Watermelon For Babies – When to Introduce, Benefits And Precautions

Nutritional Benefits Of Watermelon For Babies

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6 Amazing Health Benefits Of Watermelon For Babies

Following are 6 amazing health benefits of watermelon for babies:

1. Rich In Vitamin A

The Vitamin A content that is present in watermelon helps in developing healthy and glowing skin in babies. It is also good for developing good eyesight. The presence of this vitamin helps in developing soft tissues and the mucous membrane.

2. Good Source Of Vitamin C

The abundance of Vitamin C present in abundance in watermelon helps in strengthening the immune system and maintaining blood cell count and hemoglobin through the absorption of iron. It also prevents the occurrence of diseases like scurvy, which occurs due to its deficiency.

3. Aids In Digestion

Watermelon is a rich source of dietary fiber. This helps to keep the digestive tract healthy, relieves any signs of constipation, and regularizes bowel movement.

4. Keeps The Baby Hydrated

Due to its large water content, watermelon helps to keep your baby hydrated by maintaining water balance in the body. When there is a hot scorching sun during the summer season, there are chances of heat stroke occurring in babies. Watermelon maintains hydration levels during those hot, tiring days.

5. Bone Development

Calcium and magnesium that are present in watermelon are essential for bone development and also for the secretion of hormones in the body. Magnesium helps in building strong and healthy muscles and promotes the smooth functioning of nerves in babies.

6. Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin B complex includes a number of vitamins providing different benefits. The overall development of the nervous system strengthens the protein content and carbohydrate metabolism in babies.

Precautions To Be Taken While Feeding Your Baby With Watermelon

Though we find from the above points discussed that watermelon is indeed a fruit with amazing benefits, there are certain precautions to be taken before feeding it to your baby.

Here are some precautions to take when feeding watermelon to your munchkin.

• Give watermelon only after the baby is 6 to 8 months old.
• Fruit texture is also very important when giving it to babies. Try and give only bite-sized pieces of watermelon to your baby. If your baby will not eat the watermelon pieces, try mashing them up a little bit.
• Always prefer fresh fruit, of organic variety if possible. Frozen and canned fruit must be avoided.
• Do not feed your baby with pre-cut watermelon that is readily available in certain grocery stores.
• The cut fruit stored in the refrigerator should be taken out and brought to room temperature to avoid your baby from catching a cold.
• Watermelon juice that is readily available in stores can increase the risk of dental cavities, and also make the babies lose interest in solid food.
• Some babies can develop allergic reactions like rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, running nose, and light-headedness if they consume watermelon. Look out for any signs of allergy.
• While giving watermelon to babies care should be taken that each and every seed is removed so that the risk of choking is avoided.

Are There Any Side Effects Of Watermelon For Babies

The following are some of watermelon’s adverse effects on infants:

1. Might Cause Diarrhea and Other Digestive Issues

Watermelon is an excellent source of water and nutritional fiber. However, excessive watermelon consumption might result in bloating, gas, flatulence, diarrhea, and other similar digestive issues in infants. This is mostly due to the presence of sorbitol, a sugar molecule, and lycopene, the pigment responsible for the fruit’s brilliant red color. Both drugs cause flatulence and diarrhea.

2. Allergies

Due to its strong acidity, watermelon may cause skin irritation in infants. When watermelon comes into touch with the skin, allergic responses may include a rash or urticaria, often known as hives.

If your infant displays indications of an allergic response to watermelon, you should call your doctor immediately for assistance in treating the allergy.

3. Choking Risk

Although watermelon is not normally considered a choking hazard, it may be a difficult food for infants, and its seeds can represent an aspiration danger.

Watermelon has a “mixed consistency,” meaning it has both solid portions that need chewing and a substantial amount of liquid that flows differently than the solids as a baby eats. This causes a significant amount of coughing and choking as the infant learns to manage both a solid and liquid consistency simultaneously.

How To Choose Good Quality Watermelon For Your Babies

Select a fully grown watermelon that is heavier, looks smooth, and is a little dull on the top. Also,

• To know if the watermelon is fully ripe, give it a tap with your fingers. A fully ripened watermelon should sound hollow when tapped.
• Look for any signs of bruises, cuts, spots, or areas where it is over-ripened.
• Watermelon that is precut should be avoided as it comes with the risk of E Coli contamination that can upset your baby’s stomach.
• The juice that is available in stores is not recommended, as it increases the risk of dental cavities
• Do not buy frozen or canned watermelon.

How To Store Watermelon At Home

Following are some pointers when it comes to storing watermelon at home:

• Whole watermelon can be stored at room temperature for a period of 4 to 5 days.
• In the refrigerator, it can be stored for about two weeks.
• Once the fruit is cut, it is to be carefully wrapped up with plastic wrap so that it can be stored in the refrigerator.
• This enables the cut fruit to be fresh and also to prevents the absorption of other flavors from the fridge.
• Once the fruit is removed from the refrigerator, it should be allowed to come to room temperature before it is given to babies.
• Foods that go well with watermelon include bananas, blueberries, peaches, carrots, avocado, yoghurt, etc.,.

Watermelon has great benefits for your baby, but it is better to consult your baby’s doctor before you start including it in your baby’s diet. Serve your baby watermelon in different ways as it helps in the overall health of your baby. But be careful about the choking hazards and any signs of allergic reactions.

FAQ’s

1. Can Babies Eat Watermelon During Cold And Cough?

Sure, you can give watermelon to babies, even if they have a cold or cough. Cold/cough is caused by a virus and eating watermelon has nothing to do with it.  However, make sure the fruit is at room temperature before giving it to the baby.

2. Does Watermelon Increase Cold?

No. Eating watermelon will not aggravate cold in babies. On the other hand, Watermelon’s vitamin C content can help your infant fight off ailments like the common cold and ear infections. The water content present in the fruit gives your baby the much-needed hydration as they recover from illness.

2. Can Watermelon Cause Red Stool In Babies?

Lycopene may be found in abundance in watermelon, which may cause reddish feces. However, for red hues to show up in the baby’s feces, he or she would have to eat a lot of watermelons.