Chocolate is obtained from various parts of cocoa beans. Cocoa fruits are crushed to make powder, or oil is squeezed out of them. If you mix the powder (grated cocoa) with this oil, you get dark chocolate. This delicacy is considered the most natural product. When cream (milk) is added to the powder and butter, manufacturers get milk chocolate. For the preparation of white chocolate, grated cocoa is not used at all. Each of these types of chocolate has its own characteristics that must be considered when choosing treats for the baby.

What is the use of chocolate for a child

Chocolate contains a special substance - tryptophan, it stimulates the production of "hormones of happiness" in the body, activates the brain, improves the mood of the crumbs. In addition, phenylalanine is contained - an amino acid that can improve memory and other thought processes. Cocoa beans are a source of vitamin A, B1, B2, PP, potassium, magnesium and iron.

When a child can try chocolate

Despite the undoubted benefit of the product, nutritionists do not recommend giving chocolate to a baby until one and a half to two years. It is a fatty product that contains large amounts of caffeine and theobromine. They negatively affect the fragile children's psyche. In addition, it is better to introduce chocolate into the child’s diet after he loves vegetables, fruits and cereals. In a year and a half crumbs, you can give a drink of cocoa powder, diluted with milk. Carefully monitor the baby's reaction, because chocolate is one of the most allergenic products. After the child is two years old, you can treat him with a chocolate biscuit. Closer to three years, offer the baby a piece of milk chocolate or candy. Daytime

Chocolate is a delicacy recognized by the gourmets of the world and a good medicine for many ailments. This sweetness is produced from cocoa beans, rich in various vitamins, minerals, essential oils and antioxidants, polyphenols, etc. This also has a certain limitation in the quality of the effect on the body. Scientists have proven:
   · That the use of chocolate was useful, and not harm the body, you need to buy a bitter version that does not contain any additives;
   · The daily norm is 25 grams, the rest is harmful;
   · With its help you can lose weight, and it acts as an excellent preventive measure in many diseases.
In fact, the best illustration is the saying: everything is good in moderation.

Useful qualities

Many people refuse the bitter goodies from cocoa beans, buying sweet counterparts containing an increased amount of cream, sugar, various additives. It’s better not to. Most of the useful qualities that are inherent in the first product are almost completely absent from all the others or are present in a very truncated form.

Caries protection

   Dentists argue that, unlike all other goodies, dark chocolate does not cause tooth decay, but rather protects against this ailment. The oils present in it envelop the enamel, thereby preventing the negative effects of acids on it. A small bite after eating is a great alternative to special chewing gum.

Positive impact  on  organism

The development of the baby requires the addition of foods rich in various vitamins and minerals to his diet. This category includes chocolate. It contains potassium and phosphorus. They are necessary for the normal development of the nervous system of the child. The carbohydrates present in the tile are easily digestible, which guarantees the absence of intestinal upsets and an increase in the load on the stomach.

Improvement of blood circulation and protection against atherosclerosis

The beneficial effect on the human body is due to the high concentration of polyphenols that improve blood flow. That is why family doctors in the EU countries are sure to recommend adding dark bitter chocolate to the diet of the elderly and those who are greatly weakened after the illness. Obstetricians advise women after childbirth to eat 1-2 tiles of this treat to ease their overall physical condition.

Can chocolate be given to children?

Cocoa beans are one of the strongest allergens. This myth is still widespread throughout our country. In fact, the product is considered conditionally acceptable for use by children from the age of one. Whether it is necessary to give it earlier must be decided by each mom independently. Pediatricians are sure of only one thing: if you give this delicacy, then only its bitter version, and not sweet tiles or bars. It is a black dessert that strengthens the body and has a beneficial effect on all its functions. Milk or white counterparts are more likely to harm the baby due to the high content of sugar and other confectionery additives, including preservatives.

It should be noted that per day an adult is allowed to eat 25 grams of the product, the rest of the amount is not good, but harm. Based on this, it is easy to calculate the amount available to the baby. This is a very small piece. It is also necessary to take into account the stimulating effect of the product. It should not be given at bedtime. Add it to the baby's diet in the morning.

