Today we are going to talk about a red, furry fruit that is much appreciated by both children and adults: I am talking about the strawberry, of course! There are many contraindications to strawberries, but what are the latest recommendations and at what age can you give them to your baby? What does it provide nutritionally speaking? What is a portion? In what form can it be offered? All the answers in this new multivitamin article that announces the good days!
The nutritional aspect of the strawberry
The strawberry is a fruit that is eaten fromApril to June on average. It grows on the ground, which makes it easy to harvest. There are many varieties, such as Gariguette and Ciflorette, sweet and sour varieties; Cléry and Darselect, which are rather sweet; Mara des bois and Charlotte, which have the scent of forest fruits.
The strawberry is a very interesting fruit from a nutritional point of view because it is :
- Rich in water (for hydration and good transit)
- Low sugar content compared to the average fruit
- Rich in provitamin A, which strengthens vision, skin, bones and teeth.
- Rich in vitamin C which increases the absorption of iron
- Rich in vitamin B9, which helps the growth of maternal tissue during pregnancy
- But also a source of fibre, potassium, calcium, iron and anti-oxidants...
Its consumption
In order to preserve all its properties, consume them within 2 or 3 days maximum by keeping them in a cool room and away from direct sunlight. In addition, it is strongly recommended to buy strawberries produced locally during the season and if possible fromorganic farming. A portion for a child is about 80-100g, or 5-8 strawberries depending on the size.
This fruit can be eaten from the beginning of traditional food diversification (between 4 and 6 months) in compote, in raw fruit purée with banana for example. For babies undergoing independent diversification or DME (from 6 months), the strawberry can be offered whole and ripe (or cut in two if necessary).
Strawberries are one of the "histamine-releasing" foods. That is to say that its consumption causes a release of histamine in the body. This can cause, in an individual at risk, reactions of the following type: redness, swelling, urticaria... Nothing particularly dangerous if not embarrassing... Unfortunately cooking or chilling does not solve the problem, so the only solution is tostop eating them if the discomfort is too problematic. Remember to consult your paediatrician or general practitioner if in doubt.
Before eating them, simply wash them in clean water. Never soak your strawberries and do not hull them before washing them, as this will cause them to become waterlogged and lose their flavour and vitamins!
Some recipe ideas...
Finally, I'll give you a few recipes to delight your baby's taste buds as usual: simply plain, in a smoothie, in sorbet, in a coulis in a dairy for example, strawberry tart with basil, strawberry soup or mousse or even strawberry bavarois or charlotte for the older children, strawberries can be eaten in all forms!
And above all, don't hesitate to introduce your babies toother red fruits in order to broaden their dietary repertoire: such as blackcurrant, cherry, raspberry, redcurrant, blackberry, blueberry... and most importantly: let yourself be led by the nose by choosing these fruits by their scent!
Dietician - Nutritionist specialising in paediatrics
Sources
- CIQUAL: Ciqual Table de composition nutritionnelle des aliments (anses.fr), May 2021
- APRIFEL: Strawberry: calories and nutritional composition | Aprifel, May 2021
