Can kids eat beans? Recommendations of pediatricians and my personal experience. Baked eggplant with beans. From the history of legumes

Legumes must be present in the diet of every person - both adults and children. Beans, peas, soybeans and lentils are rich in protein, promote muscle growth and strengthen the body, but at the same time contain much less fat than meat. Despite the benefits, all these products are considered heavy for digestive system child and introduced into his diet gradually. About at what age you can give beans to a child, we will tell in our article. Be sure to stop by nutritional value of this product and present recipes delicious meals for little gourmets.

The composition and nutritional value of beans

The birthplace of this representative legumes considered to be South America. But on European territory beans were introduced only in the 16th century by the Spanish traveler Christopher Columbus. It has a rich vitamin and mineral composition. But the main thing is that beans practically do not lose their useful properties after heat treatment. In a canned product, up to 80% of all minerals and up to 70% of vitamins are stored.

The importance of beans in the diet is difficult to overestimate. It contains the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, B9, E, PP. Beans are a valuable source of folic acid, which is essential for normal development fetus during pregnancy.

There are a lot of important macronutrients in the fruits of legumes, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium. The composition of the beans includes such trace elements: manganese, iron, copper, zinc, cobalt, fluorine, iodine, molybdenum. All of them are necessary for normal growth and development of the child.

In total, more than 200 varieties of this product are known. The most common are white, red and presented varieties differ slightly in composition and nutritional value. For example, white beans contain more vitamin C, iron and calcium, black beans contain more folic acid, and red beans contain B vitamins. They contain a lot of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. White beans it boils well, so it is more often than other types used for cooking first courses, and red and black - for salads and side dishes.

Useful properties of the product

Beans are an important source of protein for children who for some reason do not consume meat and milk. It's lovely dietary product having balanced composition. The benefits of beans for the body are as follows:

acceleration of metabolism;
reduced risk of obesity and development diabetes;
removal of excess fluid from the body;
reduction of puffiness;
removal of toxic and harmful compounds from child's body;
elimination of stress and fatigue;
strengthening immunity;
prevention of the development of anemia;
saturation of the body with energy, vitamins, minerals and other useful substances.

Possible harm and contraindications

Beans, despite all their advantages, are not without drawbacks and can cause a number of side effects:

increased gas formation;
constipation;
intestinal colic and bloating.

In older children, these same phenomena can be observed when eating large portions of legumes. That is why parents need to be clear about how old you can give beans.

The use of this product is contraindicated in children with a history of chronic gastritis With low acidity, peptic ulcer stomach, cholecystitis and pancreatitis.

When can children be given beans?

Despite the fact that legumes are useful for the body, you should not rush to introduce them into complementary foods. First you need to find out from the pediatrician at what age beans can be given to children and how to do it correctly.

Mature legumes should not be introduced into the diet of a child who is under two years of age. But in this case, it is first recommended to give the child peas, and after a week offer to try the beans. At an earlier age, the presented cultures are poorly absorbed and slowly digested, causing flatulence in babies.

Beans should be given to the child in a grated form, but not as an independent dish, but as part of soups, vegetable stew etc. It is optimal to offer legumes 2 times a week. The daily rate should not exceed 100 g. Canned beans can be given to children no earlier than three years of age.

Is it possible to give a child

Young shoots of the plant, unlike mature beans, are allowed to be introduced into the diet of a child along with another. vegetable complementary foods. This means that you can give the child when you "introduce" him to broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower. You can offer your baby monocomponent puree as early as 7-8 months.

It is worth noting that green pods, unlike mature beans, contain only 30 kcal (100 g). The amount of proteins (per 100 g) in such a product does not exceed 2.5 g, fat - 0.3 g, and carbohydrates - 3.1 g. The bulk of green beans is water and fiber. This product contains easily digestible proteins and complex carbohydrates that have a beneficial effect on the digestive system of the child's body.

The composition of green beans contains a lot of iron, sulfur and zinc. Dishes from young shoots will be a good help to the body during the period of seasonal incidence of acute respiratory viral diseases.

