Watermelons for your baby can be used as food additives or for snacks. All types of fruit are healthy, but giving fruit to babies should not be careless. Must be known in advance whether or not good for your baby.
Well, watermelon is a tropical fruit that has many benefits because it is rich in water, potassium, and vitamins. In addition, bright red and yellow colors can make babies curious and want to try it. Plus, the fresh sweet taste with a crisp and soft texture is very well-liked by everyone, from babies to parents.
When can you give a baby watermelon?
When introducing new foods to the baby, you should wait until the baby can overcome the texture of these foods. Watermelons may be given to your baby between the ages of 8-10 months.
However, you must pay attention to several factors. Does the baby have enough teeth to chew? Does the baby chew his food before swallowing? Because the texture of the watermelon is hard to break, it’s best not to introduce it too early.
The health benefits of watermelons for your baby
1. Good for your child’s heart
Watermelon has lycopene content. Lycopene is an antioxidant that is good for heart health and reduces the rate of asthma attacks. This content increases when the fruit is ripe.
Watermelons are also rich in carotenoids such as neurosporene, lutein, phytofluene, phytoene, and beta-carotene. Just like lycopene, various carotenoid contents are useful for maintaining the baby’s heart function in its infancy.
2. Improve vision
Vitamin A contained in watermelons is highly recommended for your child’s vision. The content of this vitamin is very much obtained from eating watermelons. Other benefits of vitamin A include making your skin healthier and radiant while supporting your child’s teeth growth.
3. Source of vitamin B complex
Vitamin B complex includes various vitamins that provide multiple benefits. These vitamins in watermelon help the production of red blood cells, the development of the nervous system, strengthening the immune system, brain function and protein repair, and increase metabolism in the baby’s body.
4. Smooth out baby digestion
Watermelons are rich in dietary fiber so they can help keep the digestive tract healthy. Eating watermelon can help cure constipation and irregular bowel movements in infants.
5. Good for your child’s heart
Watermelon has lycopene content. Lycopene is an antioxidant that is good for heart health and reduces the rate of asthma attacks. This content increases when the fruit is ripe.
Watermelons are also rich in carotenoids such as neurosporene, lutein, phytofluene, phytoene, and beta-carotene. Just like lycopene, various carotenoid contents are good for maintaining the baby’s heart function in its infancy.
6. Maintain fluid balance and prevent dehydration
Watermelon can help maintain fluid balance in the body of your child. This is because watermelon has a content that consists of 93 percent water and seven percent meat. This composition can prevent dehydration and is very good during hot weather, especially if the baby is sweating a lot. This fruit also contains electrolytes, which help reduce the possibility of heat exposure.
7. Bone development
Watermelon also contains minerals, namely calcium and manganese, which help in bone development. Calcium is important for producing growth hormone. Magnesium helps in building muscle and nerve function in babies.
Pay attention to the following things if you want to provide watermelon for your baby
Here are some things to consider before feeding your baby watermelon.
- Pay attention to food allergic reactions in babies after being fed watermelon. For example, the baby’s skin becomes reddish and itchy, diarrhea, vomiting, and certain body parts such as lip swelling.
- Fruit-texture. Because watermelon is a runny fruit, most people think that giving watermelon in the form of juice is better than giving in the form of chunks. However, feeding your baby with juice is not a good idea. Fruit juice for babies increases the risk of cavities. It’s also feared that babies are not interested in eating solid food. So it’s better to give a little piece of watermelon to your baby. If you are not sure if your baby will eat it, try pounding it a little.
- Make sure the fruit is of high quality. Don’t buy watermelons that have been cut and repackaged. Fruit that has been cut from the seller has a high risk of contamination. We recommend buying watermelons in their full form and are ripe.
- Cut fruit at home. Cut enough watermelon and save the rest of the fruit that has not been cut in the refrigerator. Make sure the fruit reaches room temperature before you give it again to your baby. Cut in small sizes, so the baby doesn’t choke.
- Take out any existing watermelon seeds before you give them to your baby. Fruit full of many seeds can make a baby choke.
