While mothers are always skeptical about the foods they should introduce to their baby’s diets, there are many natural herbs and ingredients such as garlic, fennel seeds and carom seeds that have immense health benefits for them. Many of these are also a part of traditional home remedies and have been used over and over again to soothe upset tummies, fight colic and smoothen digestion.
Garlic, in particular, has antiseptic and antioxidant benefits that can be beneficial for your baby. Adding it to your baby’s diet will not only increase his body’s resistance to respiratory disorders, gastric issues and other colic-related problems, it will also add essential vitamins to his diet.
You can introduce garlic to your baby’s diet once he is 10 months old, but make sure you check with your doctor before you start. Also, start with one garlic clove and increase it to two or more gradually. Here’s how garlic can help your baby.
Protects Against Respiratory Diseases
Raw garlic has antiviral and immune-stimulating properties that can prevent common respiratory problems such as cold, cough, flu, pneumonia, asthma and other respiratory disorders.
- How To Use It: Add one or two freshly crushed garlic pods to your baby’s warm soups, or boil two cloves of garlic in two glasses of water and let your baby sip on it when cool.
Loaded With Useful Nutrients
Garlic is packed with vitamins C, B1 and B6 as well as iron, potassium, selenium and manganese, which are essential for bone formation and building immunity.
- How To Use It: Add a clove or two to your baby’s mashed potatoes, soups and puréed vegetables.
Fights Off Infection
The antimicrobial properties of garlic help prevent the growth of certain illness-causing bacteria, which are present in the colon and intestine.
- How To Use It: Take the juice of two garlic cloves and mix it with half a cup of your baby’s favorite fresh juice.
Speeds Up Wound Healing
Garlic’s anthelmintic and antifungal properties can help your baby’s wounds heal faster and curb infections.
- How To Use It: Add a roasted and crushed clove of garlic to your baby’s soups.
For more interesting stories, visit our Health page. Read more about Pregnancy & Babycare here.
Read More:
Are Antibiotics Safe For Your Baby?
How To: Take Care Of Your Baby’s Oral Hygiene In The First Year