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It was previously recommended to introduce juice into complementary foods from almost 5 weeks. They say that breast milk becomes depleted over time, and the baby needs vitamin-rich and easily digestible foods. But modern pediatricians are sure: The first complementary feeding with juice, even apple juice, should be done no earlier than 6 months. But in principle, it is objectively not needed until one year of age, since it brings more variety to the children's menu than benefits for the baby's body.

Early administration (before 4 months) does not meet the child’s needs for minerals and vitamins. On the contrary, such complementary foods can be harmful, causing allergies and disrupting the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. And the pancreas will not “train”, as some believe, but will simply strain excessively, trying to produce the enzymes that are necessary to digest a product unknown to the body.

But “fruit” enzymes appear in children from 4 months. So is it worth wasting the energy of a child’s body in vain?

If you are planning the first complementary feeding of juice with pulp (directly pressed), it should be introduced no earlier than a year, or better yet, from one and a half years (and then only if your child has no medical contraindications - allergic reactions, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract). So, again, you will take care of the baby’s still fragile stomach.

When to introduce apple juice into complementary foods?

There are many myths in baby food, sometimes dangerous ones. Here is another one: a baby at the age of 3-4 months must be introduced to fruit complementary foods - apple juice. They say this will increase hemoglobin in the blood. However, even a novice hematologist will tell you: iron contained in plant foods is poorly absorbed even by adults, and even more so by children.

Green apple is the least allergenic, so it is recommended to start complementary feeding with it

But as such, the apple, of course, gives a head start to all its other “colleagues”, since it is the least allergenic. It is not without reason that it is recommended to take a green apple for the first complementary feeding with fruit puree. Therefore, apple juice should be the first on the list of fruit drinks introduced into your child’s menu. It will be followed by pear, banana, peach, apricot, plum, and pumpkin. The next batch is drinks with a tart taste and combined ones: sweet cherry, sour cherry, black currant, apple with pumpkin, pear, peach, apricot...

It should be noted here that multi-ingredient drinks have a higher nutritional value. And they are better balanced in composition. For example, carrot-orange is rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, and apple-celery is rich in phosphorus and iron. However, allergens that are potentially dangerous for young children are strawberries, tomatoes, raspberries, and citrus fruits.

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Rules for introducing complementary foods with juice

So, experts recommend introducing juice (apple juice to start with) into complementary foods from about 6 months. For the first time we give a teaspoon, or even a half or a quarter after the morning milk feeding. The next day we check: if everything is fine, we double the dose and number of doses of the new product. Over the next week we gradually reach 20-30 grams, the number of doses is 2-3. After this, introduce other fruits one by one. By 12 months, you need to increase your daily intake of “liquid fruit” to 100 grams. Moreover, they are given approximately an hour and a half before the second feeding.

Freshly squeezed juices can be introduced, as we have already said, no earlier than 12 months and consumed 150-200 grams per day. Moreover, it is very useful to give a fruit drink for an afternoon snack, with cheesecake, a sandwich or cookies (which is what they do in kindergartens). By the way, juices with pulp (apricot, peach, plum and other unclarified ones), due to the content of plant fibers (fiber and pectins), can improve intestinal motility and help with constipation, as well as vegetable and fruit purees. But according to technology, apple, grape and pear are usually clarified, eliminating the pulp.

Fresh juice is only useful for the first half hour. Then he starts wandering

And more about fresh. It has been established that it is useful only in the first 30 minutes after preparation, then the vitamins in it are destroyed. Moreover, fermentation begins. And although this is not noticeable by taste, the child’s stomach may react negatively to stale fresh juice, possibly causing upset and even poisoning.

In order not to harm the gastric mucosa, juices should be diluted with water in a ratio of at least 50/50. The fact is that the ratio of sugar and acid in them is not optimal due to the removal of fiber (it is thrown out along with the pulp) in the process of squeezing the liquid out of the fruit. Moreover: during this procedure, some vitamins are destroyed immediately, and some are oxidized in light. The result is a “vitamin minuscule” plus unbound fruit sugar plus water. Every second person knows what this entails: addiction to sweets, bad teeth, refusal of “healthy food”, impaired concepts of hunger and satiety... In a word, here you need to be more careful and it is much better to give the child fruit puree as food, and as a liquid - plain water.

Store-bought drinks: what you need to know

If the juice is in a small box, this does not mean at all that it is for children!

Since most mothers buy juices at the store, it is worth remembering that the contents of the small box are not necessarily intended for children. And vice versa. The main thing you should pay attention to is the inscription indicating that this is a product specifically for baby food.

