Beet is a vegetable that belongs to beta vulgaris family and known for its benefit for health. The health benefits of beets which has been scientifically proven are or you can read health benefits of eating canned beets:
- Improve athletic performance
- Decrease oxidative stress
- Increase nitric oxide
- Prevent cancer
- Improve detoxification
- Prevent dementia
Because of its benefits, this beet also known as beetroot which not only has been used as a food but also as a treatment some conditions, medicinal plant and even as a food colorant. And what are the nutrients of beetroot that makes it a healthy vegetable?
Here are the details nutrients in beetroot per 100g based on National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference from the US Department of Agriculture, or we can say these are nutrients that make Health Benefits of Beetroot for Babies:
- Water 58 g
- Protein 61 g
- Carbohydrate 56 g
- Sugars 76 g
- Iron 80 mg
- Phosphorous 40 mg
- Sodium 78 mg
- Vitamin C 9 mg
- Riboflavin 040 mg
- Vitamin B-6 067 mg
- Vitamin A 33 IU
- Vitamin K 2 ug
- Energy 43 kcal
- Total Lipid (fat) 17 g
- Fiber 8 g
- Calcium 16 mg
- Magnesium 23 mg
- Potassium 325 mg
- Zinc 35 mg
- Thiamin 031 mg
- Niacin 334 mg
- Folate 109 ug
- Vitamin E 04 mg
Health benefits of beets for babies
So, are beets healthy for babies growth? Beetroot is a healthy vegetable with many benefits or you can read health benefits beets, including for babies. You can feed your babies with all of the vegetables when the babies at least 6 months old. The vegetable will give nutrients for babies which is essential for the growth and development and it will actually makes you sure that the babies are health. Here are the details of Health Benefits of Beetroot for Babies:
- Availability of minerals and vitamins
We have not been able to give babies some vitamins because of its imperfect digestions, but instead we can give beetroot. This vegetable contains much vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin K for the health.
Those vitamins also can drastically decrease the risk of some diseases like beri-beri, night blindness, rickets, osteomalacia, angular stomatitis, glosstitis and diarrhea.
- Decrease the risk of anemia
Anemia is a disease which can affects not only woman, but also infants and babies. This anemia can affect the body due to the lack of iron. Iron is a nutrient that helps in producing red blood cell which is the main reason of anemia. By consuming beets, it will decrease anemia that may happens to babies.
- Improves digestion
Then, you may be wondering, are beets healthy for babies growth? Babies’ digestive system is still weak. They need nutrients to improve the system so they will grow healthy as the mothers’ hope. This beet also known to promote their digestions process activities and that nutrient named fiber. It contains high in this vegetable and other benefit is to prevent the babies from constipation.
- Protects liver
Infants and babies also have the risk of liver disease. The most common diseases are jaundice and hepatitis. Moreover, jaundice will decrease the babies’ appetite significantly, so it will make more worries the mothers. For those babies under such condition, can be given not more than 2-3 teaspoons of beetroot juice.
- Natural cleansing agent
One of the perfect combinations for beetroot juice is with carrots and cucumber. The benefits can the babies get are specially for the kidney gallbladder. You can give only a few tablespoons for the first then you can increase amounts of spoons to your baby over the coming months. Don’t forget to just give a small piece of beetroot.
- Increases brain activity
With iron in this fruit, it can help the circulation of the red blood cell which is has its benefit for brain. When the blood circulation is well, it can increase the process of the organs in the body to the best of it function and absolutely for brain. It will certainly be useful for a few years later.
Recommendation Intake and Caution
The most important thing to feed the vegetable to your baby is at least when the baby is at least 6 months old. You can get significantly the health benefits of beetroot for babies when the babies reach 6-8 months of age and also by ideals of the quantity of beets.
Based on the research, you can limit the beet to 1-2 teaspoons. You can increase the amount of beets when the babies reach one year old but should not be more than few teaspoons.
Before you give the beetroot to the babies, the most important thing that you have to give the babies a 4 days test. It is important because you have to make sure that the babies don’t have allergy to the vegetable. Not only to beetroot but also to any new food you want to introduce to your babies for the first time.
How to make beetroot baby food?
Health Benefits of Beetroot for Babies you can get when you process beetroot into the right foods. Here are the tips for the food you can make, named baby’s beetroot mash:
Ingredients:
- 2 small fresh beetroots
- 1 apple
- 1 small white potato
How to make
- You can peel the beetroots and remove the stalks then cut it into cubes
- You can peel and core the apple then cut it into cubes
- You can peel then cut white potato into dice
- You can steam the beetroot, potato and then apple until tender
- Mash all the ingredients together and it will be a yummy puree for the babies