Why children shouldn't salt their food. Why salt is not needed in infancy? Choosing the right salt

Used in our diet for centuries. It is not for nothing that in Russia there is a “hospitable” custom for meeting dear guests, and unsalted dishes on the table are perceived almost as a personal insult. However, today it is very common to hear from different sources, as if salt is a “white death”, which is alarming and prompting at least dig deeper and try to understand the “salty” topic, because we are talking about the health of our children. What effect does salt have on the human body? What is its benefit or harm? Should it be included in the children's diet at all, and if so, at what age and in what quantities? We will try to answer these and other questions further.

Chemical composition and types of salt

Table salt, the main component of which is sodium chloride, considered indispensable food product, which is important for normal development and the functioning of the body, including children.

Sodium chloride is a source of two trace elements useful for life: sodium and chlorine, each of which, when ingested, is able to perform certain functions.

Yes, chlorine:

Participates in selection of hydrochloric acid which is part of the gastric juice.
Helps to remove toxins from the body, thereby relieving the load from the liver.
plays important role in the breakdown of fats and complex carbohydrates.
Maintains normal acid-base balance and osmotic pressure.

It is salt that covers 90% of the body's needs for such an element as chlorine.

Sodium:

Is an important link water-salt metabolism body, prevents
Ensures proper functioning nerve endings and muscle activity, including the work of the heart muscle.
Stimulates absorption of certain micronutrients small intestine and kidneys.
Promotes the movement of amino acids and glucose through the cell membrane.

In addition to sodium and chlorine, other trace elements may be present in salt.

So, on the shelves of our stores, as a rule, you can find the following types of edible salt:

Does a baby need salt?

According to the majority of pediatricians and specialists, proper breast or artificial feeding, as well as timely introduced fully meet the needs of the child's body in sodium up to 1.5 years .

Yes, life essential mineral(sodium) babies get from sources such as:

Mother's milk(for babies) and food fusion for kids(for artificers). Breast milk contains sodium 7 mmol / l, which fully satisfies daily requirement baby. Salt is also present in infant formulas based on the age needs of the child's body.
solid food: vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products. At the same time, domestic manufacturers no longer add salt to store-bought canned purees at the request of nutritionists. Homemade food also does not need to be salted.. If such food seems insipid and unappetizing to parents, then children perceive it with pleasure, since their taste buds are not yet "knocked down" by salty foods.

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According to Ruta Yarona, a foreign specialist in the field of baby food, whose opinion is highly valued in wide circles, salt changes the taste of food, so children should not be accustomed to it.

At what age can salt be added to baby food?

At normal conditions you can add salt to children's dishes from the age of 1.5, but you need to ensure that the daily amount of salt consumed by the child does not exceed the established norms.

Daily salt intake for children, depending on age, approved by WHO:

up to six months - 0.2 g;
from 6 months to a year - 0.3 g;
1-3 years - 0.5 g;
3-6 years - 0.5-1 g;
6-11 years - up to 3 g;
over 11 years old - up to 5 years.

It should be understood that these norms also include the salt contained in ready-made food products, formula, and breast milk.

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In order to exclude possible mistakes when adding salt to children's dishes, it is recommended to use a solution of sodium chloride. Salt (25 g) should be diluted in water (100 ml) and brought to a boil. Then the solution must be filtered through gauze, folded in three layers. Another 100 ml of water is added to the filtered solution, and again brought to a boil. Application: in 200 g of baby food, add half a teaspoon of the prepared solution ( given dosage corresponds to 0.3 g of salt).

Opinions of pediatricians

The well-known pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky also believes that up to 1.5 years you should not add salt children food, since the amount of sodium and chlorine that enters the child's body with food is quite enough for normal development and growth.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky on the introduction of salt into the diet of a child can be found by watching this video:

According to the expert of the Russian medical academy Larisa Titova, up to a year you can not salt baby food in order to avoid heavy loads on the still very vulnerable kidneys of the child.