In addition, industrially produced drinks may contain hidden natural preservatives, such as currants or grapes (they are added a little bit even to single-ingredient drinks). That is why the same apple juice, for example, from one company can cause allergies, but one produced by another manufacturer cannot. And this means that in the first case the drink contains a small amount of currants or grapes.

Some, seeing the inscription “Nectar” on the packaging, put it back on the store shelf, believing that they are dealing with some kind of surrogate. In fact, it is the same valuable product, it is simply made from fruits that require the addition of water or sugar syrup. These fruits include kiwi, banana, peach (their undiluted juice is too thick), as well as red and black currants (they are too acidic).

The truth is that babies don't need juices. Juices should not be given to a child under 6 months old. And it should be limited to 120 ml per day in children over 6 months.

Side effects from drinking too much juice include skin rashes, decreased appetite, and even diarrhea.

How to administer juice?

1. Small amounts of juices can be offered to children from 6 months of age, if the volume of liquid is limited to 120 ml per day. The maximum amount of juice for children 12 months and older is up to 200 ml per day.

   It is better to add water to reduce the sugar content.

2. Do not pour juice into the bottle. The sugar contained in the juice can settle on the child’s teeth and lead to their destruction. This is because children tend to drink from a bottle slowly. Offer juice only in a sippy cup or glass. Offer only water in bottles.
3. Give juice only at the end of meals. Have your child eat most of the main meal and then offer juice. This will help increase the proportion of nutrients without loading the body with “empty” calories.

   Giving your child juice before meals reduces appetite.

4. Use only 100% fruit juices for infants. Check the labels on baby juice to make sure it is sugar-free and fructose-free. Many of them contain additives and extra sugar, which will increase the number of calories, reduce your baby's appetite and negatively affect your health.
5. It is preferable to give your child fruit puree instead of juices.
6. Increase your water intake in hot weather.

   If your child is thirsty, give him more water.Water contains no calories. You can also use it to dilute fruit juice.

What do parents need to remember when introducing juice?

• Juice can give your baby unnecessary calories. In this case, babies do not receive important vitamins, minerals and proteins during the main meal. If your child is not gaining normal weight, one solution is to look at how much juice he drinks;
• juice can cause early tooth decay. If you've heard the term bottle tooth decay, it's caused by drinking sugary liquids from a bottle during the day or while you sleep. Sugar damages the delicate enamel on a child’s teeth.

  Always give juice in a mug only;

• Giving your child a lot of juice throughout the day can lead to intestinal problems and diarrhea. Too much of it can increase intestinal motility. Although this may be helpful if your child is constipated;
• Be careful with juices containing high fructose corn syrup. They are known to cause stomach upset, gas, and abdominal pain in infants. This is due to an immature digestive system that cannot digest these types of sugars;
• nNever give juice that has not been pasteurized. These include freshly squeezed juices not prepared with your own hands. Unpasteurized juices can contain very dangerous bacteria - salmonella or E. coli. Infection of an infant with these bacteria can be fatal.

To help your child develop a taste for certain types of fruits and vegetables, you can offer apple and carrot juices.

Many parents are interested in how many months old can they give apple juice to an infant. Although apple juice contains vitamin C, it does not provide any nutritional benefit for children under 6 months of age.

You should not start your first complementary feeding with apple juice. You can offer it for babies older than 6 months, but its quantity should be limited.

Drinking apple juice has no nutritional benefits over eating fruit.

Before giving apple juice to a baby, the baby's nutritional needs and development should be assessed.

Apple juice can relieve constipation in infants because its sugars, liquids and pectin have a mild laxative effect. 30 to 60 ml of apple juice is allowed up to two times a day to facilitate the passage of stool through the child's intestines.

While apple juice works great as a mild baby laxative, don't make the mistake of offering pureed apples instead of juice. The higher the level of pectin fiber in applesauce, the higher the volume, so this apple product may worsen a child's gut health.

Everyone knows that carrots are healthy. Is there anything good in carrot juice for a baby?

Carrot juice for children is filled with many vitamins and nutrients, it is low in fat and, unlike fruit juices, it is not sour, which makes it comfortable for a child's immature stomach.

Although juice should never be given in place of an actual vegetable or fruit, it can help provide vitamins and minerals to your baby.

If a child is picky about food and refuses to eat vegetables, carrot juice will help get both vitamins and nutrients.

Although carrot juice is not very acidic, sometimes it is better to dilute it with water so that it is not too concentrated for your baby.