How to introduce beans into complementary foods for a child?

You can introduce a child to green beans as early as 7 months by adding this product to vegetable soup followed by grinding the dish in a blender. This approach will prepare digestive tract child to new food, and he can easily digest it.

An eight-month-old baby can be offered a monocomponent green bean puree. For the first time, it is enough to give half a teaspoon of the dish. If the taste of mashed potatoes is to your liking, the next day the portion can be doubled.

When the baby is 2-2.5 years old, you can give the child beans in the form of ripe fruits. For the first time, they can be added to the soup, and after 1-2 weeks, prepare a monocomponent dish by chopping pre-boiled beans in a blender.

Before cooking and introducing complementary foods, you should familiarize yourself with the following tips:

Green beans are the first to be introduced into complementary foods. Before cooking it, first cut off the tips of the pods, soak the shoots in cold water for 15 minutes, then boil in in large numbers water until soft. Immediately before use, the beans are pureed with a blender.
Before you start cooking dishes from mature beans, you need to find out all the nuances of this product. For example, before introducing legumes into the diet, you should ask your pediatrician at what age you can give beans to your child. In the absence of special contraindications, this can be done in 2-2.5 years.
Before preparing ripe fruits, they are pre-soaked in water for 4 hours. Beans are boiled at a strong boil until soft. Salt is added at the end of cooking, just before pureeing.
No need to combine beans with other legumes. Such a dish is not intended for an unformed digestive system.
Before cooking, the fruits should be sorted out. Throw aside beans with black dots, damage and stains. All beans should be approximately the same size, with a smooth and shiny surface.

Bean first courses

We offer two recipes for soups from young pods and mature beans:

From young shoots, it is recommended to prepare a light and healthy soup for lunch. It can be offered to a baby who is already 1 year old. To prepare the dish, you first need to fry on vegetable oil onions and grated carrots. Then add to vegetable broth (1.5 l) green beans(200 g), potatoes (2 pcs.) And fry. Cook for 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, add Bay leaf and salt.
From the article it is already known from what age you can give a child beans added to soup. It is better to do this not earlier than two years. And you can offer the baby a healthy mashed soup. To prepare it, you need to boil pre-soaked beans until tender. At this time, fry half the onion until soft. Puree the beans and onions with a blender, adding a little water in which the beans were boiled. Add butter(100 g) or cream. Warm the soup for a minute over low heat.

Baby casserole

Many mothers are interested in the question of at what age it is possible to give beans to a child in a baked form. So, the next dish can be safely offered for dinner to a three-year-old gourmet. Preparing a casserole is very simple:

Rinse green beans (200 g), cut off the tips. Disassemble broccoli into inflorescences (200 g). Dip the vegetables in a pot of boiling and salted water, boil for 5 minutes and put in a colander under cold water.
Eggs (4 pcs.) Beat with milk (½ st.), hard cheese(200 g) grated.
Grease a baking dish with oil, put the beans and broccoli on the bottom. Then sprinkle the vegetables with cheese and pour over the egg mixture.
Bake the dish for 20 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° C.

Before 7 months, the child should not be introduced to legumes. The process of learning should be gradual and gentle: in addition to the well-known consequences, these products can also cause an allergic reaction, and their usefulness is balanced by the difficulty of assimilation. Finally, beans, lentils and peas enter the menu only by 1.5 years.

Why include in the diet?

Legumes are champions in the content of vegetable protein, they contain 25%. AT vegetarian dishes it is the protein of legumes (in particular, soybeans) that replaces meat and fish, although this is not entirely fair: in order to turn into complete proteins, vegetable protein"accompaniment" of meat or grains is required. Nevertheless, "solo" peas, beans, beans, lentils are very nutritious and quickly cause a feeling of satiety. That's why pea soup and bean puree is especially suitable for underweight children.

In addition to protein, legumes are rich in B vitamins, vitamin A, calcium, and magnesium. There is little fat in beans, only about 4%, and it is good because it does not increase, but reduces blood cholesterol levels. However, cholesterol is not a problem for children, but for their grandmothers.

One of the most important components of legumes is fiber. It is of two types: soluble and coarse insoluble. It is the latter that causes flatulence and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Coarse fiber, getting into the intestine, increases its peristalsis and causes increased gas formation.

How to apply?

It is no coincidence that adults add all kinds of spices to legume dishes that stimulate the gallbladder, thereby improving the absorption of the “difficult” product and reducing the risk of flatulence. But do not give children a lot of spices. Therefore, the second opportunity to reduce problems to zero is to carefully grind the legumes to a homogeneous consistency. The more tender the puree, the easier the body will accept coarse fiber, the less consequences there will be. Thorough chewing food can also prevent increased gas formation.

Like any complementary food, legumes are introduced introductory in microdoses - 1 tsp, with gradual increase doses up to 50-70 g per day for a week.

With what to combine?

It is best to combine legumes with other vegetables - carrots, potatoes, herbs, turnips, tomatoes - for example, in multi-component vegetable puree, stews or soups. Good beans with any kind of meat and grains.

Children over 2-3 years old can be given tender peas, its amount (as with any other canned vegetables) should be minimal. You need to carefully monitor the child while eating, because it is easy not only to play with small peas, but also to choke.

Instead of the usual and "boring" peas and beans, you can offer your child exotic lentils or yellow "tailed" chickpeas, from which you can make a delicious and nutritious spread for sandwiches.

How to cook?

Ready-made canned purees already have the necessary consistency. Other legumes require long soaking before cooking. It is best to soak beans, lentils, or dry peas overnight (up to 10 hours). The longer the soak, the shorter the cooking time. Water, of course, must be drained and boiled in clean water. Beans are boiled for about 2 hours.

The skin of beans and beans is tough and thick. To make it softer, you need to cook them in unsalted water.

Ready fruits are crushed in a blender. For very young children, choose not ripe fruit, and green beans and peas of milky freshness.

For children over 1.5 years old, you can add a little cumin or dill seeds to the dishes.

Ready mashed potatoes

Monocomponent puree "Green peas", Gerber (from 7 months)

Green bean puree "FrutoNyanya" (from 8 months)

("My little one", No. 11, 2008)

It is the leader among legumes and perfect product for vegetarians. For 40% it consists of proteins, in terms of valuable qualities they are not inferior to proteins of animal origin. It contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, as well as a number of vitamins: beta-carotene, E, B1, B2, B6, D, which will ensure visual acuity, proper development skeletal system, skin elasticity. Folic acid has a positive effect on mental activity. Soy contains a minimum of "caloric" carbohydrates and a lot of healthy sugars used intestinal bifidobacteria as a source nutrients. Thus, soy reduces the risk of dysbacteriosis.

In addition, these sugars facilitate bowel movements, remove from the body heavy metals. Switching to infant formula and soy-based products is recommended for cow's milk protein intolerance, lactase deficiency, and diabetes.

Its protein is easily digested and includes vital amino acids, vitamins B1, B2, B6, K, PP, C, carotene, as well as iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iodine. By the amount of copper and zinc, beans surpass most vegetables. It has a diuretic and antimicrobial action. The hypoglycemic effect of beans is used in diabetes. And due to the property to enhance secretion gastric juice, it is included in the diet of children suffering from gastritis with low acidity. Keep in mind that despite our usual perception of beans as a side dish, they are much better absorbed with vegetables than with animal protein.

Good beans have intact shiny grains, uniform in color and size.

GREEN PEA

The fruits of this plant contain B vitamins, carotene, vitamins C and PP, iodine, folic acid, salts of iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. Young peas have a slight diuretic effect and create alkaline environment in the stomach, which is useful for gastritis with excess secretion. And he is able to block the entry into the body of a number of radioactive metals. With anemia, it is useful to give children, starting from 3 years old, 3-4 tables. spoons of young peas daily.

grains good peas- large, almost the same size, their color is white, yellow or green. Shelled peas, the grains of which are split in half and partially freed from the shell, contain less coarse fiber, quickly boil soft and are suitable for young children.