Many parents from an early age ask one question: "At what age can a child be given chocolate?" . Sometimes parents completely refuse to give the small child candy bars, butterscotch, candy, and other sweets. Even chocolate candies from a New Year's gift, they are very suspicious. Others allow you to eat absolutely all sweets, including sweets. But what should be the amount of sweet eaten so that a small organism does not crash? And is it often worth giving your child chocolates? You will find answers to these questions in this article. Chocolate is not always dangerous to give the child, so unnecessary bans are not needed.

Types of sugar

We know from an early age that sugar  - This is white death and it is very harmful to eat. But we forget that it happens of different types, therefore we enclose the child from chocolate and other candies. There is nothing useful in sucrose. This is our usual sugar from cane or sugar beet. Glucose is a sugar extracted from berries. This kind is very necessary for our brain. Fructose is obtained from fruits, so chocolates on fructose can be given to a child without fear. Maltose is obtained from malt, and lactose from dairy products, so it can cause an allergy in the baby. Preference should be given to natural sugar, which nevertheless contains useful vitamins.

The benefits of sweet treats

It turns out that sweets can also be useful. The child grows, moves more and needs digestible carbohydrates, which can be given in the form of chocolates. Moreover, these carbohydrates maintain the proper function of all systems and affect the mood of the crumbs. Therefore, from one chocolate candy per day there will be nothing.

In order not to disrupt the functioning of the teeth and the endocrine system, the absorption of sweets cannot be left without control, especially if there were people with diabetes in the family. In this case, the child is better to give chocolate with a minimum sugar content, for example, bitter.

What sweets can be eaten and which not

Everything can be sweet - desserts, candy candies and chocolate desserts, fruits, berries, drinks. All this improves the brain activity of the baby, so he is so indifferent to sweets. You can protect your baby this way: buy natural sweets (marshmallows, dried fruits) that do not contain bright colors. Because bright sweets can cause allergic reactions. Be careful also with honey and cake Honey cake. A natural product like honey is a strong allergen. And now we list the sweets from which it is desirable to refrain.

Sugar.   There is no need to sweeten what can do without sugar - cereals, pasta, milk vermicelli, pancakes, pancakes.

Cakes and pastries.   The abundance of cream, meringue looks very beautiful, but these delicacies contain a lot of fats and dyes. Leave them for the festive table. One piece of cake every few months will not do much harm.

Jam.   If your child loves to eat jam with spoons, it is better to give him chocolate. There is too much sugar in jams. It can be spread with a very thin layer on bread or toast, but not more often than once a day.

Caramel, candy.   Such sweets are considered the most harmful.

Bright sweets  - cause allergies and irritation of the tongue.

Iris   - stuck in the teeth and destroys fillings, causes toothache, spoils the enamel.

Foreign sweets or without composition - if the content of the candy is not indicated, it is better to warn the baby.

At what age can a child be given chocolate?

Until the baby is three years old, do not spoil it with sweets. Many parents ask the question: at what age can a child be given chocolate? It is advisable to introduce all sweets after the baby turns one year old. First, you can give yogurts with fruits, then sorbets, and later switch to ice cream sundae and light cakes. Never give chocolates before meals. Chocolate saturates well, so the baby will not want to eat ordinary food.

Banning sweets - consequences

When can a child be given chocolates? After a year, the baby will begin to learn about sweets. This is a natural process and you can’t forbid crumbs to eat goodies. What will happen if you are categorical in your refusal?

The Forbidden fruit is sweet.   The kid will still get candy in the garden and (much worse) an unfamiliar passerby will treat him. Therefore, let the baby eat sweets from your hands.

Unlimited quantity.   If the crumbs still get to the sweets, he will eat them without stopping. And a large amount can upset the digestive system and cause poisoning.

Greed.   If they don’t give sweets to the crumbs, then he will begin to be greedy for them and is unlikely to share with one of the children. Greed always arises from lack.

Sweet amount

How many sweets are allowed for small children? If the baby is less than 7 years old - give him no more than two sweets per day. Older children are allowed to eat up to 5 candies per day. It is advisable to stay on chocolates.

