Aparna Hari
Her experience in impactful writing combined with her background in Home Sciences makes Aparna the perfect candidate for content writing in the pregnancy and parenting niche.
Asparagus For Babies – When to Introduce, Benefits and Precautions
6 min readWritten by Aparna Hari
The weaning process is always the most exciting time for a new mum. In this process, the baby and mother form a strong bond too! A new taste, new sensations, and new expressions – a mother witnesses a wholly unique experience. And a baby learns to appreciate a variety of foods and spices. Asparagus for babies is a great food for babies during their growth period.
So, to start this nutritious journey with your baby, you need to understand the health qualities of Asparagus and how Asparagus should be fed to your little one. Although there are plentiful options available in the genre of healthy foods and asparagus is one of them.
In This Article
- Is Asparagus Safe For Babies?
- When Can You Introduce Asparagus to Your Baby?
- Nutritional Value of Asparagus
- Amazing Top 4 Health Benefits of Asparagus For Babies
- Precautions to Take While Introducing Asparagus to Babies
- Are There Any Side Effects of Asparagus For Babies?
- Top 4 Healthy and Tasty Asparagus Recipes For Babies
- FAQ’s
Is Asparagus Safe For Babies?
Introducing Asparagus to your baby is absolutely safe. It’s a nutritious vegetable that is jam-packed with various nutritional values. Asparagus offers incredible nourishing benefits to a growing baby. This vegetable is a rich source of vitamin B6 and folate, both of which are essential for the growth and development of babies. It is also rich in iron and fiber, especially prebiotic fiber.
When Can You Introduce Asparagus to Your Baby?
Asparagus can be safely introduced to babies once they start having solids, which is around 8 months. However, for parents who are slightly apprehensive, you can always introduce it once your baby is little older.
When your baby marks 10months or more, you can start giving Asparagus in a small amount. And it’s a great approach to introducing your infant to new solid foods. However, remember to steam thoroughly and mash before giving so it becomes soft and easy to gulp.
Nutritional Value of Asparagus
According to research and experts, Asparagus contains a huge portion of nutritive value per serving. Let’s look at the table to understand the nutritional value of Asparagus and how healthy it is for babies.
| Nutrients | Value Per 90g |
| Protein | 3.0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 12.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.8 g |
| Calcium | 20.7 mg |
| Potassium | 202 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg |
| Folate | 134 ug |
| Vitamin C | 6.9 mg |
| Vitamin A | 905 ug |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.1 mg |
| Zinc | 0.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 18.8 mg |
| Phosphorus | 69.7 mg |
| Manganese | 0.2 mg |
| Beta Carotene | 602 mg |
Amazing Top 4 Health Benefits of Asparagus For Babies
Asparagus is a super vegetable filled with rich fiber, nutrients, and vitamins. It’s a low-calorie food that offers several benefits.
1. Maintains Stomach and Gut Health
Due to the extensive presence of prebiotics, asparagus ensures proper digestion and prevents problems such as constipation. It also promotes the baby’s gut health and reduces the possibility of indigestion or similar issues.
2. Promotes Brain Development
In the growing period, babies require foods that stimulate their brain development process. And Asparagus is one of those superfoods that are rich in folate. It highly encourages the cognitive development of babies and keeps their brains healthy and active.
3. Boosts Immunity
Since birth, babies are vulnerable to various infections, diseases, and allergies. So, being a responsible parent, you must give your baby some healthy foods with natural healing and anti-bacterial properties. Asparagus has immense antioxidant properties. It benefits infants by improving their immune systems. In addition, it has a high volume of vitamin C, E, and A that influences the process of immune cell production.
[Read : How to Increase Immunity in Babies?]
4. Protects the Liver
Giving asparagus regularly to your infant will protect the liver by reducing the occurance of free radicals.
Precautions to Take While Introducing Asparagus to Babies
Asparagus can cause a choking situation for infants/toddlers if mothers can’t prepare correctly. Therefore, you need to consider the following precautions:
- Always start with very small quantities of asparagus since issues such as indigestion, stomachache and bloating are common with more intake.