("Mom, it's me!", No. 11, 2008)

LENTILS

In lentils, the size of the grains is valued, as well as green coloring.

By the end of the first year of life, the baby gradually transitions from breastfeeding or artificial feeding on the "adult" table. This means that the main food groups are now present in his diet:

meat;
vegetables;
cereals;
fruit;
dairy dishes.

Legumes are among the vegetables. It is believed that they are difficult to digest and assimilate in the gastrointestinal tract of the child. Consider at what age you can give your child beans, peas or other cultures “related” to them.

The legume family is the leader among plants in terms of protein content. Therefore, this group of products is loved not only by people with low financial income, but also by those who deliberately refuse meat: vegetarians and vegans.

The absolute leader in the amount of protein is soy. In East Asian cuisine, it is widely used in the form of analogues of meat, butter, milk and cheese.

On the Russian market soy and soy products are less popular than beans, peas and lentils. Beans - source useful substances:

fats;
carotene;
potassium;
phosphorus;
copper;
zinc;
B vitamins;
ascorbic acid.

Peas, in addition to the listed components, are rich in magnesium. There is almost no vitamin C in lentils, but there is an essential amino acid "tryptophan" in large quantities.

Suitable age

Peas, beans and similar crops are not introduced into the diet of a child under 12 months for the following reasons:

the protein of these plants is difficult to digest;
legumes cause increased gas formation, and in large quantities - constipation;
risk allergic reaction.

If the likelihood of a true allergic reaction to beans is low, then digestive problems are common. If you are allergic to any new food product You should immediately seek specialist help.

Here are the signs to alert parents:

bright pink or red rash;
the appearance of mucus or blood in the stool;
swelling of the lips, tongue, ears, eyelids, or face in general;
difficulty breathing;
extremely rarely - nasal congestion in combination with lacrimation, redness and itching of the eyes.

How to include beans in your diet

Like any product, beans are introduced to the menu for children gradually. The first course of legumes for the baby is offered a monocomponent puree of green beans: literally half a teaspoon. The dose of puree is increased daily, bringing it up to 80-100 g per day. When the daily portion exceeds 40-50 g, green bean puree is combined with dishes from other vegetables so that the child does not receive big portion beans at a time.

In second place after green beans is young peas of brain varieties. It is also mashed and added to other vegetables.

From the age of two, mature legumes, “adult” peas and beans can be in the diet of crumbs. Before cooking, it is recommended to soak them for 3-4 hours and cook over high heat, without closing the lid, so that they steam out as much as possible. They usually prepare porridges and soups and offer them twice a week. Kids usually love bean soup very much and eat it with pleasure.

If gas formation or constipation is noted in a child after the introduction of beans, special exercises should be performed to alleviate the condition of the baby:

Starting position - lying on your back.
Press the knees, brought together, to the chest 10 times.
Press your knees to your chest in turn, 10 times each.
Stroke the stomach clockwise with soft gentle movements, alternating them with point pressure.

Make a "waterfall": stroke the tummy from top to bottom with two hands, alternating them.

These exercises stimulate the colon, which will help to establish stool and gas. Warmth also helps with the feeling of bloating: you need to wrap the baby’s tummy with a cloth warmed on a battery or ironed.

Popular Recipes

We offer several recipes for cooking beans:

Bean soup with vegetables

Ingredients:

chicken breast - 1 pc.;
beans - 1/3 cup;
potatoes - 2 pcs.;
carrots - 1 pc.;
pasta (noodles or baby) - 1/3 cup.

Beans are soaked overnight in cold water so that they soften and swell, then the cooking time will be reduced.

