Yogurt is a food with a delicious taste and a soft texture makes you addicted, isn’t it? Yogurt is produced by introducing bacteria into milk at a controlled temperature. The bacteria change the natural milk sugar and release lactic acid.
This level of acidity makes milk proteins denser. Thus, yogurt is not only consumed by adults. But, yogurt can also be consumed by toddlers. What are the health benefits of yogurt for toddlers? Let’s follow the explanation below.
When is the right time to give yogurt to a toddler? You can start giving yogurt to babies since they are 6-7 months old. Why? Because at that age, the baby’s digestive organs are functioning properly so it can be introduced with yogurt. Pick a plain yogurt with no added flavor and color, because the plain yogurt is produced from fresh pure milk with high-fat.
Before we explain the benefits, what are the nutritional content of yogurt?
Nutrient content yogurt per 100g
- Calories                          58 Kcal
- Fat                                   0.4 g
- Saturated fat                 0.1 g
- Monounsaturated fats 0.1 g
- Cholesterol                    5 mg
- Sodium                           36 mg
- Potassium                      141 mg
- Carbohydrate                3.6 g
- Sugar                              3.2 g
- Protein                            10 g
- Vitamin AÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4 IU
- Calcium                          110 mg
- Iron                                0.1 mg
- Vitamin B6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12                 0.8 μg
- Magnesium                   11 mg
Yogurt has a probiotic that has a good influence on the digestive tract, namely:
- Benefits of Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
- Streptococcus thermophilus.
- Bifidobacterium longum.
Lots of nutrient content isn’t? You must already know about Benefits of Yogurt for Health. Let’s take a look at the nutritional function of yogurt for health benefits of yogurt for toddlers.
1. Maintain the balance of the digestive tract
Yogurt contains good bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus which can inhibit the growth of germs and bacterial pathogens so that the child’s digestive tract can be well preserved. If the toddler is accustomed to consuming 200 cc yogurt, then you don’t have to worry about the growth of germs that cause various diseases such as typhoid and vomiting. Look here to know about
2. Increase immune system
Because the growth of germs and pathogenic bacteria is inhibited by yogurt, it helps the body to avoid the cause of infectious diseases and increase the toddlers’ immune system.
3. Source of protein and calcium
One of the benefits of protein is to form new cells that can support the growth process of body organs and brain development in toddlers. In a day, a baby aged 6-24 months need 20 g protein. And, at the age of 1-5 years, toddlers need 800 mg of calcium per day.
Yogurt can fulfill the needs of protein and calcium needed by toddlers as much as 15%. Because toddlers get enough calcium, this makes yogurt can avoid toddlers from suffering later osteoporosis. Look here to know about Benefits of Calcium
4. Overcoming lactose intolerance problems.
Lactose intolerance is a condition in which a toddler is unable to digest the lactose found in milk. This is because the body can not produce enough lactase enzymes. Without the enzyme lactase, lactose cannot be digested and resulting in digestive problems such as abdominal pain, bloating, heartburn, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If this happens to your toddler, you can count on yogurt to solve this problem. Lactose in yogurt has been broken down into very simple, that are glucose and galactose so it is safe for the intestine. So, your toddler can consume yogurt to fulfill the calcium that can not he get because he cannot consume milk.
5. The benefit of the probiotic
As mentioned above, yogurt has a probiotic that is very important for the health of the body. These probiotics work to maintain intestinal health and keep the body healthy.
6. Overcome gastric problem
It has been proven that yogurt has lactic acid in it. This lactic acid does not interfere with the acid-alkali balance in the body and even lactic acid will greatly assist in neutralizing the acidity and reducing the irritation of the stomach. So, yogurt is a good alkaline food for the stomach.
7. Treat diarrhea and dysentery
Not only to avoid diarrhea and dysentery, yogurt can also be used to treat toddlers who have diarrhea and dysentery. A study has shown that when toddler aged 6-24 months who suffering diarrhea, then given yogurt and standard-treatment, recover faster than toddlers treated only with standard care. Moreover, check about what you can do to Prevent Diarrhea in Toddlers
8. Source of important nutrients
Yogurt is one source of nutrients that have many vitamins and minerals essential for your baby’s growth. As you can see in the list above, yogurt contains many vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and folate.
In addition, minerals owned by yogurt such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, sodium, zinc, etc. have an important role in the overall development of your baby.
Another health benefits of yogurt for toddlers are :
- Yogurt contains probiotics such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus which are useful for improving the balance of flora in the gastrointestinal tract.
- The process of absorption of yogurt by the body faster than the process of milk absorption. More than 90% of yogurt can be digested by the body within 1 hour of consuming.
- Yogurt can cleanse the body of the toxic
- Yogurt contains live bacteria that keep moving. According to experts, these bacteria can Lower Cholesterol Level in the body.
Things to be noticed when giving yogurt to toddler.
- Â If you give yogurt to a baby, you should give yogurt containing Bifidobacterium sp. which produces lactic acid type LL (+). However, after one year, toddlers can consume all types of yogurt
- However, if the baby has an allergic reaction such as diarrhea, vomiting or constipation, stop giving yogurt. Then, you can try again one month later.
From the age of 6-7 months, try giving one tablespoon of yogurt per day. You can give it by mixing it with other companion foods such as fruit or biscuits. Then, when babies begin to age 10-12 months, they can be given 100 ml of yogurt per day.