Harm from an excess or lack of salt in the child's body

Since the kidneys in children are a relatively weak organ, they are simply not able to process a large number of salt, so a significant part of it is not excreted in the urine, but remains in the body, spreads throughout internal organs accumulating and disrupting their normal functioning. Wherein, how younger child the harder it is for the kidneys to filter out excess salt.

Negative consequences of excess salt in the child's body:

As a rule, with an excess of salt in the child's body, the following symptoms appear:

morning swelling of the eyelids and face;
irritable and moody behavior;
less urination;
high blood pressure.

It is important to understand that a lack of salt is no less dangerous for a growing child's body. So, with sodium deficiency, the following disorders occur:

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It is worth noting that sodium can enter the body only with food, but at the same time it is quite easily excreted from it with urine and sweat. Therefore, with the growth of the child and the increase in his need for this mineral, salt-free diets should not be practiced without first consulting a doctor.

Diseases and conditions of the body that lead to quick loss sodium:

Increased perspiration due to hot climate.
Taking diuretics.
Malfunctions of the adrenal glands.
Hereditary disease (cystic fibrosis).

In case of dehydration and sodium loss, saline solutions are widely used, such as Regidron or Oralit, the main active substance which is just sodium chloride. These solutions are designed to restore water and mineral balance in the body.

What to do if a child under one year old refuses to eat unsalted food?

If the baby has refused unsalted puree once or twice, this is not a reason to think that such food is not to his taste. Most often, after several visits, the result is positive. If the child still does not agree to eat mashed potatoes, he may not like this specific product(for example, broccoli or zucchini), and he will eat the other with pleasure. Or you can use the well-known "trick" - to add a little breast milk or formula to the puree, so that the taste new food will resemble the food that is already more familiar to the baby.

Healthy Alternatives to Salt - Natural Substitutes

As you know, salt perfectly emphasizes and enhances the taste of cooked dishes. However, this ability is also characteristic of other products, which at some point in a child's life can become a healthy alternative to salt.

“A child should not add salt to food” is a common misconception for young mothers. Table salt not only adds flavor to food, but also contains chlorine and sodium, which are important minerals.

But at what age should salt and spices be added to a child's diet, what is daily allowance And what can excess or lack of salt in the diet lead to?

The benefits and harms of salt

Minerals are essential for normal functioning organism. This element is very important for muscle work and for proper flow. physiological processes. Main function chlorine - production of hydrochloric acid.

Salt regulates the water-salt balance;
Normalizes the work of the pancreas and digestive systems;
Contribute to normal flow metabolic processes in cells. Wherein nutrients enter the tissues and excrete the decay products.

However digestive system a child who is not yet a year old has not yet fully formed. Adding salt to a child's diet can adversely affect the functioning of the digestive tract (by the way, check out the article on how to properly feed a child ?>>>).

Sodium chloride can be harmful to the body, especially when consumed in excess. Namely:

can cause swelling, increasing the load on the excretory system;
raises arterial pressure, disrupting the work of the heart;
leaches calcium, which leads to fragility of bones and teeth;
increases appetite, disrupts metabolism;
acts on nervous system, as a pathogen, provoking nervousness, irritability and restless behavior;
reduces the sensitivity of taste buds, the child may refuse unsalted food.

But it is impossible to completely eliminate salt from the diet. A growing body cannot do without it.

Important! If it is sharply and for a long period to exclude it from the body, this can lead to a deterioration in well-being. From lethargy and drowsiness to convulsions and frustration important functions organism.

When can salt be given to a child

The baby receives salt from mother's milk or from formula. It contains as much as is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. AT cow's milk sodium chloride is several times more, which is why it is not recommended for children under one year old.

Should I add salt to food?

Know! main fear here is that after you introduce the baby to salty foods, he may refuse unleavened food.

But this can only happen in the case of improperly introduced complementary foods, in which the child is not an active participant in the process. Mom feeds him, persuades him, and even makes him eat.

With a good nutritional interest, no refusal to eat will occur.

Remember! If you cooked dinner and added a little salt for taste, then this will not cause harm to a baby up to a year old. After all, the amount of food that the baby eats is still very small.

Salt in food

Permissible amount of salt per day:

1-3 years - 1 gram;
4-8 years - 1.4 grams;
9-13 years old - 2 grams;
over 14 years old - 2.4 grams.

The task of every mother is to instill in her baby healthy habits in nutrition. When preparing meals and compiling a diet, you need to monitor the amount of salt and not allow the daily allowance to be exceeded.

Attention! Sometimes a child may have an iodine deficiency. Iodized salt in baby food will help solve this problem. The norm of its consumption is the same as that of the usual one.

Iodized salt is especially useful for children living in regions where the soil is poor in iodine.

In addition to iodized, there are also such types of salt:

Stone. In addition to chlorine and sodium, it contains a large amount of: iodine, potassium, zinc, selenium. Added to dishes after heat treatment;
Marine. After evaporation sea water, crystals are formed, rich in: calcium, potassium, iodine, iron, magnesium. It can be included in the diet after 5 years;
Refined. Contains only sodium chloride;
Hyponatrium. It has a low sodium content. It is prescribed only by a doctor.

Why does a child eat salt and what to do?

Usually between the ages of 1-3 you may notice that your child has become partial to salt. This means that the baby lacks some trace elements, which is why he eats salt.

By the way! Children are very fond of mineralized foods, because there are useful material, and they completely unconsciously choose those products from where they can get these substances. And most often, what is always in your apartment and what the child asks for is salt.

You need to observe how the child handles salt.

It's one thing if he took the salt shaker and you see that it's purely research interest. But most often they pour a small hill for themselves, dip their finger in it and lick this salt. Moreover, they can eat a fairly large amount.

What to do? It is best not to forbid, since the child's body is more sensitive to needs, and let the child make up for the lack minerals, which gets from salt.

The main thing is to buy good coarse salt, not fine, but the one that is sold in large pieces in the store. Today I specifically paid attention to salt in the store - there is large sea salt that can be eaten in pieces. This is what you can give.

Spices in food

After you have decided at what age to introduce salt into complementary foods, the next question arises: when can spices be added?

Some types of spices can be included in the baby’s diet, according to age:

Starting from 9 months, a little dill, parsley, bay leaf, vanilla, onion and garlic (only after heat treatment) (by the way, see the article about what a child should be able to do at 9 months old ?>>>);
Starting from a year old, as part of bakery products a little cinnamon is acceptable;
From 2 years old, you can use basil, rosemary and other herbs;
After 3 years, fresh garlic and onions are allowed in large quantities.

What spices can children, we have already figured out. But there are also types that are contraindicated for babies.

Red pepper;
mustard;
horseradish.

It is better not to use ready-made spice mixes presented in stores. Since it may contain flavor enhancers, flavors and other substances that are not recommended for children.

Important! With spices in the diet of a child, you need to be careful. Some may contain tannins, organic acids which may cause harm. In addition, some spices can cause allergies.

When a child can salt and spices - it's up to parents to decide.

After a year, one way or another, the child will switch to an adult table and the family's diet will have to be slightly revised. To prevent health problems, it is better to stick to the daily salt intake and not exceed them.

In television programs and print publications devoted to healthy eating, the question of the dangers of salt is constantly raised. The terrifying name “white death” and a number of formidable diseases in which she is accused cause reasonable anxiety among parents and burning questions: “Do I need to add salt to my child’s dishes at all? At what age and how much? Is there an alternative to dangerous salt?”

Experts are unanimous in their opinion that with the right chest or artificial feeding and timely introduction of complementary foods children's body does not experience sodium deficiency until 1.5 years. But there are conditions and diseases that lead to a rapid loss of the sodium mineral:

increased sweating due to being in a hot climate;
vomit;
diarrhea;
taking diuretics;
cystic fibrosis;
dysfunction of the adrenal glands.

Outwardly, the signs of a lack of salt are manifested in the form of lethargy, a decrease in pressure, muscle pain and convulsions.

Benefit

The categorical and sometimes mutually exclusive arguments of scientists about the dangers and benefits of salt are confusing. But there is a general opinion - no one can live without salt human body, including children.

Sodium chloride supplies the body with two minerals: sodium and chlorine, each of which performs its own important mission.

participates in the production of hydrochloric acid, as the main component of gastric juice;
promotes the breakdown of fats and complex carbohydrates;
rids the body of toxic substances, thereby helping the work of the liver;
maintains permanence acid-base balance and osmotic pressure.

The main source of chlorine is salt, which provides 90% of human needs for this macronutrient.

regulates water-salt metabolism;
participates in education and transmission nerve impulses, muscle contraction;
promotes transfer through cell membranes carbohydrates and amino acids;
increases the excretory function of the kidneys and the activity of pancreatic enzymes;
prevents dehydration.

Sodium is present in small amounts in milk, beets, celery, eggs, spinach, and raisins. But most of comes with mass-produced products and salt.

Is it possible to give up to a year?

For normal development and growth, salt little child necessary in the first year of life.

Get her babies out mother's milk that completely satisfies the daily requirement. Breast milk contains 7 mmol / l of sodium, while cow's milk exceeds this figure by almost 4 times (24-25 mmol / l).
The need for salt on artificial feeding is compensated by its presence in the composition of infant formulas, taking into account age-related needs.
As the baby grows, complementary foods appear in the diet. Store-bought canned vegetable and fruit purees, cereals, meat variations do not have a pronounced taste. And the reason is that responsible manufacturers, following the requirements of nutritionists, do not add salt to their products.

It is not recommended to salt children's dishes prepared for the baby of the first year of life, and at home. Insipid and inedible, according to parents, they are perceived with pleasure by a child whose taste buds are “not spoiled” by salty foods.

A salt-free diet in the first year of life does not mean that the child is completely sodium-free. It is part of vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products, and there is simply no need for additional introduction of sodium chloride into the diet.

At what age should you salt your food?

When can you add salt to your child's food? AT general case- from 1-1.5 years (small amount). But culinary “a little”, “a pinch”, “at the tip of a knife”, “to taste” are loose concepts and are not acceptable for preparing children's dishes. In order not to be mistaken, use a solution of sodium chloride:

25 g of salt are diluted in 100 ml of water and brought to a boil. After 3 layers of gauze, the solution is filtered and another 100 ml of water is added. After re-boiling saline solution set aside to cool. For 200 g of food add ½ tsp. solution, which corresponds to 0.3 g of salt.

Doctors' opinions

According to Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky, add salt to children's meals is not necessary until 1.5 years. The amount that comes with food is enough. In children, the need for sodium chloride is much less than in adults. Therefore, it is impossible to add salt to the child's food according to the "adult" taste. You need to offer your baby unsalted dishes, and not be guided by your own feelings.

Employee of the Department of Nutrition for Children and Adolescents of the Russian Medical Academy Larisa Titova believes that due to the vulnerability of the child’s not fully formed organism and in order to avoid additional loads on the kidneys, baby food should not be salted up to 1 year. Since the required dose of chlorine and sodium in enough contain natural products included in the children's diet.

Norms for children of different ages

Connection excess consumption salty foods with the development of hypertension, leading to dangerous complications forces you to constantly review age norms. According to WHO recommendations, in 2013 the norm for adults decreased from 9 to 6 g per day.

Current daily allowances for children of different age groups look like this:

up to 6 months - up to 0.2 g;
from 6 to 12 months - 0.3 g;
from 1 to 3 years - 0.5 g;
from 3 to 6 years - 0.5-1 g;
from 6 to 11 years - 1-3 g;
over 11 years old - 3-5 years.

The danger of oversupply

The property of salt to “attract” liquids explains the symptoms of uncontrolled consumption of salty foods by a child. Morning swelling of the eyelids and face will testify to its excess. To irritability and moodiness in younger age in older children, complaints of headache will be added.

Increased salt intake leads to an increase in circulating blood volume, stress on the heart. The kidneys are unable to excrete excess liquid held by sodium, resulting in less urine production, swelling, and increased pressure.

Which one to choose?

The Chumatsky ways, along which enterprising Cossacks carried precious cargo from Azov and the Black Sea to the Kuban, the Caucasus, Belgorod, and Bryansk, are far in the past. Today stories about salt riots and hard labor, exorbitant taxes on " White gold and even the salt wars seem like legends.

