.
1. Apricot puree
This recipe is an ideal choice for younger babies who have just started solids. You could add breast milk or formula milk to this puree if required. For older infants, it can be mixed with other fruit purees to prepare mixed purees. You will need:
1 cup fresh apricots 1 cup water
How to: Tip: It is not necessary to remove the peel of the fruit before the preparation. If you wish to serve the fruit with peel, then you need to boil the fruit for longer. However, if you want to remove it, then you can put the fruit in boiling water for five minutes and then immediately put it in cold water. This process, called blanching, softens the outer skin,making it easy to peel.
2. Nutty apricot and banana smoothie
This recipe can be given to the babies once they are about seven to eight months old. It can also make a healthy snack for your toddler. You will need:
1 cup fresh apricots (pulp) 1 medium-sized banana 1 cup Greek yogurt ½ cup mixed nuts (powder) 1tbsp mixed nuts (finely chopped)
How to:
