We all know very well that honey is a very healthy natural product. In addition to being delicious, it perfectly strengthens the immune system, increases hemoglobin, improves appetite and is very effective in treating enuresis. Even newborns can have a light honey massage, which perfectly helps get rid of a cough after a cold. Despite all my positive traits, this delicacy for children can also be dangerous. Let's figure it out with you: when can you start giving honey to your child?
Can a one-year-old child have honey?
Some parents are of the opinion that if honey is so beneficial, then it should be given to the child almost from birth. In fact, scientists have proven that this delicacy is categorically not recommended for inclusion in the diet of babies under one year of age: in the child’s digestive system it creates a favorable environment for the development of botulism. This is due to the fact that honey contains the spore-forming bacillus Clostridium botulinum, which causes human body severe toxic poisoning. An adult can tolerate such toxicosis normally, but a child’s digestive system will not be able to cope with it. So, can you give honey to young children? In many European countries On the jars with this delicacy it is written that it is strictly prohibited for babies under one year old!
At what age can children be given honey?
Experts' opinions on this matter vary greatly: some argue that it can be given little by little almost from the second year of life, while others recommend waiting, if possible, until school age. The only thing they agree on is that honey must be administered to the baby only in small doses - no more than half a teaspoon. This way you can control the reaction of the child’s body and prevent the onset of allergies in the child. If the baby does not develop any redness or digestive disorders, then you can gradually begin to increase the dose. It is best to give honey not pure form, and add to milk, cottage cheese, kefir, tea or porridge as a natural sweetener. Approximate age dosages for honey consumption by children should be as follows:
- up to 1 year – strictly not recommended;
- 1–3 years – not recommended, but sometimes half a teaspoon per day in several doses is allowed;
- 3–5 years – 10 grams of honey per day, in several doses;
- 6–9 years – recommended 30 grams per day to improve health and immunity;
- 9-15 years old can be safely given an almost adult dose - up to 70 grams of honey per day.
Why shouldn't you give honey to children?
Despite all the benefits described above, this product should not be given to a child too early, as the following may occur:
In conclusion, I would like to answer the question of whether children can have honey and emphasize that the most optimal time introducing it into the child’s diet – 6 years. If parents can’t imagine how they can do without this product, then you can try giving the baby the treat in small doses, starting from the age of 3. But those adults who take risks and administer honey to babies at a more early age, take full responsibility for this complementary feeding, because it is completely impossible to predict the consequences. To prevent anything bad from happening, follow not only the age-specific dosages of honey for children, but also take into account all contraindications before use, so as not to harm the baby.
The health benefits of honey have been known for a long time. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers also used this product to soothe small children: a pacifier, slightly dipped in honey, instantly calmed the baby in moments of crying. When the baby was sick and coughed badly, the bee product was used as a compress. A popular method of treating cough in children is hot milk with honey.
However, recently, most experts recommend not to rush into using this miraculous product in baby food and treatment.
What is the reason for this, what should you be wary of and at what age can you give your child honey - parents can find out in our article.
The value of the product produced by bees is beyond doubt. The benefits of honey for children are explained by the following facts:
- Honey is a natural product that improves health and affects the formation and development of bones and teeth. Thanks to this property, the use of propolis-based products for the prevention of scoliosis in schoolchildren, as well as for the treatment of back diseases, is obvious.
- The substances included in bee products (ascorbic acid, carotene, etc.), which have a general strengthening effect, help the child cope with infectious and colds. It has been noticed that children who regularly consume honey delicacy in optimal quantities are less likely to get sick and have a strong immune system.
- Propolis-based products have a beneficial effect on digestion, promoting rapid and effective absorption of food, and the carbohydrates contained in honey promote optimal digestion of fats and carbohydrates, preventing them from remaining in the gastrointestinal tract.
- It has been proven that propolis has positive influence on blood composition, increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood. In this regard, it is often indicated for lethargic, asthenic, slow children, who are often ill and prone to anemia.
- This product copes well with diseases genitourinary system, including childhood enuresis.
Despite these and many other benefits of using honey, parents should be especially careful when giving it one year old child.
Many mothers often wonder why honey should not be given infant. We'll talk about this below.
Honey sweets: possible harm from consuming them
Before giving your baby a bee product, new parents should make sure at what age they can offer their children honey treats.
In the case when this product is given to a one-year-old child, without taking into account age norms of consumption, you may encounter some troubles:
- severe allergic reaction, because this is a highly allergenic product (therefore, honey should not be given to children under 12 months);
- if used incorrectly and irrationally, there is a high probability of disorder digestive system;
- due to the fact that bees interact with various biological material, not always useful and proven, in rare cases honey can cause botulism. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to consume a low-quality product that has not passed certification.
When can you offer honey to your baby?
Parents who are concerned about when a child can be given honey and at what age should initially:
- consider all the pros and cons of using this sweet product;
- make sure at what age you can start giving it to your baby;
- be sure that the baby under 12 months has no history of allergies;
- consult with your local pediatrician and allergist.
Experts have set age limits when children can and cannot be given honey.
It is believed that the optimal age for consuming this product is over 3 years. It is after 3 years that the baby’s body is completely ready to absorb such a useful product.
It is strictly forbidden to give honey treats to children in their first year of life!
Their body is not yet ready to absorb this sweetness, which can cause a severe allergic reaction. In some cases, for babies under one year of age, water is sweetened with honey. At the same time, it is important to monitor the reaction of the baby’s body and if any complications arise, stop giving honey, even dissolved in water or tea.
Children over one year old are allowed to offer 0.5 teaspoon of honey product.
During the first administrations it is necessary Special attention pay attention to the quality of the purchased honey treat, so that later you won’t be surprised why your baby has indigestion or shows signs of allergies.
A baby over one year old can be offered honey sweets in different versions:
- dissolve half a teaspoon of honey in water or tea;
- sweeten porridge with honey;
- dip your baby’s favorite cookies in honey;
- offer to eat from a spoon.
The little one who more than a year, will definitely appreciate the proposed methods of serving honey. This variety of honey consumption will also appeal to children over 2 years old.
Children who are about 3 years old are able to eat honey on their own with a spoon, naturally, under the close attention of their parents. The norm for consuming honey sweets for children over 3 years old is 1 teaspoon. Preschoolers aged 3 to 5 years are allowed to take up to 20 grams of honey, which is approximately equal to 1 tablespoon.
Children of primary school age are recommended to consume honey, especially during the autumn and winter months. This helps not only strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of colds, but also improve cognitive functions and successfully assimilate educational material.
Thus, parents with children from several months to a year need to remember why they should not pamper their babies with a honey treat. Mothers and fathers of children over one year old must strictly adhere to the daily intake of this product recommended by experts.
ABOUT invaluable benefits Everyone knows about bee products. At what age can a child be given honey is a controversial issue. Grandmothers of the old school recommend getting used to it almost from the cradle. Medical workers are categorically against apiary gifts in the diet of a child under one and a half years old.
The benefits of honey for a child
Adults and children eat sweets with pleasure, replacing sugar. Honey is not only tasty, but also healthy due to its composition. This product has long been called the most valuable natural balm for all ailments. Honey is actively used in traditional medicine recipes, and doctors recommend it.
Nutritional value
If we consider honey from an energy point of view, then 100 g of the product will give the body 304 kcal. This is only thanks to carbohydrates, which account for 82.4 g. The protein component is only 0.3 g, fats are completely absent. The rest is taken up by water.
Natural honey contains:
- reducing sugars (up to 79%);
- sucrose (7%);
- proteins;
- organic acids;
- enzymes;
- dextrins.
There are small amounts of provitamin A, some representatives of group B, ascorbic and folic acid, tocopherol, vitamin K. Among mineral salts, the bulk is potassium (52 mg), there are calcium (6 mg), phosphorus and sodium (4 mg each). The composition contains a small amount of iron, magnesium, zinc.
Beneficial features
The carbohydrates that honey is rich in are the main source of energy and allow you to quickly restore a child’s immunity after an illness. The product is important for the normal functioning of cells and helps synthesize the nucleotides necessary for development in the body. Among the beneficial properties of honey are the following:
- the product has a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa and improves digestion;
- a few grams of honey regulates intestinal motility;
- expectorant and diaphoretic properties will help to quickly cope with a cold, eliminate a severe cough and reduce fever;
- honey improves blood composition, increases hemoglobin levels, and is therefore useful for anemia;
- helps strengthen teeth and bones, which is important for a growing body;
- thiamine, ascorbic acid and carotene present in the product develop visual acuity;
- honey has a positive effect on the urinary system;
- Due to the high energy value of the balm, it contributes to the active development of the baby.
The product is also used externally: in compresses on the chest, for the treatment of burns and healing of pustules.
Important! Honey provokes an allergic reaction if there is a predisposition to it.
How to choose good honey for a child
Only natural products, without unnecessary impurities, bring benefits. On sale you can find an artificial version produced without the participation of bees. This kind of honey is contraindicated for infants and older children. The quality of a product of botanical origin is assessed according to several criteria. People sometimes make mistakes here by buying unclean honey.
Characteristics of natural honey
| Index | Description |
|---|---|
| Consistency | The fresh product is a viscous liquid that easily flows off a spoon. After a few months, it thickens and crystallizes (candied). The aged product is wrapped around a spoon with a ribbon and flows off it in threads. |
| Smell and taste | Honey acquires the properties of those plants from which bees collected nectar. Therefore, the smell should contain characteristic floral notes. If the aroma is weak, then it is a honeydew product. Real honey should have a sour, cooling taste of sweetness. |
| Color | It also depends on the type of plant and can have different shades. The predominant color is yellow; it is used to determine whether the honey is linden or acacia. Buckwheat gives a brownish tint, fireweed - white. There are also other colors, but it is better not to give this product to children (especially with a green tint). |
Note! If in winter they offer to buy liquid honey, we can talk about falsification. By this time, the natural balm should already be candied.
In order not to make a mistake in choosing a product, it is recommended to “take a sample” when purchasing. Having taken a portion of honey into the mouth, do not swallow it, but roll it on the tongue for several minutes, listening to the taste sensations. If the sweetness does not melt for a long time, this indicates a poor quality of the product.
You can test honey at home this way. Dissolve 1 tbsp in a glass of water. bee balm. If the product is free of impurities, the liquid will be cloudy, but nothing will precipitate.
From what months should you introduce complementary foods?
Knowing the benefits of the balm, some mothers smear cracks on their nipples with it (for quick healing). At the same time, they don’t even think about whether honey can be given to babies, because this is how grandmothers and great-grandmothers acted. Sometimes, to calm the baby, a pacifier was dipped in the product and given to the little one.
Can I give it to a child under one year old?
There are mothers who do not pay attention to WHO recommendations on the norms of complementary feeding for a newborn and act on instinct. They don’t think about at what age a child can be given honey, and they start doing it very early. Such negligence can lead to negative consequences:
- In children under one year of age, the digestive system is imperfect and is just beginning to acquire its own microflora. Bee honeycombs contain botulism bacillus, the spores of which end up in the sweet product. The baby's stomach acidity is not yet high enough. Therefore, honey, even in small quantities entering the gastrointestinal tract, becomes an excellent nutrient medium for the development of bacilli. This ultimately leads to poisoning of the child.
- Bee balm is a strong allergen. The reaction is provoked not by the honey itself, but by the individual components of the multicomponent product. The immune system, which is not yet fully formed, can react with a rash, swelling, and even severe suffocation.
If there have been cases of allergies to insect bites or the product itself in the family, then breastfeeding It is better for a mother not to introduce honey into her baby’s complementary foods until he is one year old.
Doctor Komarovsky's opinion
A pediatrician popular with all Russian mothers on the question of whether a baby can have honey, advises to refrain from this product until 1.5-2 years. If the mother is sure that there will be no harm from the bee balm, Komarovsky says that you can start experimenting no earlier than 10 months of age (but it is better to wait up to a year).
By this point, the enzymatic system will have already established its activity, and it will be easier for the baby to cope with a complex product.
Norms of complementary feeding with honey for a one-year-old child
Before introducing a new ingredient into the baby's complementary foods, the mother includes it in her diet and observes the reaction of the child's body. The same is true with honey: starting from the 10th month after giving birth, a woman gradually tastes the sweetness of bees. If the baby then adequately perceives breast milk, closer to the year, the mother is allowed to take the risk of giving the little one a little sweet product from the apiary.
How much to give
In order for the body to calmly accept honey, the first time the mother expresses a little milk and dilutes it with a small drop of the sweet product. You can also use the mixture or plain water.
The child’s condition is monitored within a day or two. If all is well, honey can be added to teas and other complementary foods according to the following scheme:
- first ¼ tsp;
- then 1/3 tsp;
- then – ½ tsp.
This is continued until the norm reaches 1 tsp. in a day. If suddenly the baby begins to sprinkle, then the product is removed from the diet or its dose is reduced.
How often to give
Even if a baby has a normal reaction to honey, it is not advisable to include it in the menu every day. It is better to limit the use of the product to 2-3 times a week. At the same time, knowing how much sweets you can give per day, daily norm should be divided into a couple of passes.
Often a sweet product is added to warm milk and given before bedtime to help the baby fall asleep faster. This does not always work with babies - honey can cause increased excitability. Therefore, it is better to introduce sweetness into feedings in the first half of the day.
What can be combined with
A honey product should not be given to a one-year-old child separately from other food (between feedings); it is better to combine it with something. Honey is a good alternative to sugar, which is why it is added to drinks. Mom can diversify the baby’s menu if she feeds the following dishes:
- the little one will like porridge seasoned with honey; You need to add sweetness to a cooled dish so that the product does not lose its value;
- Honey goes well with cottage cheese and fruit and berry additives;
- if you bake zucchini or pumpkin, you can pour pre-melted honey over the vegetables;
- A salad of fresh fruits with the addition of nuts, seasoned with a sweet product, will be useful.
Honey goes well with most ingredients, enhancing them nutritional value. In order for feeding to benefit the baby, they adhere to the necessary norms for introducing honey into the diet.
Possible nutrition problems
Balm from the apiary is not a panacea for all ills. The product itself can cause a number of diseases. This may occur in young children atopic dermatitis, diathesis or a more severe allergic reaction, which will lead to disastrous consequences.
Signs of an allergy to honey
Important! Food allergies also affect cardiovascular system baby. In combination with other symptoms, this can lead to anaphylactic shock.
Similar reactions occur to a natural product; the cause is pollen grains that get into honey with nectar. Along with these components, harmful substances also enter the product and settle on flowers growing in areas with poor ecology.
The little person’s inadequate reaction to honey is caused by the imperfection of the digestive system, which produces protective enzymes in small quantities. This leads to the desensitization mechanism being activated, which triggers an allergic reaction.
Before introducing a sweet product from the apiary into complementary feeding, the mother must make sure whether honey is suitable for her infant. Even a valuable balm can cause harm if you use it thoughtlessly. Allergies in young children present with serious symptoms. Therefore, it is better not to rush into adding such additives to the menu, but to wait until the little one turns 2 years old.
Video
Honey is a natural delicacy with a high content of vitamins and minerals. But, despite the benefits, the product is not recommended for children under at least one year of age. First of all, such a delicacy is a strong allergen. In addition, it sometimes leads to botulism. This is a rare, but serious and dangerous disease in which harmful, paralyzing toxins accumulate in the baby's body. Let's figure out whether it is possible to give honey to a baby. We will also find out at what age this delicacy is given to babies.
Beneficial features
Honey is a natural product that contains large amounts of iron, magnesium and copper, B vitamins. This is an excellent prevention and remedy for colds. Honey is an excellent substitute for sugar, since 76% of the sugar in the product is fructose and glucose. These substances are easier to digest and bring more benefit than sugar.
Honey performs a number of important functions:
- Strengthens the immune system, effectively protects the body from harmful bacteria and viral diseases;
- Fills the body with vitamins and beneficial elements;
- Normalizes work nerve cells and stimulates brain function;
- Improves mood, gives vigor and energy;
- The newborn grows calm and resistant to stress;
- Strengthens bones, gums and teeth, hair and nails;
- Improves skin structure;
- Cleanses the body, removes harmful carbon dioxide and toxins;
- Normalizes digestion and material metabolism;
- Helps with constipation.
By the way, honey is good for a nursing mother. It improves lactation, quickly restores the body after childbirth, improves the condition of the skin, nails and hair. Improves mood and helps fight postpartum depression. However, even in this situation, the delicacy is not recommended for nursing mothers in the first six months due to its strong allergenicity. Read more about the benefits and use of this product during lactation. And then we will consider whether it is possible to give honey to a baby.
Harmful effects
Honey contains a strong allergen, so when consuming a sweet product, infants may experience a rash or itching, swelling, and other Negative consequences. In addition, honey can cause stomach upset and stool disorders, severe poisoning.
However, experts note that allergies to pure honey are extremely rare. Therefore, it is important to choose a natural product and not a fake. This delicacy does not separate and liquid does not form on the surface. The taste should be without any extraneous shades, and the color should be transparent. The natural product flows from a spoon or stick slowly in a continuous thread.
A counterfeit is indicated by the cloudy color of the product, and due to the large amount of sugar, the honey will flow down in separate drops. If a treat good quality, over time it thickens.
The most dangerous action The impact that this delicacy can have is the occurrence and development of botulism. It's toxic infection which affects the nervous system and spinal cord, resulting in acute respiratory failure. To avoid possible problems, it is important to follow a number of important rules.
Rules for consuming honey for children
- You should not give honey to newborns and lubricate the pacifier with it, as some midwives advise;
- It is recommended to introduce the product into the baby’s diet no earlier than at the age of one, even if he is bottle-fed or mixed-fed. Some pediatricians do not allow honey to be given;
- Follow the dosage. Administration begins with ¼-⅓ teaspoon and then gradually increases the rate to one teaspoon. The product should not be given more than once every two days. By the way, the benefit of the product lies not in the volume, but in the regularity of use;
- Choose only natural products;
- After the first administration, carefully observe the baby’s reaction and well-being. If a negative reaction does not appear within two days, honey can be eaten in accordance with the dosage and recommendations;
- If they appear
Sweet, delicious, golden. But how useful is it? Today we will talk about the benefits and harms of this product, about the age at which honey can be given to a child.
Since ancient times, man has discovered beneficial features this bear delicacy. Many scientists are still studying its composition and the prospects for using the waste product of bees in medicine and cosmetology. Many mothers would like to replace sweets and confectionery with this amazing product. However, doctors warn that sometimes it can harm the baby's health.
The result of bee work can be dangerous for a child’s body, so it should be used with caution.
- Bee products are considered a very strong allergen that can cause negative reactions in a child. Often, when using a compress in the form of a cake with cough honey for children, honey with milk, onion or mustard, unpleasant reactions from the respiratory system may occur.
- It can provoke recruitment excess weight, because it is a source of simple carbohydrates.
- After eating this delicacy, fructose is retained in the mouth, which can negatively affect the condition of the teeth and mucous membranes of the oral cavity. If you do not rinse your mouth, it can cause caries.
- Botulism is another danger to the baby's body. This infection can get into honey when bees collect nectar.
The benefits of honey for the human body
- Boosting immunity. It contains a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid and carotene, which help stimulate the protective functions of the child's body. When taken systematically, colds visit the baby less often.
- Reducing the manifestations of inflammatory diseases. If your baby has frequent inflammatory diseases of the respiratory, excretory and digestive systems, then it is worth using honey therapy daily.
