Walnuts For Babies – When to Introduce, Benefits and Precautions

Although walnuts are a good source of protein it might be risky to introduce solid walnuts to your baby initially due to choking hazards. When introducing for the first time, you can give walnuts to your baby in powder or paste form.

When Can You Introduce Walnut to Your Baby?

You might be wondering when you can start introducing walnuts to your baby. As walnuts are hard solid foods and need to be chewed, you need to wait until your baby turns 6 months old.

Nuts are among allergens and so early introduction of walnuts may reduce the risk of nut allergies in babies according to the American Association of Pediatricians.

You can introduce nuts in the form of nut powder or nut paste once your baby has crossed 6 months of age. But for parents who feel skeptical about introducing walnuts at an early age, you can introduce walnuts after your baby is comfortable with some basic solids.

You can also take your pediatrician’s suggestions before planning to introduce nuts to your little one.

Nutritional Value of Walnuts

Amazing Top 4 Health Benefits of Walnuts For Babies

As walnuts contain a good amount of essential nutrients, these are the best for a baby’s health. There are multiple health benefits of walnuts for a growing baby. Here are some of them.

1. Boosts the Baby’s Memory

Just like almonds and other dry nuts, walnuts are good for the brain’s health. It has all the necessary nutrients which are needed to boost the baby’s brain health. In the growing years, your baby needs supplements which are a good source of boosting the brain’s cell activity, and hence walnuts are something upon which you can rely.

2. Promotes Sleep in Babies

Babies tend to have sleep issues due to various reasons such as sleep regression, reaching milestones, or just an unwillingness to sleep. Dry fruits such as walnuts promote sleep by stimulating the production of serotonin hormones.

3. Great Source of Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals are of utmost necessity to a growing baby. Vitamins such as A, C, E, and K are beneficial in building strong immunity for your baby. They help in stimulating metabolic activities in your baby and help to aid the conversion of glucose to glycogen.

4. Walnuts Are a Filling Snack

When your baby is hungry, then instead of filling them with unhealthy junk food, it’s better to fill them with healthy nuts such as walnuts as it keeps them filled and hence acts as a healthy dietary supplement for your baby. As we have discussed above, walnuts are a plant-based protein with essential nutrients. This helps in suppressing hunger and keeps your baby’s hunger levels satisfied for a longer period.

[Read : Infant Choking]

How Do I Introduce Walnuts to My Baby?

Once your little one has started showing some interest in eating solid foods, you can slowly start helping them to develop a taste for nuts. But make sure that you take care of the choking hazards when you introduce walnuts to your baby.

• Crush them into a fine powder and sprinkle onto their cereal, oatmeal or porridge so that babies won’t have difficulty eating it.
• You can also sprinkle the walnut powder on chopped fruit pieces or fruit salad for older babies.
• Mixed purees are also an excellent way of introducing walnuts to babies.

Precautions to Take While Feeding Walnuts For Babies

Below are some precautions which you can take to ensure that no side effects caused by walnuts exist in your babies.

• Talk to your pediatrician before introducing walnuts to your baby.
• You may need to be extra cautious if allergies run in your family.
• Your doctor may conduct an allergy test for your baby if your baby is allergic to peanuts.
• Always start with small quantity when giving walnuts to your baby for the first time.
• You can serve a little bit of walnut puree to start with.
• Follow the three-day rule to rule out allergies for your munchkin.

[Read : The 3-Day Wait Rule For Babies To Introduce Solids]

Are There Any Side Effects of Walnuts For Babies?

Limited quantity consumption does not lead to any complications or side effects on your baby. But if it is consumed in larger quantities, then it might lead to complications in your baby. Here are some side effects of walnuts for babies.

1. Can Cause Digestive Problems

Overconsumption of walnuts can lead to digestive issues and hence you must avoid giving an excessive amount of walnuts to your babies. If consumed in excess, it might cause the worst digestion problems for your babies.

2. Might Cause Allergies

Allergies to walnuts are common. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, problems in swallowing, itchiness in the mouth, nasal congestion, etc.

Two Tips For Selecting and Storing Walnuts For Babies

Here are some tips for buying and storing walnuts

1. Never Buy Walnuts in Bulk

Buying nuts in bulk would lead to a loss of freshness, and at the same time, it would also lead to a loosening of the nutritional value of the walnuts. Do not buy walnuts in bulk as it would lead to compromising on quality.

2. Store Walnuts in Fridge And Freezer

Always store walnuts in the fridge or freezer as nuts contain a good amount of unsaturated fat, a delicate type of oil that makes them highly prone to turning rancid when stored in improper conditions.

If you store walnuts in your pantry, they will start losing their value as the spoilage gets accelerated more by light, oxygen, and heat. That is why storing walnuts in the freezer would be an ideal choice.

Top 2 Healthy and Tasty Walnut Recipes For Babies

Here are few interesting recipes you can try out for your baby.

1. Walnut Puree(6 Months+)

Boil or steam walnuts, grind them into a paste and feed this to your baby. Walnut puree is an excellent way of introducing walnuts to your baby for the first time. It is important to exercise moderation and give small quantities of the puree, especially in the initial few weeks of introduction.

2. Apple Walnut Puree(6 Months+)

Steam together chopped apple pieces and walnut pieces. Once cool, puree in a food processor and feed to your munchkin. You can also add other fruits of your choice when making purees.

Walnuts for babies are an excellent source of nutrition. Walnut pieces carry the risk of choking and so powder and puree are the best way to introduce walnuts to young babies. When in doubt, you can always consult your pediatrician on the right time and quantity you can give to your munchkin.

FAQ’s

1. Can You Give Baby Walnuts Daily?

Yes, walnuts are a safe intake for your babies as long as your baby consumes them in limits. Unsalted walnuts must be given.

2. Is Walnut Good For Baby Brain?

Walnuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids and folate, both of which are excellent for the proper development of the brain in babies.

Read Also: 6 Health Benefits Of Raisins For Babies