Carrot juice is an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients and does not contain as much sugar as many fruit juices.

When can you give carrot juice?

Carrot juice can be offered to a 6-month-old baby. Give 60 to 120 ml per day.

It should be noted that carrot juice has a sweet taste, and too much juice may tempt a child to prefer sweet foods. Your baby may refuse other drinks that don't taste sweet, such as formula or breast milk.

While carrot juice is beneficial for a baby, it should never replace formula or breast milk in a baby's diet, as babies get their essential nutrients from their mother's breasts or formula until their first birthday.

Always consult your pediatrician about introducing new foods to your baby. Specifically discuss any foods that may pose a risk for your baby's allergies.

Offer your baby nutritious, vitamin-rich fruit and vegetable juices to promote healthy growth. This will also help him develop his taste for various foods.

Juices must be present in a baby’s diet; they improve digestion and boost immunity. One of the first fruits that a baby gets acquainted with is an apple. And for the introduction of complementary foods to go smoothly, you need to know when you can give apple juice to your baby and in what quantities.

The benefits and harms of apple juice

Fruit juices help diversify children's menus and enrich the growing body with valuable substances - minerals and vitamins. Specifically, apples are useful for hypovitaminosis and anemia, a tendency to constipation. The fruit, rich in pectin, normalizes intestinal function, stimulates the production of digestive juice, and promotes the removal of toxins.

Apple juice for babies is made from green or yellow apples, as they are less allergenic

Apple juice for babies contains:

• organic acids – malic and citric;
• Sahara;
• copper;
• potassium;
• ascorbic acid;
• biotin;
• pyridoxine;
• manganese;
• vitamin PP;
• pantothenic acid;
• magnesium.

The product is especially rich in iron, chromium, and molybdenum.

Green apples are considered the healthiest. They contain a higher dose of vitamin C, which makes the juice sour. Yellow and red fruits taste sweeter, but including the latter in the diet of infants is not recommended due to the risk of developing allergic reactions.

Another important point is that apple juice weakens, so children prone to loose stools are given it in combination with carrot juice.

How to administer apple juice to a baby

It is advisable to introduce pure apple juice into the diet at 7 months. Initially, the child is given the drink twice a day, 0.5 teaspoon. After a day, if there is no bowel disorder or skin rashes, the baby is given 5 ml of juice.

Over the next 5–6 days, the dose is gradually increased by a teaspoon, bringing the daily volume of the drink to 30 ml. At 8 months the baby should drink 50 ml of juice daily, at 10 months - 70 ml, per year - 100 ml.

Apple juice should be introduced into the baby's diet at 7 months.

Important! Before introducing complementary foods, be sure to consult your pediatrician. In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you start juicing later.

Which product is better - homemade or store-bought? Factory-made apple juices for baby food are natural, do not contain sugar, dyes, flavors or preservatives.

After opening the package, they can be stored for 3 hours at room temperature or a day in the refrigerator.

Each type of food has its own optimal time for administration. When should you introduce your baby to juices and which one is best to start with?

When should it be entered?

In Soviet times, juices were introduced very early and very first - literally from 3 months. Now the timing of infants’ introduction to this product has moved into the second half of the year. Nutritionists considered that juices are of low value and are often poorly tolerated by the digestive and immune systems of infants. But after 6 months, the child’s body is already quite ready to start taking juices and assimilate them without negative consequences.

It is better to start introducing store-bought juices into the baby’s diet when he has mastered one of the main types of complementary foods: cereals, fruit or vegetable purees. At the same time, artificial babies are offered this product earlier than babies on breastfeeding - after 4 months. It is better to give breastfed children juice after six months, since their body, which receives enzymes from mother's milk, is poorly adapted to the production of its breaking down elements.

A number of pediatricians are generally inclined to introduce juices only after a year, in order to avoid their negative impact on the gastrointestinal tract of infants. In addition, this product, in essence, is quite “empty” - it does not contain as much fiber, vitamins and elements as a baby needs, so early introduction of the baby to the drink, associated with indigestion and allergies, seems inappropriate.

The decision to start introducing a product into the baby’s menu will be made by your pediatrician, based on the baby’s health status, success in assimilation of fruit purees, and what kind of feeding the baby is on.

Benefits of juices

These are sources of natural vitamins, organic acids and microelements beneficial for the baby. Even though the drinks contain very little of all these substances to cover the daily requirement, they are still very useful for babies to drink.

Juices with pulp, in addition to all of the above, contain dietary fiber that is beneficial for the digestive system and pectins. The value of the drink also varies depending on what fruits or vegetables are used as its basis.