Weld the second chicken bouillon. To do this, put the chicken in cold water, put the pan on high heat, let it boil, carefully removing the foam. Then take out the meat, pour out the broth or use it for an “adult” dish, wash the pan and pour the meat again cold water. Add the soaked beans here and cook until its grains “spread”. When the beans are ready, throw chopped potatoes, carrots into the boiling broth and cook until they are ready. Add pasta and cook for 5 more minutes. Salt a little at the end of cooking.

If the preparation of the dish is intended for a baby with still missing chewing teeth, before adding pasta you need to catch the vegetables from the broth, mash them with a fork and return to the soup. Boiled meat can be scrolled through a meat grinder or finely chopped with kitchen scissors.

Soup with green beans

Ingredients:

chicken breast - 1 pc.;
carrots - 1 pc.;
green beans - 5-7 pcs.;
potatoes - 1 pc.;
cereals children's - 1 tbsp.

Prepare the second chicken broth as described above. Put chopped vegetables and oatmeal into a boiling pot, cook for about 7 minutes until tender. For children under 18 months, chop vegetables with a blender or knead with a fork.

Thus, beans, peas and other legumes - important component diet for babies over 12 months old. By following the basic rules for introducing complementary foods and recommendations for handling legumes, parents will be able to easily introduce the baby to new goodies.

How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth?

After accustoming the baby to the common table, mothers want to diversify their menu so that the kids get everything essential vitamins and useful substances. useful for the body, but difficult for the digestive system of a child under one year old. Therefore, you need to contact your pediatrician to find out at what age you can give beans to a child.

Legumes contain vitamins, microelements, proteins, fats, carbohydrates. In terms of protein content, it ranks second after meat.

Vitamin composition: A, E, B(1, 2, 9), PP.

The benefits of legumes:

replacement of dairy products, with allergies to them in children;
improvement digestive function due to fiber;
multivitamin, mineral composition;
bactericidal effect;
normalization of blood sugar;
hypoallergenicity;
accelerates the elimination of toxins and decomposition products of foreign microorganisms;
protein is absorbed faster, without creating problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
stabilization, calm nervous system due to vitamin B;
diuretic action, reduction of edema;
stabilization of water-salt metabolism;
acceleration of biochemical reactions of the body essential amino acids(valine, leucine);
inhibition of the growth of malignant cells;
increase in hemoglobin.

The harm of legumes for the body

Increased consumption of this culture causes gas formation inside the intestines and constipation. Therefore, it should not be given to children. early age and eat for mothers who are breastfeeding newborns. This is due to the fact that a fragile body does not produce enough enzymes that digest complex polysaccharides. In older children side effects observed with increased consumption of beans.

Legumes are prohibited for diseases:

pancreatitis;
cholecystitis;
peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
gastritis.

Beans and peas are hypoallergenic foods

Beans and peas count hypoallergenic products. Therefore, they are administered to young children who do not suffer from diseases. gastrointestinal tract. But these cultures are high in proteins, to which some children are allergic. When administered, it is necessary to feed the baby with half a teaspoon of the product in the morning. If there is no reaction before the evening, the amount of puree is increased, bringing to daily dosage. If any deviations appear (bloating, constipation, itching, redness), it is necessary to consult a pediatrician, he will tell you at what age you can give the child beans, in what proportions to administer it, if side reactions are observed.

At what age are beans introduced to children

After the birth of the child and the introduction, mothers will learn from pediatricians about the benefits of beans for the child, from what age it will not harm the gastrointestinal tract. When breastfeeding a baby, mom can start eating legumes herself. So the baby will get used to the product through mother's milk. Beans give babies from 8 months. When introducing a vegetable to a baby, it must be boiled or steamed and chopped. It is better to add beans to already introduced products, since you cannot eat a lot of them. Younger children eat green beans, it is quickly digested by the stomach, well absorbed in the intestines. Older children are given a grain crop, it has heavy load on the gastrointestinal tract.

Dry beans are not administered to babies under 3 years old, their gastrointestinal tract is underdeveloped. She is not given separate view, and fray for soup or mashed potatoes.

