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It’s every parent’s goal to have a super baby who can withstand ailments like a ninja. We are what we eat, and that’s most true for our babies. It’s very distressing to deal with colds, coughs, and stomach ailments, especially when they keep recurring. The best place to start is right from their plate by choosing the best foods to boost baby’s immune system.
A baby’s immunity is low at birth and grows stronger as the baby breastfeeds. The mother’s milk is laden with immunoglobulins that allow the mother to pass their immunity to their baby. That’s why it’s paramount that babies are breastfed exclusively for the first six months of their life.
When the babies are weaned and reduce the intensity of breastfeeding, you should plan their meals to include foods that will help boost their immunity. But what are the best immune boosting foods for kids? Read on to find out.
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9 Best Foods to Boost Baby’s Immune System
Being purposeful about boosting a baby’s immunity is the first step towards achieving it. As you plan your baby’s meals, include these immune boosting foods for kids.
#1 Yogurt
A baby can have yogurt from 6 months onwards. The best yogurt to give to a baby is the whole-fat, plain one that doesn’t have any additives and sugars. What makes yogurt one of the best immune boosting foods for kids is that it contains probiotics which are good bacteria. Probiotics help your baby’s immunity by inhibiting the harmful bacteria that may cause your baby to get sick from developing.
If the baby has an infection that has them put on antibiotics, the probiotics help reduce the side effects of the antibiotics. It also helps maintain the good bacteria balance since antibiotics kill even the good bacteria.
Avoid sweetened yogurt, as babies should not consume sugar. You risk developing an early sweet tooth that might cause them to be picky with foods. Sugar is also bad for their developing teeth and may cause tooth decay. If you need to give the plain yogurt some flavor, stir in some chopped or pureed fruits.
#2 Fruits and Vegetables
The baby’s meals must contain lots of fruits and vegetables. Ensure that the baby has plenty of citrus fruits, watermelons, papaya, bananas, and any fruit in season.
Vegetables such as spinach and broccoli are loaded with vitamins and minerals responsible for maintaining the baby’s growth and building immunity. It’s rich in vitamins A, C, E, and K. It also contains iron, folate, manganese, iron, and zinc, responsible for building strong immunity. Iron is vital for increasing the baby’s hemoglobin which keeps anemia at bay.
You can chop the vegetables into tiny pieces and add them to food or puree it for the much younger babies. Remember not to cook them for too long as this will kill the vitamins, rendering them less effective if not entirely useless.
All vegetables are generally superfoods that boost the immune system in children, but some are better than others. Broccoli is one of the ultimate nutrient ninjas in the food charts, as it’s laden with vitamins A, C, and E, antioxidants, and fiber.
Granted, broccoli isn’t the best-tasting vegetable on the shelves, and your child might give it a frown. Try serving it together with a favorite healthy dip or puree it for the younger babies. Get creative for the older babies; you can make tasty broccoli recipes such as broccoli poppers, bites, or even pancakes. The end game is that it’s eaten.
Related article: Baby weaning guide
#3 Nuts
Nuts are little nutrient powerhouses that are bursting with immune-boosting nutrients, vitamins, healthy fats, omega-3, antioxidants, and minerals. They also contain unsaturated fats, which are suitable for the heart and circulation. They are a good answer on how to increase immunity in a one-year-old baby.
Your child’s diet should include nuts such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. If your baby started solids on baby-led weaning, you could slightly grind the larger nuts to make them smaller and let them pick and eat.
For younger babies, grind them to powder and make a paste for the baby. You can also add them to their puree.
Some nuts, such as peanuts, are highly hyper allergenic and do not give to babies until they are one year old. When introducing them, do it in moderation, especially the first time, and observe if the baby has any allergic reactions. Contact the pediatrician immediately if the baby seems allergic; some reactions can be fatal.
#4 Eggs
Eggs are high in protein and nutrients, making them some of the best foods to boost baby’s immunity. They are also perfect for babies from one year of age. Eggs contain omega-3 and are the only foods with naturally occurring vitamin D. A single is bursting with vitamins such as B-complex and minerals such as selenium which are vital for the immune system.
Give eggs to babies older than one year to boost their immunities and to help them add weight. You can give it on its own or mixed up in the baby’s food. For older babies, boiling it and chopping it up into manageable pieces is a good option.
Eggs are also highly hyper allergenic; when you give it the first time, wait a few days to see if there is any reaction. Some babies may react to the yolk, not the whites, and vice versa. Experiment with your baby to see how they handle their egg and stick with what works for them.
Experiment with different recipes with the eggs to make them versatile and enjoyable. They might resent them if the baby has to eat boiled eggs every time. Mix them with vegetables or add them to a cheese recipe to make them fun.
#5 Avocado
Good-old avocado isn’t loved for nothing; it’s an excellent food for your baby. It’s rich in Vitamin E, an oxidant, and in B6, it’s one of the best immune boosting foods for kids. Avocado is also a good source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are excellent for making it easy for the body to absorb immune-boosting supplements.