1. Apple juice contains a lot of vitamin C and is also rich in iron. It helps strengthen the immune system and improves the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels. As a rule, apple juice in our country is introduced into the diet of children under one year of age very first, from 4-6 months, since it is less allergenic.
2. Pomegranate juice is rich in iron, it is useful for anemia, as well as for improving metabolism.
3. Peach, carrot, pumpkin and apricot juices are rich in beta-carotene, which is good for your baby's eyes, bones, teeth and gums.
4. Pumpkin juice contains B vitamins that are useful for children’s metabolism. Also, these elements are important for the functioning of almost all systems of the baby’s body.
5. Apricot and banana juices will enrich cells with beneficial potassium and magnesium.

With the help of natural drinks, you can easily regulate your baby’s stool: plum, peach and apricot have a laxative effect, while pear and pomegranate, on the contrary, strengthen it.

Store-bought or homemade?

Purchased juices intended for children under one year old undergo mandatory quality testing; in addition, they do not irritate the gastrointestinal tract of babies, as they have a balanced acid composition. But due to heat treatment, they lose half of their value, and during transportation or storage, the integrity of the packaging may well be compromised, causing the product to deteriorate ahead of schedule.

Homemade fresh juices retain all the value of the fruits and vegetables from which they are made, but are also very concentrated. In order not to make things worse and not cause a negative reaction from the gastrointestinal tract in children, it is recommended to dilute them twice with boiled water.

In what order should I enter?

1. The very first child is usually given apple juice - it is less allergenic. It is better to use ripe green fruits or purchase a clarified product for feeding children from 4 to 12 months.
2. When the baby tastes the apple drink, you can offer him clarified pear, carrot, pumpkin, apricot, peach or banana juice in any order.
3. Next, you can start combining the juices you have mastered by purchasing or creating mixed drinks. It would be good to make a fruit and vegetable mix by mixing apple and pumpkin, carrot and pear products.
4. When the baby gets used to mixed drinks, you can start giving the child red-pigmented foods: cherry, sweet cherry, plum, blackcurrant and cranberry. Among vegetable drinks for babies prone to constipation, beetroot will be useful.
5. Children are introduced to citrus, tomato, strawberry and grape drinks last: at 12-15 months, since some of them are highly allergenic, while others contain a large amount of fruit acids.

How to enter?

• It is better to introduce juice into your child’s diet in the morning, this way you can monitor the negative reaction throughout the day;
• on the first day, the baby should be given a few drops of the drink on a spoon after feeding;
• in the first week the child should be given 0.5 tsp, in the second - a whole, in the third - 2 tsp, etc.;
• a one-year-old child can be given no more than 60 ml of drink per day;
• Each new type should be given to the child “like the first time” - a few drops, gradually increasing the volume of the unfamiliar drink in feeding.

Not so long ago, the practice of introducing juice as the first complementary food was widespread. And although doctors unanimously say that a fruit drink can be harmful to a fragile body, many young mothers listen to the advice of more experienced mothers and begin to supplement their child with fresh apple juice. We will tell you at what age you can give your baby this sweet drink, how to prepare apple juice for babies at home, and how to prepare it correctly for your baby.

Now it is customary to introduce the first complementary foods at 5-6 months. Until then, the baby should be fed exclusively with breasts or an adapted milk formula if the mother does not have enough natural product. However, mothers often start giving apple juice to their infants at an early age.

Today we will tell you how this can turn out for a baby, how to protect the baby from an unwanted reaction, and when to introduce apple juice, beloved by many, into his diet, how to give fresh juice correctly, and why you should not drink it immediately before meals? We also advise you to watch the videos, in which experts will tell you what the nuances of introducing fresh juice into the children's menu are.

The benefits of apple drink for babies

Before talking about its harm, we need to say a few words in their defense:

• apple juice is rich in iodine and iron;
• increases appetite;
• its dosed use is a good prevention of constipation;
• extremely rarely causes allergies in infants;
• diluted fresh juice protects the baby’s teeth from caries.

Why are doctors against early introduction?

At the moment, there are several reasons why pediatricians do not recommend introducing juice into the diet of a young child. Among them are:

• Doctors are confident that early complementary feeding with juices can cause a deterioration in the functioning of the pancreas and stomach in general.
• Also, early consumption of fresh juices causes problems with stool. According to pediatric doctors, babies aged 5-6 months who drink freshly squeezed juices are twice as likely to suffer from constipation and intestinal colic than their peers who feed on breast milk.
• Juice is a heavy and aggressive product because it contains a large amount of sugar and fruit acids. Doctors do not advise introducing natural fresh juice at too early an age. After all, if the baby likes the new treat, then there is a chance that he will completely refuse mother’s milk.