A third of all salt produced is used for human consumption. Moreover, there is no shortage both in the quantity of the product and in its assortment.

Stone

The most popular for cooking and canning, for which it received the name "cooking" or "dining room". Salt mines or quarries serve as a natural source. Issued different grindings. In addition to Na and Cl, it can contain up to 2% impurities of other minerals, which explains the grayish tint of the crystals. Rock salt recommended for children's meals.

refined

Pure white, purified, 100% sodium chloride. Recycling under the influence high temperatures and bleaches actually turns a natural material into an artificial one, flavored with substances to increase flowability and devoid of a natural structure. Not recommended for use in baby food.

iodized

Iodine deficiency is a common natural phenomenon affecting territories remote from the seas and oceans. Only in Russia there are about 30 iodine-deficient regions. Filling the shortage is possible through food, and the most affordable of them is iodized salt.

Obtained by adding iodine-containing components (usually potassium iodate) to ordinary salt and consumed in normal dosages. But the rapid evaporation of iodine limits the use only to cold or warm dishes. AT childhood used only on the recommendation of a pediatrician.

Maritime

Production is based on the method of evaporation of sea water. Shades of taste and smell depend on the source of prey (the sea), and the composition is variable. In addition to sodium chloride, sea salt contains other useful elements: calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, iodine.

To eliminate iodine deficiency conditions, sea salt for children is of little use due to low content iodine and its rapid evaporation. Appears in baby food only after 5 years.

pink himalayan

Arouses interest not only unusual for salt pink, but also by the uniqueness of its origin: the movements of the earth's layers preserved the seas deep in the bowels, and volcanic activity participated in the formation of salt deposits for hundreds of millions of years.

Pink salt from Pakistan includes 14% impurities of useful minerals, is distinguished by natural purity and healing power. And although there are statements about safety in childhood in advertising offers, official recommendations from experts have not yet been received.

Black Himalayan

The extraction of black salt is carried out manually in India and Pakistan. Has a rich composition of minerals. because of high content iron and sulfur, it is rather not black, but brown. It has a specific smell and sharp taste. In addition to cooking, it is widely used in medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Not suitable for preparing children's meals.

Salty foods are banned

Salt is found in abundance in many foods. AT Food Industry it is indispensable for extending shelf life and improving taste characteristics food that has lost its natural taste due to prolonged heat treatment. There is a place for tricks - salty food from fast food causes thirst and stimulates the purchase of sparkling water.

Foods with excessive amounts of salt that pose a danger to a child include:

semi-finished products;
sausages;
canned meat and fish, pates;
hard cheeses;
pickles;
sauces and ketchups;
chips, french fries, pizza, breakfast cereal.

It makes no sense to talk about the amount of salt in a herring or salmon, but many people forget about its presence in carbonated drinks, sweets, chocolate, and bread.

On the finished products food and semi-finished products account for up to 80% of the daily intake of sodium chloride. Salt is everywhere and in everything, and sometimes in terrifying quantities. In hard cheese, it is almost 20 times more than in cottage cheese; in sausages - almost 25 times more than in meat; in canned vegetables - 7-10 times more than in fresh ones.

In the list of foods prohibited by the salt content, attentive parents will find the same hazards that should not be given to children under 3 years old.

Canned food (fish, meat, vegetables) and smoked sausages are not recommended on the menu until 7 years old.
There is no approval of nutritionists regarding the inclusion of boiled varieties of sausages and sausages in the child's diet. Even the indication "for baby food" does not exclude the high content of salt and food additives in the product.
After 1-1.5 years, the child can be offered a "transparent" piece of 17-20% hard cheese– unsalted, non-spicy and low-fat. From smoked, processed, pickled varieties and varieties with mold should be discarded.
Regarding herring, doctors agree that it is better to give it after 2-3 years and not more than 1 piece 1-2 times a week. Even lightly salted fish must first be soaked in milk.
Semi-finished products, snacks, fast food, sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup, carbonated drinks are prohibited for children of any age, and they will not bring benefits to adults - only harm.

Refuses unsalted food - what to do?

