Grapes are one of the tastiest and healthiest fruits available on this earth. So, you should not let your baby be deprived of its taste. But what do grapes contain and what are the benefits of grapes for babies? If these are the questions in your head, then worry not. We have all the information you need about grapes for babies.
You can use grapes, raw as food, and let your baby chew them along with its skin. If your baby is too young to chew it then you can use grape juice. And if your baby loves dry fruits, then you can add dried grapes or raisins to their rice pudding or pancakes.
In This Article
- When can a Baby Start Eating Grapes?
- Nutritional Value of Grapes for Babies
- 10 Important Health Benefits of Grapes for Babies
- The Uses of Grapes in Your Baby’s Diet
- Selection and Storage of Grapes
- How to Cut Grapes for Babies?
- Precautions to Follow While Feeding Grapes to Babies
- Tasty Grape Recipes
When can a Baby Start Eating Grapes?
You can start introducing grapes to your baby when he/she develops some teeth and starts taking solid fruits. So, in general, it is when the baby turns 8 to 10 months old that you can feed them with grapes. 9th month can be an ideal time to introduce grapes to your baby but if the doctor recommends feeding grapes to your baby in the 6th month, you can feed it in juice form to your little one.
Nutritional Value of Grapes for Babies
Grapes are rich in all the goodness of protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc. Here is a list of nutrients and vitamins you will get from each type of grapes:
1. Black Grapes Nutrition
The nutritional value of black grapes is the most. It is high in:
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Copper
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
2. Green Grapes Nutrition
Out of the vitamins in green grapes, vitamin C and K are in high levels. But green grapes also contain:
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Vitamin B6
3. Red Grapes Nutrition
Red grapes are the source of iron which is much needed in your baby’s growing years. They also have:
- Calcium
- Fiber
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
So your baby will get a lot of advantages of grapes if you put them in your baby’s daily diet.
10 Important Health Benefits of Grapes for Babies
The health benefits of grapes are uncountable. But here we are providing you with 10 health benefits of grapes for babies:
- Being rich in antioxidants, grapes help to boost the immunity of babies
- Grapes are good for their central nervous system
- Being rich in fiber, grapes help to prevent constipation
- Easily digestible
- Iron in red globe grapes helps to improve blood quality and blood count in babies
- They stimulate the liver to digest the food faster
- Cures respiratory diseases
- Improve cardiovascular health
- Protect against cancer
- Help to fight obesity
The Uses of Grapes in Your Baby’s Diet
Uses of Black Grapes
Black grapes can be used as a
- Topping on chicken or tuna salad
- Source of rich color and mild sweetness to a cheese plate
- Grape juice
Uses of Green Grapes
Green grapes can be used as a
- Finger fruit
- Topping in salad and yogurts
- Evening snacks along with nuts
Uses of Red Grapes
You can use red grapes as a
- Sweetening component in the breakfast smoothie
- Topping on your homemade muffins for your baby
- Whole wheat Pancakes
So grapes can be a great source of natural sugar. And along with its tanginess, it easily becomes one of the favorite fruits for babies.
Selection and Storage of Grapes
Now that you know all the benefits and uses of grapes, you need to know some buying and storing tips for grapes:
Tips to Select Grapes
- Buy fresh juicy grapes from the market.
- Use them within 2 to 3 days.
- Try to buy organic grapes if you are buying them from a supermarket.
Tips to Store Grapes
- Do not store grapes more than 4/5 days.
- Excessive storing will make them soft.
- Clean the grapes properly before refrigerating them.
Try to avoid cuts and blemishes on grapes as these will rot faster even when you refrigerate them.
How to Cut Grapes for Babies?
You need to cut the grapes in thin slices along with the length and not the width. You can even blend or mash the grapes for avoiding any choking hazards.
Precautions to Follow While Feeding Grapes to Babies
Here are some necessary precautions that you should take while feeding grapes to your baby:
- The grapes should be firm and round in texture and sweet (not sour) in flavor.
- Clean grapes in clear running water and soak them for some time to avoid dirt, germs, and pesticides.
- Make a fine puree of the grapes for babies so that they can easily swallow and digest it.
Tasty Grape Recipes
Grapes can be used both in dessert and in savory dishes. Its sweet yet tangy flavor will add a special charm to any recipe for babies. Here are 3 tasty grape recipes for you:
Fruity Chicken and Veggie Puree
If your baby is big enough to digest chicken then this dish is what you need. You can add as many veggies as you want. You will require boneless skinless chicken and 10 to 12 red grapes. And you will have to sauté and cook the ingredients and at the end, you will just have to make a puree of it.
Sweet Tuna Salad
Grapes go remarkably with tuna fish. This will be a protein feast for your baby. You can give it as an evening snack or a lunchtime meal along with rice to your baby.
Sweet Potato and Grape Bake
It is a wholesome and filling meal for your baby. You can easily give it to your baby at lunchtime along with rice.
So grapes are extremely beneficial fruit for babies. Though you will have to be a bit careful on which way you provide grapes to them to avoid the risk of choking.
Read Also: Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes for Babies