Avocado is also easy to digest and possibly the most hypoallergenic fruit; it’ll be easy on your baby’s tummy and aid digestion. If your weaned baby has had constipation, try giving them pureed avocado, it helps with digestion.
Avocado can be given to the baby on its own, chopped into tiny pieces, or mashed puree. You can put in some breast milk to fortify it or make it softer.
#6 Garlic, Ginger, and Turmeric
Garlic is a super spice with abilities to fight off mild infections. Garlic has been used for ages to treat bacterial, fungal, and viral infections.
Use garlic in your baby’s food to improve their immunity and treat known and unknown infections. Since you’re usually not allowed to use spices in a baby’s food, garlic is an excellent natural spice that gives the food flavor while boosting the baby’s immunity.
It’s best to buy whole garlic and grind it yourself instead of getting store-bought garlic that may contain preservatives.
Ginger and turmeric are fraternal twins, and the two are excellent natural spices. Ginger and turmeric are the perfect immune boosting foods for kids that protect against colds and coughs. Grate some ginger and add it to your baby’s food. It will instantly change the food’s taste while boosting the baby’s immunity.
Ginger is spicy, do not use too much at once as it may irritate the baby’s mouth, causing the baby to reject food. Turmeric is also excellent for giving food an attractive color and taste. The yellow in turmeric isn’t just for aesthetics; it contains curcumin which naturally helps boost the baby’s immunity.
Related article: 6 Simple Ways to Deal With Loss Of Appetite In Babies
#7 Lean Meats
Chicken and fish, especially salmon, are a must-have in your baby’s diet as essential nutrients to boost your baby’s immune system. They are rich in proteins and minerals such as iron, which is essential for the baby.
Ensure the chicken is well cooked to kill all harmful bacteria that may harm the baby. Choose the fish wisely and avoid fish such as king mackerel, as it may contain high levels of mercury.
#8 Legumes
These superfoods are perfect foods to increase immunity in children naturally. Include them in the diet, boiled and mashed, or whole if the baby can chew without choking.
Some legumes, such as beans, may require soaking overnight to reduce their gassiness.
Related article: 8 Foods to Avoid To Prevent Colic
#9 Honey
Common colds and coughs are among the most common baby ailments that wreak havoc in a parent’s life. Pure natural honey is an excellent shield against these infections. Give the baby a teaspoon of honey or mix it in their drink for immunity. Do not give honey to babies younger than one year.
How Can I Boost My Baby’s Immune System Naturally?
We have established that boosting your baby’s immunity is necessary, but what more practical ways can you do that? Apart from investing in immune system-boosting foods for babies, here are more ways to keep the immune system top-notch.
#1 BreastFeed for 6 months
Exclusive breastfeeding is one of the surest ways to boost the baby’s immunity before they are weaned. If you have to leave the baby for long periods during the day, express and refrigerate for the milk to be fed to them when you’re away.
If the baby is not getting enough breastmilk, don’t be tempted to wean them early. Instead, consume foods that will boost your milk supply and aim to push to the 6-month-mark.
Related article: How to increase breast milk naturally.
#2 Adequate sleep
A baby needs plenty of sleep to grow and develop – and to strengthen its immunity. Lack of sleep and exhaustion may inhibit immunity in both children and adults. When the body is asleep, the immune system produces cytokines that help fight infection and inflammation.
An infant will need about 16 hours of sleep, and older babies a little less. Reduce activities bear bedtime to avoid overstimulating the baby. If the baby isn’t taking naps during the day, put them to bed earlier.
#3 Avoid unnecessary medication
It feels good just to get syrup for everything, but it will compromise your baby’s immune system in the long run. This is mainly if the baby takes antibiotics for every infection. Over time, the body may develop resistance and lower immunity.
#4 Encourage the baby to be active
Exercise is good for the whole family, do not let the baby sit down and stare at screens the entire day. Get the whole family involved in simple exercises to make it more fun. Join the baby in play that involves running around. Exercises help with blood circulation, which helps strengthen the antibodies.
#5 Let the baby get dirty
Living in a sanitized bubble isn’t help your baby boost its immunity. Getting down dirty once a while is good for the baby to pick up some bacteria. If these bacteria enter the body, they can produce antibodies to fight them.
Encourage the baby to play outdoors to get sunshine for vitamin D and bacteria. This may sound counter-productive, but it’s one of the old ways to boost your child’s immunity.
Final Words
Do you have a meal plan for your baby? If you don’t, it’ll be a good thing to create one so that you can incorporate all of these best foods to boost baby’s immunity. When you have a menu, you plan what’s going into every meal, and it also helps with shopping in advance for your baby’s food.
A baby’s immunity is a cause of concern for many parents, and it’s not without reason. Low immunity may even cause a baby’s milestones to retrogress, and who wants that? Babies getting sick is almost inevitable – no wonder they are called “childhood illnesses.” Before the baby is five years old, he will be most susceptible to infections. But a good diet will make it almost impossible for the tiny pathogens to get him.
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