The common myth imposed by representatives of the older generation that juice is necessary in a baby’s diet to increase hemoglobin has also collapsed. The fact is that iron from plant foods is poorly absorbed not only by children, but also by adults. In the first case, supplementing with fresh apple juice is simply a useless exercise.

When to enter

When can you start giving your baby apple juice? If earlier mothers gave juice to their babies almost from the age of one month, now pediatricians do not recommend introducing the child to it until 8-9 months of age. Many of them are convinced that the baby will not lose anything if you give him fresh juice after one year.

During the period of breastfeeding, natural juices prepared at home can only be drunk by nursing mothers. You will benefit from them much more than the baby’s body, which is unprotected from aggressive components.

How to give a drink correctly

• Follow one of the basic rules for introducing complementary foods - food should be monocomponent. This statement also applies to juices. Until the baby becomes familiar with their types, mixing apple and pear or giving him a mixture of apple and carrot - such liberties are not welcomed by doctors. It is worth setting aside at least two weeks for the introduction of each type of fresh juice. Also, do not forget to monitor your baby’s reaction to a new product. It is advisable to keep a food diary where you record everything that your child eats and drinks.
• If the baby continues to receive food from the mother's breast, then natural fresh juice, like puree and porridge, must be fed from a spoon.
• Not all children like freshly squeezed juice right away. However, mothers prefer to give it in its natural form. To soften the fruit flavor a little, you can warm the drink on the stove.
• Fresh juice is not allowed before feeding. After all, it not only quenches the feeling of thirst, but also relieves hunger for a short time. Also, never give your baby juice on an empty stomach. An equally harmful habit that many have developed since childhood is washing down food. It can cause flatulence.
• Undiluted apple juice is too concentrated. Therefore, before giving it to your baby, you need to mix it with water in a one-to-one ratio. At first you can dilute it stronger.
• We draw the attention of parents that until the age of one, you should not give your baby drinks with pulp. They can cause constipation. However, if your baby is prone to irregular bowel movements, it is best to consult your pediatrician.
• Apple juice must be freshly prepared. It is unacceptable to give your child a fruit drink that has been prepared in advance. It’s better to drink it yourself, and prepare a new portion of tasty and healthy fresh juice for your baby. If it is not possible to make a new one, do not forget that the finished drink can be stored for no more than 10 hours in a cool, dark place.
• Apple juice can be introduced into the baby's diet only after the baby has become acquainted with fruit puree. Thus, if the baby experiences constipation or, on the contrary, diarrhea, rumbling or discomfort in the tummy, it is better to postpone the planned complementary feeding for a while.
• Fresh juice should be given to babies in the first half of the day. This allows you to track how the child reacted to new food.
• We understand the desire of mothers to give their baby the best, but for the first time the serving size of apple juice for a baby should be 1 tsp. The next day, if the child feels normal, you can give 2 tsp.

The maximum volume of a natural drink that you can offer to a baby up to one year old is no more than 100 ml. However, you should not give the daily portion at once. Divide the dose into 2-3 doses.

How to make apple juice at home

If the time has come to introduce fruit water into your little one’s diet, you will have to prepare it yourself. After all, despite the colorful packaging in stores and the belief that “it can be given from birth,” store-bought juices are only allowed to a child after several years of his life. Also, at first you will need to dilute them with water, since they are more concentrated than homemade ones.

Since the drink must first be given to the baby in small portions, you will have to prepare it yourself, without kitchen devices that make life easier for housewives.

To prepare juice for infants, only green and yellow varieties of apples are allowed. You should forget about red ones for now, since food of such a bright color can cause an allergic reaction in your baby.

To do this, you need to wash the apple and peel it. Cut into small pieces, remove seeds. Grate the fruit on a plastic grater (if it comes into contact with metal, the fruit loses its beneficial properties).

Squeeze out the pulp with a spoon, and then place it in gauze folded in several layers.

Juices for babies: Komarovsky (video)

We bring to your attention a useful video about the benefits and harms of apple and other natural juices for infants.

Now you know why you can’t introduce apple juice for the first time, but it’s better to start with vegetable purees and dairy-free cereals. We also told you how to prepare healthy juice for your toddler yourself. Your baby will appreciate your efforts, and he will undoubtedly like the taste of the new drink.