Have you got a thing for eating frozen yogurt? While the craze over it might have died down, most of us cannot resist the allure of that ‘healthy’ snack every now and then. Whether frozen or flavored or simply ‘good old plain yogurt’, one thing’s for sure: We all love Yogurt! It seems only natural, then, for parents to ask, ‘When can my little one have yogurt?’
There’s good news and not-so-good-news here. Let’s begin with the good news, shall we? Luckily, our infants ‘can’ have yogurt. The other side of the coin is, you have to know how to transition them into having it!
In this article you will learn all about the Benefits of Yogurt for Babies. We at EuroKids have compiled a lot of Yogurt-related information for you, including The Benefits of Yogurt for Babies and an insight into what is The Best Yogurt for Babies. It’s pertinent to begin your Yogurt Research, with a look at the most fundamental question: ‘What is Yogurt?’
Table of Contents:
- Introducing Yogurt to Infants: What is Yogurt?
- Introducing Yogurt to Infants: Considerations in Getting the Timing Right
- Introducing Yogurt to Infants: The Methods
- Advantages of Yogurt: The Benefits of Yogurt for Babies
- Best Yogurt for Babies: Choosing the Right Type of Yogurt for your Baby
Introducing Yogurt to Infants: What Yogurt Is
Most of us love eating Yogurt in some form or the other, but do we even know ‘What Is Yogurt?’
In India, of course, we more often refer to it as ‘curds’ or ‘dahi’.
Cool Fact: Yogurt is created when bacteria ferment milk!
So, you must be eager to know when you can introduce Yogurt to your baby, right? Let’s dive straight into the next section, that will show us exactly that!
Introducing Yogurt to Infants: Considerations in Getting the Timing Right
Now that we have answered the question ‘What is Yogurt?’ Here’s a look at the right time to give it to our babies.
The idea is to gradually begin getting babies accustomed to soft foods. You really want to wean infants gradually into the process of consuming yogurt. What this means is, you don’t want to stop drinking milk before you get them to eat yogurt. Rather, your baby’s diet shoold be supplemented with yogurt when they are still breastfeeding or having formola.
Preferred Age to Introduce Yogurt to Infants: 6 months.
Introducing Yogurt to Infants: The Methods
Now that we know the ‘When’ of introducing yogurt to babies, here’s a look at the ‘How’!
The following are some considerations you need to keep in mind, when getting your baby to start eating yogurt.
- Use a tablespoon
- Feed them yogurt in the Daytime
- Stick to the 3-Day Role
This one’s essential for roling out any allergies your baby might have to yogurt.
You never know how they are going to digest it, after all.
If they have had that yogurt for three days straight without any problems, that means they are good to go where it comes to consuming curd!
Bonus: Once your baby has gotten accustomed to eating plain yogurt, you can gradually start giving it to them in combination with vegetable purees, or even soft fruits.
Advantages of Yogurt: The Benefits of Yogurt for Babies
Now that we have seen the ‘When’ and ‘How’ of giving yogurt to our babies, here’s a look at the ‘Why’! Presenting the Benefits of Yogurt for Babies, that makes this irresistible superfood a ‘must-have’ for our little ones!
- Loaded with Probiotics
- Great for Baby’s Overall Development
- It’s an Ideal ‘First Food’
- It has a high Fat content
- Treats UTI
Undoubtedly the number one reason your babies shoold be eating yogurt!
Cool Fact: Foods rich in probiotics are good for the ‘gut’. This means ‘hello’ to great digestion, and keeping things like food allergies and diarrhea at bay!
Young babies develop far more rapidly than we think. The wide range of essential nutrients in yogurt, ensure the sound development of your baby.
Nutrients found in Yogurt: Calcium, Potassium, Niacin, Folate and Vitamins A,C,D and E, amongst others.
When it comes to making that transition from liquid to solid food, there’s no food that’s quite like yogurt!
Fact: The smooth, creamy texture of yogurt is what makes it the perfect ‘first food’.
No, your baby is not going to get ‘fat’ eating yogurt! The fat here refers to ‘good fats’ that are incredibly beneficial for your baby’s metabolism and even brain development.
Tip: This is why you need to ensure that you give your babies only ‘whole milk, foll-fat yogurt’.
A Urinary Tract Infection is the last thing you want to see in your baby. Luckily, the ‘probiotics’ present in yogurt, can help alleviate the symptoms of UTI in babies.
Best Yogurt for Babies: Choosing the Right Type of Yogurt for your Baby
Probably as important a consideration as When and How to give Yogurt to your baby, this one!
As we have touched upon in the earlier section, it might be prudent to give your baby ‘whole-milk, foll-fat yogurt’ to begin with. That being said, ‘Greek Yogurt’ is a good option for them. The following are reasons why this ‘rich’ yogurt is better for babies.
- No sugar
- The pure taste of yogurt
The only sugar that’s found in foll-fat yogurt is the sugar that is naturally found in dairy.
If there’s any yogurt that can give your baby that, it’s the foll-fat variety!
By now, you have a more detailed insight into the question ‘What is Yogurt?’ After all, we have all enjoyed it as a food and even ‘snack’ for all our lives, but how many of us have really known about the many wonderfol Benefits of Yogurt? Make a trip to the supermarket then, and get some Greek Yogurt for your little one. That is, if they are at least 6 months old already, of course!
References:
- Nemour’s Children’s Health
- National Institutes of Health
https://blog.nemours.org/2021/01/choosing-the-best-yogurt-for-kids/