It is forbidden to give children under 3 years of age canned food, including legumes. They contain chemical substances, flavorings, preservatives. Jar with inside treated with chemicals causing the appearance cancer cells.

The frequency of consumption of legumes - no more than 2 times a week for 70-100 grams, depending on the age and body weight of the baby.

How to choose beans

Common beans are common in Russia. There are two types: peeling and pod. Other varieties are rare and are used by chefs in restaurants:

Shelling - sold in peeled form, it happens various forms, sizes, colors, shades. The quality of the beans does not depend on the color, their composition is the same.
Capsicum - harvested half-ripe when they have reached a certain length. The seeds are semi-ripe inside. The pods should be crunchy and brittle. Lethargy indicates overripeness. String beans are widely used by cooks in fresh and cooked form. It is frozen and used as a semi-finished product. If parents doubt the use of her children, you need to contact a gastroenterologist. He will tell you at what age you can give green beans to a child.
Red - added to dishes (soups, cereals, pies). The dry form is not used, it must be soaked in water before use.
Violet - has a long shape with a rounded end. used raw look It is purple on the outside and green on the inside.
Yellow - any kind is used. Outside yellow, inside translucent.
Black is hard, so it takes a long time to soak. Does not break down after cooking.
White - the lowest calorie, consumed after cooking.

Before buying, you must carefully inspect the beans. They should not have cracks, rot, pests.

When buying in a supermarket, choose better products sealed or vacuum packed. The air will not act on the beans, the decomposition process will slow down.

Storage

Ripe seeds are dried, removed from the pods, leaving healthy ones. Store them in a cool dry place or refrigerator. In order to prevent insects from getting into the beans, they are placed in gauze or airtight packaging.

Another storage method is freezing. Use varieties that ripen at the same time. Only ripe pods are frozen, without a crust. Before being placed in the chamber, the beans are sorted out, boiled for 2 minutes.

Preservation - the pods are sorted out, scalded with boiling water and rolled into containers with salt. Homemade canned food is suitable for older children.

Recipes

Not all children want to eat beans. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, so its use will benefit the growing body:

Casserole with string beans. Ingredients: green pods (200 grams), half a glass of milk, one egg, cheese (150 grams). Preparation: cut the beans, boil for 3 minutes after boiling; separately beat the egg with milk, salt; mix everything together, put in a baking dish, greased with oil; cook in the oven for 30 minutes; after time, sprinkle with grated cheese.
Soup puree. Ingredients: one 500 ml canned beans meat broth, one grated tomato, salt. Preparation: rinse beans, mix with broth, boil, add chopped tomato, salt, beat with a blender.
Soup. Ingredients: chicken meat (300 grams), dry beans (150 grams), one carrot, one onion. Preparation: soak the beans for 3-4 hours; cut the fillet, add water, bring to a boil, add carrots, onions, beans, salt. Cook for an hour. Soup can be given to babies up to a year.

All recipes are simple and prepared quickly, which will give mom more free time.

Conclusion

Not all children and adults like bean products. But with the right selection and preparation, everyone will like it. It should be chosen with care for one year old babies, with a quick introduction, it will call gastrointestinal disorders. The pediatrician will tell you how many grams of legumes should be in daily rate baby so that he does not have side effects.

In terms of protein content, legumes are not inferior to meat, while they are very rich in fiber. Thus, they combine useful qualities vegetables and meat products.

Our expert, ecologist, microbiologist Zoya Pivovarova:

Good beans have intact shiny large grains, uniform in color and size. In lentils, the size and uniformity of the grains, as well as the green color, are valued. Grains of good peas are large, almost the same size, their color is white, yellow or green. Shelled peas, the grains of which are split in half and partially freed from the shell, contain less coarse fiber, quickly boil soft and are suitable for young children.

Beans and peas - hypoallergenic products

Legumes belong to the hypoallergenic food group, so they are suitable for almost any child. Many modern manufacturers baby food produce food for the smallest, in which they combine green pea, green beans, young green beans with meat or offered in pure. You can prepare mashed potatoes on your own for a child from 8 months of age, feed them in jars a little earlier.