Refusal of unsalted puree does not mean that such food is not to the child's taste. It is possible that after 2-3 visits the result will be positive. You can add a little breast milk or infant formula to the proposed dish so that the taste of the new product is more like familiar food. Sometimes the baby's refusal is caused by a reluctance to eat mashed potatoes from a certain vegetable. For example, broccoli is preferred over zucchini.

There are problems with the introduction to complementary foods meat puree. As a result of industrial preparation, it significantly loses its taste, according to adults. No need to rush to add salt. Patient application of well-known "tricks" (addition of breast milk, a small amount favorite vegetable mixtures, and from 9 months - greens) will help to avoid problems with violation eating behavior and its impact on the health of the child in the future.

Eats a lot of salt - what is the reason?

If, on the contrary, the child eats a lot of salt, the reasons may be different. In the last decade, a breakthrough has been made in the study of the formation of taste behavior in children. The scientists came to the conclusion that taste preferences in childhood, and later in adult life, depends on the following factors:

genetic predisposition;
nutritional characteristics of a woman during pregnancy;
national traditions.

Severity for the child's excessive passion for salt will not bring results. Tactful and soft influence on his taste preferences will help to quickly cope with the problem:

cooking unsalted food for the whole family;
the inaccessibility of the salt shaker for a little fidget;
replacement harmful product on the useful alternative by age: greens, salad dressings, harmless sauces for meat and fish dishes home cooking.

With the persistent desire of the child to eat salt in large quantities, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician and an endocrinologist (to exclude diseases of the endocrine system).

healing power

The use of salt externally and as therapeutic inhalations gives nice results when:

pustular skin diseases;
local reaction to insect bites;
burns and festering wounds;
mastopathy;
respiratory diseases;
exacerbation of osteochondrosis and arthritis.

The medicinal properties of the product are based on disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-allergic effects.

Healthy Alternatives

The ability to emphasize or enhance the taste of cooked food is not unique to salt.

and in dried, frozen or fresh gives a rich taste to children's dishes and is used in cooking from the age of 9 months.
Spicy herbs have useful properties, bright taste and aroma: basil, cumin, rosemary can be added to a child's food little by little from 1.5 years.
Seaweed in dried shredded form saturates children's dishes with a special taste, minerals and vitamins; entered into the menu carefully due to possible allergic manifestations from 2.5-3 years.
Dressings based on natural cream, kefir, yogurt, broth with chopped herbs, crushed garlic or onions for fish, meat, vegetable dishes and salads give expressive taste and improve appetite. Recommended after 3 years.

The purchase of products for children's diet should be preceded by good habit- familiarization with the composition. Manufacturers list ingredients in in due course: from largest to smallest. Salt, which occupies one of the first positions on the list (denoted as "salt", "sodium", "sodium" or "Na"), should alert parents and force them to refuse to purchase.

Food for adults is hard to imagine without the addition of salt and sugar. What about baby food? Can a child under 3 years old eat salty and sweet foods? And will they harm a small growing organism? Four mothers spoke about such nutrition.

First opinion: Salty and sweet foods should be accustomed immediately!

Elena, 27 years old, mother of Ilya (1 year 3 months)

Every mother must feel what to feed her baby, at what time and how. I gradually added salt and sugar to each dish as soon as I introduced complementary foods. I believe that salt is needed to maintain the water-salt balance in the body. Well, no sugar!

Think for yourself, a child drinks from birth breast milk which is sweet in taste. Will he eat fresh food after that?

From the age of 10 months, my Ilyusha already eats any dishes from the common table, sometimes I even add a little pepper. Here is what is included in our diet: borsch, kharcho, pilaf, buckwheat with meat and vegetables, pickle, dumplings, pancakes, pies, fried potatoes, stewed potatoes with meat, cheese, cookies, etc. It seems to me that if a child is limited in food from childhood, then when he grows up, on the contrary, he will pounce and begin to abuse junk food. Just don’t immediately attack me with reproaches, because I’m not talking about stuffing the baby with endless sweets and drinking carbonated drinks. It’s just that I think it’s complete nonsense to stand in the kitchen all day and cook steamed turkey cutlets and broccoli.

