The baby gradually begins to get acquainted with a large number of new products by reaching the age of six months. Parents pay special attention to fresh vegetables and fruits in the baby’s diet. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Citrus fruits have entered our everyday life so tightly that we have ceased to consider them exotic fruits. Orange juice contains a huge amount of vitamins and useful components and the child tries it from an early age. Orange nectar is sweet and palatable unlike vegetable juices. Children are eager to learn a new product.
Many foods can cause allergic reactions in babies. These products include natural juices. Juices are healthy, but they must be offered to the child correctly. Children’s doctors advise in advance to study the effect of juices on the gastrointestinal tract of an infant.
At what Age should Babies drink Orange Juice
Juice from freshly squeezed oranges contains vitamins useful for the health of the child. Introducing orange juice into complementary foods should be done carefully. Oranges are among the foods that cause allergies. Babies sometimes get a rash after eating fruit or juice.
When can toddlers drink orange juice? Pediatricians recommend introducing a few drops of orange juice into the diet of children no earlier than six months of age. Get acquainted with the juices of the baby is in the period between feedings. A new product should be offered for five to seven days to study the reaction of the baby. It is allowed to increase the daily dose of juice if there is no allergy.
The serving size depends on the age of the baby multiplied by ten. At six months, a child can drink up to 60 g of juice (subject to a gradual introduction into the diet). You can freely drink juice from the age of twelve months.
Orange Juice Nutrients And Minerals
Orange juice has received the greatest popularity for its high content of vitamin C. It helps the child’s body absorb protein and iron from other foods. The juice is also rich in other vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3 (PP), B4, B5, B9, E, K. It contains antioxidants, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, essential amino acids, folic acid.
Potassium in the composition of the juice is involved in metabolic processes. It maintains the acid-base and water balance in the body. Fresh orange juice stimulates the brain and has a positive effect on metabolism. Pectin helps bind free radicals and toxins that enter the child’s body from a polluted environment.
Per 100 grams of orange juice you get
| Vitamin C | 30 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0,9 mcg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0,04 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0,02 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 0,02 mcg |
| Vitamin B4 | 6,2 mg |
| Vitamin B5 | 0,2 mg |
| Vitamin B9 | 24 mcg |
| Vitamin E | 0,2 mg |
| Calcium | 11 g |
| Potassium | 180 mg |
| Magnesium | 11 mg |
| Iron | 0,2 mg |
| Phosphorus | 17 mg |
| Selenium | 0,1 mcg |
| Sodium | 0,1 mg |
Development and Benefits of Orange Juice for Babies
Citrus fruits have long ceased to be a curiosity in our latitudes. You can buy these fruits at any time of the year. Orange juice has a balanced sweet-sour taste and a refreshing pleasant flavor. Orange juice brings many benefits to the child’s body due to the abundance of vitamins and minerals.
Carotenoids give orange juice its rich, bright color. They are good for eye health. Powerful antioxidants (flavonoids narirutin and hesperidin) boost immunity.
The undeniable benefits of an orange drink include:
Protection against bacteria and viruses. The human body cannot synthesize vitamin C on its own: it must be obtained from outside. The daily norm of vitamin C for children from one to three years is from 15-25 mg. It increases the body’s resistance to bacteria and viruses. Ascorbic acid has a powerful protective effect.
The body will receive the required amount of ascorbic acid if you consume 40-50 g of orange juice every day. Vitamin C fights free radicals that slow cell renewal. The antioxidants in orange juice control the scavenging of free radicals.
Improvement of blood vessels. Orange juice contains heparin. This plant flavonoid is specially synthesized for the production of medicines. Heparin makes blood vessels more elastic. Orange juice strengthens the walls of capillaries and improves blood flow through them due to the high composition of ascorbic acid.
Orange juice contains a high concentration of bioflavonoids. They lower cholesterol levels and thin the blood. This property helps the body of children who eat a lot of fatty foods to quickly cope with the negative properties of fats.
Strengthening the nervous system. Orange juice contains vitamins of group B. Riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid, reduce the feeling of depression, reduce irritability, anxiety, nervousness, and improve mood. This is a powerful weapon in the fight against fatigue.
This property of orange juice is useful in the winter season. The number of walks decreases and mobility decreases in children of different ages. It is possible to quickly get a boost of energy and eliminate lethargy thanks to a bright drink.
Improving the work of the heart. Juice contains magnesium and potassium. These elements normalize the heart rhythm. Children sometimes have anemia due to a lack of iron. An orange drink replenishes its supply and strengthens the work of the heart muscles. Regular consumption of citrus juice becomes good prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Babies Drinking Too much Orange Juice
Almost all parents are firmly convinced that natural products cannot be harmful. Incorrect preparation and dosing of juice can do more harm to the baby than good. It was considered within the normal range when children at the age of two or three months were allowed to taste natural juices several decades ago.
Some parents are arguing that a drop of juice cannot harm a baby at four or five months of age, especially if the baby is bottle-fed. The World Health Organization recommends introducing juice into the diet of children no earlier than six months of age.
Toddler rules for drinking juice:
A dosage from six months. You can give half a teaspoon of fresh orange juice from the age of six months. It is worth starting to introduce juice into the diet with a few drops in the morning. Then you can see the body’s reaction to citrus fruits.
A dosage from twelve months. Children under one year should not exceed the daily intake of juice in 50 ml. The daily norm of juice should not go beyond 70-100 ml from one to two years. It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the baby. It is necessary to discuss the amount of juice with the doctor if the child tends to have allergies.
Minimal contact with tooth enamel. 100 grams of natural orange juice contains 8.8 grams of sugar. There is a risk of caries if the liquid is in contact with tooth enamel for a long time. Young children should give juice from a teaspoon and not from a pacifier. Children from one to two years old can be offered to drink from a straw. You cannot stretch the time of drinking natural juice: you should drink it in a minute or two.
Orange juice is good for the health of a growing child. It protects against infectious diseases, provides the daily requirement of vitamin C and gives a boost of energy. It is necessary to introduce it into complementary foods strictly from six months. It is better to give orange juice after other juices: apple, pumpkin, carrot.