- Opt for fresh asparagus spears as opposed to the canned ones.
- Always store asparagus spears by wrapping them in damp towel or storing them in a container/glass with water stem side down.
- For babies, steamed and mashed asparagus must only be given.
- For older babies who are ready to eat solids, cut Asparagus into finger-size pieces like french-fries and boil the pieces until they are soft and tender. Remove the woody edge, including stringy or fibrous strands.
- Guide your toddlers when they are eating. Add this vegetable to lunch or dinnertime meals.
- Don’t serve food when the baby is playing, running, or walking. It can cause them to choke.
[Read : Infant Choking]
Are There Any Side Effects of Asparagus For Babies?
Yes, the composition of asparagus can cause certain side effects in babies:
- The high carb and fiber content can cause gas, colic and stomach discomfort, especially in the initial days.
- Fructans present in asparagus can cause digestion issues and bloating.
- Though side effects to asparagus in babies is rare, look out for reactions such as sneezing, wheezing, itching, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, runny nose etc. If you find any of these reactions, stop giving asparagus to your baby immediately and consult your pediatrician.
Top 4 Healthy and Tasty Asparagus Recipes For Babies
Asparagus can easily blend with other healthy vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, zucchinis, etc. Here is a list of tasty Asparagus recipes perfect for a baby meal.
1. Asparagus Puree
This is an excellent way to introduce aspargus for the first time to your baby. Ensure to start with very small quantities and work your way up. For asparagus puree, simply steam asparagus pieces until well cooked, mash and give to your baby.
2. Asparagus And Potato Puree
You can steam asparagus and potatoes together till well cooked, add breast milk or formula milk as a thinner, make a mash and feed it to your little one.
You can also offer other combos such as asparagus mint puree, asparagus pear puree etc., to offer variety and make this veggie more palatable to your liitle champ.
3. Creamy Asparagus Soup
Soup is always a safe and ideal food for babies. You can easily make Asparagus soup by adding potatoes, onions, and chopped Asparagus. Cook all ingredients until it’s soft, and add vegetable broth to ensure more nutrition. And lastly, blend all ingredients together and make a thick soup.
4. Scrambled Eggs With Asparagus
This recipe is for older babies who are comfortable with eating solids. Mix the cooked Asparagus into scrambled eggs and garnish with chives/dill to enhance the flavor.
Asparagus is one of the most successful and beneficial vegetables in the world. It has incredible healthy properties and values, which are truly magical for a developing baby. If you can cook Asparagus for babies in a correct manner, the preparation can be mouth-watering for toddlers. And they can’t deny having meals with Asparagus.
However, during the time of weaning, a mother needs to be a little conscious and careful. Don’t overfeed your baby due to overexcitement. It can otherwise cause massive damage to your infant. Also, you can consult with a pediatrician for additional advice and assistance.
[Read : The 3-Day Wait Rule For Babies To Introduce Solids]
FAQ’s
1. Does Asparagus Make Babies Gassy?
Asparagus contains a variant of carb, Raffinose. It is responsible for gas in babies. If fed Asparagus in high quantity, the gassy issue emerges since the baby’s digestive system cannot bear the excess amount. Make sure you offer Asparagus to your baby at a moderate level.
2. Is Asparagus a High Allergy Food?
Not always. Asparagus is a highly nutritious food that provides taste and energy to a growing body. However, some babies can show allergic reactions to Asparagus as different bodies react to food differently.
3. When Can Babies Eat Asparagus?
When they hit 10 months to 1year, babies can eat asparagus without any worry. Often, you can wait till your baby turns 10months old to introduce asparagus to them.
Read Also: Eggplant(Brinjal) For Babies – Benefits, Precautions and Side Effects
Aparna Hari,MBA in Marketing,P.G. Diploma in Human Resource Management from IGNOU Bachelor of Sciences (Home Science) from Nagarjuna University
Her experience in impactful writing combined with her background in Home Sciences makes Aparna the perfect candidate for content writing in the pregnancy and parenting niche.Read more.
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