Are peas bad for kids? There is an opinion among mothers that a child should not be given peas and beans: supposedly, they cause increased gas formation. But it is not. It is enough to follow a few rules so that the child tolerates such a dish well.

Use only the youngest fruits, the so-called "green", and only fresh or frozen. Mature legume nutritionists recommend using in the diet of children after 2 years, but give occasionally and only in the form of pureed soups, as they are difficult to digest. Dry, as well as canned peas and their counterparts are not suitable for children under 3 years old!

How to cook green peas for a child. At the beginning of feeding, it is better to use peas and beans as a small component for soups and mashed potatoes, giving the child the opportunity to get used to the new taste, and his tummy to learn how to digest the novelty.

Before cooking, remove impurities and spoiled grains from legumes, rinse thoroughly, soak in cold boiled water no more than 3-4 hours.

Cook legumes properly: cook in plenty of water, at a vigorous boil and without a lid. Salt should be at the very end of cooking.

Raw peas and beans are harmful to children. Do not let your child try raw fruits: they contain toxic components that are destroyed during heat treatment.

Nutritional value of legumes? Soy, beans, green peas

AT old testament there is a story about how several youths who lived in captivity at the court of Nebuchadnezzar were obliged to taste the delicacies and wine from the table of the king. Once they were released from this duty, and after ten days of eating beans, vegetables and water, these youths looked better than their peers who do not abstain from rich food and wine. This is not surprising, because legumes are able to heal, rejuvenate and strengthen the body. Just look at their composition.

Soy in baby food. This is a leader among legumes and an ideal product for vegetarians. For 40% it consists of proteins, in terms of valuable qualities they are not inferior to proteins of animal origin. It contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, as well as a number of vitamins: beta-carotene, E, B1, B2, B6, D, which will ensure visual acuity, proper development of the skeletal system, skin elasticity. Such important elements how choline, biotin, folic acid have a positive effect on mental activity. Soy contains a minimum of "calorie" carbohydrates and a lot of healthy sugars used by intestinal bifidobacteria as a source of nutrients. Thus, soy reduces the risk of dysbacteriosis. In addition, these sugars are actively involved in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, facilitating bowel movements, remove heavy metals and radionuclides from the body. Switching to infant formula and soy-based products is recommended for protein intolerance cow's milk, lactase deficiency, diabetes.

Beans in a child's diet. By palatability it surpasses peas and lentils. Its protein is easily digested and includes essential amino acids, it contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, K, PP, C, carotene, as well as iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iodine. By the amount of copper and zinc, beans surpass most vegetables. It has diuretic and antimicrobial activity. The hypoglycemic effect of beans is used in diabetes. And due to the property to enhance the secretion of gastric juice, it is included in the diet of children suffering from gastritis with low acidity. In the process of processing, the loss of useful substances is not significant: it was found that in canned beans up to 70% of vitamins and up to 80% of the original minerals. Keep in mind that despite our usual perception of beans as a side dish, they are much better absorbed with vegetables than with animal protein.

Green peas in a child's diet. The fruits of this plant contain B vitamins, carotene, vitamins C and PP, iodine, folic acid, salts of iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. Young peas have a mild diuretic effect. By creating an alkaline environment in the stomach, it brings relief from gastritis with excessive secretion. And green peas can block the intake of a number of radioactive metals into the body. It is useful for children with anemia to give, starting from the age of three, 3-4 tbsp. spoons of young peas daily.

From the history of legumes

Peas, beans, beans, soybeans, lentils have long become familiar on our table - people have been cultivating them for more than 5 thousand years. In Russia, beans, beans and peas gained well-deserved popularity at the beginning of the 18th century. Our ancestors noticed: legumes give energy, allow you to do without meat and are very popular with children. Beans came to us from South America, peas from Afghanistan and India. Soy began to be actively grown in our country only late XIX century, after the World Exhibition in Vienna.