Natalia, Olya's mother (1 year 11 months)

While still pregnant, I read a bunch of smart books and articles and decided for sure that I would not give salt and sugar to my child. But in reality, everything turned out to be much more complicated. My daughter refused to eat such food, she spit out any vegetable puree, both homemade and store bought. various firms. And when I was already completely desperate, I decided to try salting the mashed potatoes with sea salt, it was about 7 months old. She ate it with pleasure! It was from that moment that I realized that there is no need to think that salt and sugar will harm your child, because today they are found everywhere - in children's yogurts, canned meat purees, cookies. As soon as Olenka turned one year old, we completely transferred her to the common table. Of course, at this time we had to slightly reduce salt and sugar in dishes and abandon hot spices.

Now my daughter is almost two years old, and I can proudly say that she is growing. healthy child. We have no caries and no problems with the kidneys either. By the way, she herself doesn’t beg for sweets from us, but half a year ago she fell in love with pickles :). If you really want it, then her body needs it?!

As for sugar: many of my friends replace sugar with fructose, but I personally am not a supporter of this. I read a lot of information that fructose is a concentrated substance, which means that it contains more calories than regular sugar. And this can lead to obesity. So it's better the old fashioned way - we were raised on salty soups and sweet cereals - and I will do exactly the same, because we grew up alive and healthy!

Dr. Komarovsky: At what age can a child have sugar and salt?

Dr. Komarovsky tells at what age you can give sugar and salt to a child:

Moms take note!

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Another opinion: Salt and sugar should not be used in baby food!

Svetlana, mother of Vladislav (4 years old) and Arseniy (1 year old)

I will never understand and will always condemn those mothers who give their baby borscht at 3 months, sausage and salted fish at 6 months, and chocolate stuffed with chemical additives, while they are happy that their child eats all this with such pleasure! Of course, the above is an extreme, but I believe that a child under 3 years old, in principle, does not need salt and sugar.

Some make the argument “this way the child tastes better”, but, dear parents, let's not forget that the taste buds and capabilities of the kidneys of children cannot be compared with adults. In childhood, there is no need for salt and sugar!

A prime example of this is our family. We don't eat salt and sugar. All meals are prepared fresh and natural products. For adults, we replace sugar with stevia, and salt with kelp powder, we use good spices from spices. By the way, healthy eating and sports training capable of doing miracles! Often outside strangers take me for older sister my children.

Both of my sons have never tasted salty or sweet food in their lives and do not ask for it. This is the most main reason the fact that I have my children with their kindergarten meals.

Nadezhda, mother of Violetta (2 years 7 months)

My daughter has tried both salty and sweet food from our adult table several times, but usually I cook her separately and only unleavened dishes. We immediately excluded a common table, since our husband is Georgian and prefers spicy oriental cuisine with all kinds of seasonings, adjika and red pepper. And the daughter atopic dermatitis, so I need to be very careful and careful in choosing food for her, because food with salt, sugar and spices immediately causes an aggravation of the disease. I want to start adding a little salt and sugar to dishes only after 3 years.

For me, it is not difficult to prepare a child separately. I try to prepare in advance more cutlets and meatballs from chicken, turkey and rabbit, I freeze them, and then I cook them for a couple in a double boiler or a slow cooker for a couple, I add vegetables. It remains only to boil rice, buckwheat or cook broth with noodles, and this also does not require much time and effort. My daughter accepts such food well, except for the moments when her teeth erupted, so I think that it is not necessary to intentionally improve the taste of food for a child with salt and sugar.

Salt
Salt Properties

Does not cause allergies (because it is part of all body cells).
Helps maintain water balance in the body, does not allow dehydration.
Improves the taste of food.

Retains fluid in the body.
Increases the burden on the kidneys.