After the New Year holidays, the baby may have a rash or problems with the stool. And all this because of the excess of sweets. Let the baby play with a gift, examine the sweets, eat a couple under your supervision. The rest agree to remove and give out a little bit.

If you don’t know how much chocolate to give your child, it’s better to divide the bar into 4 parts and give out one each day. Seven years can be divided into 2 parts.

A lot of sweets - consequences

A rash can appear from any sweets, especially from chocolate. If after one serving of sweet itch or burning sensation appears on the skin, as well as red dots, the child should not be given such chocolate or sweets. Be sure to tell the teachers in kindergarten about this.

Sometimes a pseudo-allergy occurs and it manifests itself depending on the amount eaten. In this case, you need to set a safe limit for the portion of chocolate or sweets for the child - and give them in accordance with the new restrictions.

Children who have endocrine disorders, such as diabetes mellitus, should be especially careful. In this case, you can give diabetic food - candies on fructose, but only after agreement with the doctor.

Candies for children - at what age Komarovsky will tell:

Chocolate ... A word from whose pronunciation alone, a sweet taste appears in the mouth, and the mood rises by itself. All right, this is a product that increases the level of serotonin - the hormone of happiness. Many parents begin to give this treat to their child almost from the cradle. Is it possible for children to chocolate? Are there any age restrictions in taking it? You need to know about the effect of this product on the body in order to answer these questions.

What kind of chocolate can children?

Chocolate is different. For some reason, this word is used to call the purest product with a high percentage of cocoa content, and a tile in which this ingredient is at least, but palm oil and all kinds of substitutes for natural ingredients are present. So, if we are talking about children, then they can only be given a product in which everything is natural: sugar, milk or cream, cocoa butter, cocoa powder. If you compare black, milk and dark chocolate, then it is better to give preference to the latter. But not every child will like it. Black is sweeter, and the children eat it willingly. Milk chocolate contains less cocoa by adding milk. There is still white. There is no cocoa powder in it, and it is named chocolate only because of its cocoa butter content.

So which of the varieties is most beneficial for the child? Everything is very simple. The most useful ingredient is cocoa, which is why you need to choose a product with the highest content. It is in a natural treat that contains tryptophan, which causes the production of serotonin, an antidepressant hormone.

Natural chocolate also contains an amino acid called phenylalanine. It has a beneficial effect on memory, increases alertness. Available in cocoa-based sweet treats and vitamins. In particular, these are vitamins of group B, A, PP. Among trace elements, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, and copper have the largest percentage.

Whole nuts make chocolate even more healthy.

Small children are better off giving milk chocolate. It is absorbed better than black.

At what age can children be given chocolate?

Despite the fact that chocolate is definitely a healthy product, doctors do not recommend giving it to children under 1.5 years of age.  The thing is that in addition to healthy cocoa, the product contains far from healthy sugar, caffeine and theobromine. It is the alkaloids, which are caffeine and theobromine, that exert an exciting effect on the nervous system. The baby is up to 1.5 years old, so it’s not an easy period: teeth are cut. He is constantly acting up, not sitting still. And then there are additional stimulants of the nervous system.

The above is a detailed answer to the question whether chocolate can be a one-year-old child. It is also worth mentioning that the composition of the product includes fats in amounts exceeding the norm for a one-year-old baby, which are poorly absorbed by the children's body.

In general, you need to introduce sweet foods into your baby’s diet gradually. First, these are sweet fruits: apples, bananas, apricots. Then juices and compotes. Over time, you can start giving a little cocoa, but so far without sugar. Little by little, because cocoa has a lot of calories, and it’s difficult for a child’s body to cope with them.

As soon as parents began to give the baby cocoa, they should monitor the body's reaction to the product. It can cause allergies. Its signs are known to everyone: rash, itching, swelling of the mucous membranes. If they appear, you must stop watering the baby's cocoa. Perhaps after some time this can be resumed.

Cocoa can be consumed as part of baking. And it is advisable to give milk chocolate and sweets to the baby no earlier than 3 years old and give no more than a quarter of the standard tile.

How to buy quality chocolate?

