Healthy Baby and Toddler Nutrition

Juicing for Babies and Toddlers

You can introduce fresh juice to babies at 6 months old. Prior to that, mom’s milk is the very best thing your baby could have. Having said that, I have heard stories of babies as young as a few weeks old with failure to thrive and other maladies that have responded well to fresh juice given in small amounts like about 1 teaspoon at a time.

When introducing fresh juice to your baby, start with a sweeter-tasting juice such as carrot, cantaloupe, or pear. Apple juice can cause diarrhea for some babies so watch that one. Juice only one item at a time for your baby. Don’t mix different juices together.  Depending on what juicer you have, you may need to strain the juice. It is also very good to dilute the juice with half purified water. Purchase organically grown as much as possible. Never let your baby go to bed with a bottle of fruit juice to suck on. The sugars can lead to problems with tooth development and cavities.

As your baby nears one year old, you can start mixing different juices together. Variety is a key to getting a good complement of nutrients in their diet. It is excellent to give your child two or three glasses of fresh juice each day. Limit fruit juice to no more than 12 ounces a day. Too much fruit juice has been linked to failure to thrive, short stature, and obesity. (This is true of too many sweets as well. It is the fruit sugars that cause such problems.)

Happy Baby Morning Juice

Cantaloupe is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and even Calcium. Cantaloupe has an amazing concentration of beta-carotene making it a must-have for healthy vision and eye development. Soothing and watery, melons are sure to be one of the baby’s favorite foods.

• Juice 1/4 peeled cantaloupe (including seeds)
• Add purified water, stir and enjoy!