When to introduce salt into a child's diet?
We are used to thinking that salt is very important component any diet, so if it is not in the child's diet, parents begin to worry.
However, it should be taken into account that in the diet of newborns and children up to the first year of life daily rate salt is 0.3 g (after a year - 0.5 g), which he receives from his mother's milk or milk formulas. If, in addition to this, you want to enrich the baby’s diet with salt, then his kidneys and pancreas simply cannot cope with such a colossal load.
Also, one of the reasons for the debate on the topic of salt in baby food is the fear of parents that they are depriving their beloved child, depriving him of the habitual for us taste sensations when applying this product. In fact, there is no problem here: the receptors that perceive salt are not developed in a child from birth, so he does not understand whether his food is salty or not, and, accordingly, does not feel a shortage. But when you introduce a child to the taste of salt, these receptors will begin to develop and require salt in food in various volumes. In this regard, most pediatricians strongly recommend giving up salt until the child is at least a year old.
After that, parents need to adhere to the following dosage: no more than 0.25-0.35 g of salt (actually at the tip of a knife) per day, then can be increased to 0.5-1 g (up to 3 years) and gradually brought to adult dose 4-5 g of salt per day.

What kind of salt should be given to a child?
Buy regular table salt. If you live in central Russia, which is considered an iodine-deficient region, purchase iodized salt (keep in mind that its shelf life is only 3-4 months).
There is also hyposodium salt, in which the sodium content, compared to table salt, is much lower. It is usually prescribed for hypertension, obesity and kidney disease. To determine the type of salt that your child really needs, consult your doctor.
Attention! Sea salt in the diet of children under one year is not used.

Useful tips for parents

It is undesirable to salt products "by eye" - this can lead to excessive consumption. table salt. For example, 1 tsp. contains 10 g of salt (which is 2 times higher than the adult daily allowance).
Try to minimize your child's use following products containing salt: ketchup, mayonnaise, canned salted foods, salted fish, sausages, etc.
Be careful with the fashionable salt-free diet: it is prescribed only in medicinal purposes and carried out under the strict supervision of a pediatrician.

Sugar
sugar properties

It is an easily digestible source of energy.
Accelerates many vital important processes in the body.
Promotes brain activity.
It is an excellent preservative that stops the development of many harmful bacteria.

It enhances the processes of putrefaction and fermentation in the intestines (which causes bloating), as a result of which the products of incomplete protein breakdown are absorbed into the bloodstream and cause allergies.
Is one of the main causes of obesity diabetes and changes in the central nervous system.
Excessive use leads to the destruction of tooth enamel.
Causes errors in proper nutrition: sweetened food gives the illusion of satiety, from which the child begins to eat less.
Causes addiction: the child experiences an emotional upsurge from the glucose received, but when the blood sugar level drops, reaching the norm, the baby begins to lack a sense of joy, he begins to ask, and then demand sweet food.

When to introduce sugar into a child's diet?
A child under 1 year old needs only 4 g of sugar per day (this is a little less than 1 tsp), respectively, if the baby does not have allergies, you can add sugar in the indicated amount to sour fruit drinks. However, many pediatricians argue that up to a year a child can not be introduced to the taste of sugar.
A child from 1.5 to 3 years old needs 6 g of sugar per day, and from 3 to 6 years old - 7 g.

Rules for introducing sweets into the child's diet:

From 1 year - sweet pastries and jam.
From 1.5 years - marshmallow, marshmallow, marmalade.
From 2-3 years old - caramel, toffee.
From 3 years - ice cream (cream or milk).
From 3-4 years old - chocolate (20 g or one candy per day), cakes and pastries (with whipped cream or fruit filling).
From 3-5 years old - honey.
From 5 years old - chocolate candies with stuffing.

Useful tips for parents

You can not sweeten complementary foods: this can lead to the formation of bad eating habits. Pediatricians recommend starting the first complementary foods with vegetable puree rather than with more sweet fruit.
In baby food, doctors recommend adding not ordinary sugar (sucrose), but natural fruit sugar(fructose). natural springs glucose and fructose - vegetables and fruits.
Do not give sweets to children for breakfast: sweet cocoa or tea is enough for them in the morning. Pamper your baby with dessert during an afternoon snack, but at the same time control portions of sweets.
The following unhealthy sweet foods are banned: sugary carbonated drinks, chewing gums, goods near the cash register of supermarkets, sweet bars-chocolate substitutes.