In order not to confuse a natural product with soya tiles, you need to pay attention to the following:

• natural treats have a smooth surface with even gloss;
• uniform color, no whitish areas;
• if a slice of chocolate melts in a clasped palm, the product is of high quality;
• soy and palm oil are not indicated.

No matter how high-quality the product, it is better not to give black chocolate to children. The maximum cocoa content in the tile should not exceed 50%, but should not be lower than 25%.

Chocolate is sold in stores with various additives and toppings: nuts, popcorn, slices of cookies, marmalade, fruit jams and cream. Of all these, preference should be given to that which includes whole nuts or raisins. You can’t even buy white chocolate for children, which contains absolutely no milk.  A tile with a high cocoa content, when cracked, a characteristic crunch is heard.

Why can't children eat chocolate?

With various manifestations of allergies, it is better not to give the child a chocolate. This is one of the most allergenic foods.

You can not give this treat to children with lactase deficiency and problems with the absorption of lecithin.

Chocolate is contraindicated in children who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or with signs of hyperactivity. It's all about caffeine, which further excites the nervous system. Contraindication also applies to children suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, various degrees of obesity, or prerequisites for it.

Is chocolate possible for children, opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

The famous TV doctor Komarovsky also has his own opinion on the issue of the use of chocolate by children. He believes that this delicacy, which causes a lot of pleasure in all people and in children in particular, has the right to its place in the children's diet. But we must not forget that all pleasure requires a fee, and it should not be too high. That is, the child should not pay with his health for the fact that his parents once decided to please him delicious.

The main harm from chocolate is an allergy to cocoa protein. And a small child has a higher risk of allergies than a schoolchild or teenager.

If you ask the question whether it is possible to give, it is possible, but not earlier than when the child turns 2 years old.  The first pieces should be very small, not more than 1 wedge from a 100 gram tile. It is necessary to monitor the reaction of the baby's body. The younger the child, the less cocoa should be in the product. Cocoa as a drink should not displace fruit drinks, compotes, kvass from the diet.

Summarize

Chocolate is a product that brings certain benefits to the body. But to do without it is quite possible. All the components that are contained in it can be found in other products. Let the parents decide to acquaint the baby with the taste of the new product or not, the main thing is not to do this until 1.5-2 years. Having decided, nevertheless, that without a treat, the baby’s life will be too fresh, the rules should be observed:

• To give chocolate only until 12-14 hours of the day so that caffeine and theobromine in the evening cease their effects;
• Rinse your mouth after eating the product to avoid tooth decay;
• Carefully study the composition of chocolate, so as not to give the baby a surrogate product.

Sweets must be present in the diet of children, for that they are children. But you need to give them wisely.

... wanted to know your opinion about children consuming chocolate. For example, I don’t know can  whether to give me chocolate  (exactly chocolate, not tile) to my 3 year old daughter. I heard that it excites the nervous system. On the other hand, I believe that cocoa  useful to children. Or is it better to really drink a drink? But what if the child likes to absorb this sweetness?

Responsible Komarovsky E.O.

Chocolate- and this is no doubt a fact - one of the sources of pleasure. And to deprive a person of pleasure (which in our lives are counted) is not necessary. The main thing, and this is already a philosophical concept, is to try to make the payment for pleasure minimal. Chocolate  in general and protein cocoa  in particular, it is a very common cause of food allergies. The older   child - the less risk. Less food eaten of chocolate  - the less risk. Less in chocolate  cocoa (range from milk chocolate to black) - the lower the risk.
  Hence and in accordance with common sense recommendations for use. Is it possible to give - is it possible. Until two years, I would not recommend it in principle. Quantity - start with a small piece and evaluate the reaction. View of chocolate  - there are no options - for children only milk, with a small percentage of cocoa. Remember that chocolate  - a very (!) high-calorie product, therefore, the child’s lifestyle should allow him to spend the received energy. I do not think that cocoa is a healthier drink than compote, kvass, fruit drink or tea. Cocoa is just one way to diversify life in general and taste in particular. Although, by and large, reasoning about the harmfulness or usefulness of certain products, as a rule, is very far from science, based on the assumptions, rumors and commercial interests of the manufacturers of these products.