- Decreased body temperature. As a child, we were often given tea with honey when we had a fever. And not in vain, because it has a diaphoretic effect.
- Beneficial effect on bones and teeth. Honey allows calcium and magnesium to be better absorbed in the body of a small person. However, parents need to be taught to rinse their mouths after this treat. boiled water, since fructose, which is part of the product, negatively affects tooth enamel.
- Antitussive effect. During coughing attacks, honey relieves spasms in children. Promotes rapid recovery from bronchitis, laryngitis, and pneumonia. Often parents give their children radish with honey for this purpose; a recipe for such a medicine can be found on the Internet. ethnoscience recommends for children to mix honey with aloe or lemon.
- Stimulates vision. If your baby has vision problems, then systematically taking honey products can help him. Indeed, in its composition you can find ascorbic acid, carotene and thiamine, which improve vision.
- Improving the process of digesting food. Prevents the occurrence of putrefactive processes in the baby’s stomach, helps digest proteins and fats.
- Changes in blood composition. When a baby is diagnosed with anemia, it will help to improve the blood condition a small amount of this food, because it can increase hemoglobin.
- Calming properties. After eating this treat nervous system The baby relaxes, which provides him with a sound and healthy sleep.
- Solving problems of the genitourinary system. When a child has problems with urinary incontinence, honey products can have a positive effect on the treatment process.
- Fighting fungus. It copes not only with candidiasis in the baby’s oral cavity, but also with sore throat due to a fungal infection.
At what age can a child be given honey?
- All doctors agree that honey should not be offered to a baby under one year old.
- For children from one to three years old, you can try giving a small amount of processed nectar, but this should be done with caution. It is better to add honey to milk.
- Most doctors recommend starting to include honey in your child’s menu at age 3. The baby should be fed this product rarely and should be given a small dose.
- If children 6 years old do not have allergies, then honey can be introduced into their diet more often.
How and when not to give honey to your baby
In what case should you not give it to a child:
- If the baby has not reached the age of 1 year. Botulism spores contained in honeycombs can harm the baby's body. After all, a little gourmet until he is a year old does not yet have sufficient stomach acidity, so the spores do not die.
- When a child develops an allergy when consuming honey. An allergic reaction occurs in the form of skin rashes, swelling, and hives. The most serious manifestation is considered to be Quincke's edema, which poses a threat to the lives of children. You can check your baby's tendency to allergies in the following way. Dissolve two drops from bee supplies in a glass of water and let the baby drink this liquid in the morning. If no negative reactions are detected during the day, you can give a third of a teaspoon of the converted nectar daily.
- If the honey is in the honeycomb. This application option is not suitable for small children. It is better to use its liquid version.
- If it has been subjected to heat treatment. After heating the product above 45˚, it loses its beneficial properties. Moreover, such honey becomes harmful.
Under no circumstances should you ADD HONEY TO HOT tea or milk. This can cause cancer!
- When the little one doesn't want to eat it. Don't force him to eat a treat. So you will instill in your child an aversion to this useful product. It’s better to tell your child an educational story about how bees make honey for children and how it is useful.
Doctor Komarovsky’s opinion on honey in children’s diets
Evgeny Komarovsky believes that the use of processed nectar has certain conditions:
- Do not give to children under one year of age.
- After one year of age, it can be offered to children as a replacement for daily sweets.
- If the toddler and his parents are not allergic to bee products, then you can give no more than 30 grams of food without risk.
- You ask: “What kind of honey can be given to children?” It is better to give preference to a quality product purchased from trusted sellers.
- Before introducing it into your diet, Komarovsky advises applying a little product to the skin of your wrist. If there are no allergic reactions, you can drop a drop on the toddler’s tongue. And only after this, in the absence of allergies, give the children a teaspoon of the converted nectar.
To summarize, it can be noted that honey, according to reviews, is very useful for children over one year old, but only on condition that there are no allergic reactions to it. It is especially important when choosing beekeeping products to pay attention to their quality and consistency.
