Spinach is a highly nutritious food source rich in multiple minerals, including calcium and potassium. It is also a good source of vitamin C, enabling iron absorption in the body. Thus, since the health benefits of spinach for babies are numerous, it should be an essential part of their diet. Read this post to learn when babies can begin eating spinach, its health benefits, nutritional value, and precautions to consider when feeding it to your baby.
When Can Babies Eat Spinach?
You must wait till your baby is six months old to introduce spinach in his/her diet (1). The leaves are rich in compounds called nitrates, which cannot be digested by the developing digestive system of infants.
Health Benefits Of Spinach For Babies
Spinach is a treasure trove of minerals. Here is why it is the perfect food for your baby:
Nutritional Value
Here is the nutritional breakdown of the various nutrients found in 100g spinach. Source: United States Department of Agriculture (3)
How To Select And Store Spinach?
Select:
Spinach is available throughout the year, either in frozen or fresh form. Buy the fresh ones since the frozen or commercially processed variants tend to have more nitrates (4). Also, buy the vegetable during the season of its availability when the nutrient value is high. Avoid spinach during summer.
Fresh spinach has ample of green leaves, intact leaf midrib, and feels like a freshly plucked leaf of a plant. Do not buy if the leaf has blemishes, is yellowish, or has holes which were probably made by pests.
Fold the leaf, and if it wrinkles severely or does not unfold, then it has low water content, indicating it is not fresh.
The stem of the leaf should be supple and feel pulpy. Such stems break with a snap when bent or twisted.
Spinach is prone to pesticides contamination (5). Therefore, prefer organic varieties.
Storage:
Chop the roots, if the vegetable has any since they are extremely fibrous and difficult to cook.
Wash the spinach thoroughly with water since they are grown close to the ground and may have attached particles of soil.
Spread and dry the leaves on the kitchen towel or tissue papers. They absorb the moisture, thus reducing the chances of rotting.
Transfer the vegetable into a plastic container or a vegetable bag. Put some tissue papers along since they will help absorb extra moisture and prevent the leaves from getting soggy. Store it in the refrigerator and use within two days.
Baby spinach is a variety of spinach , which is harvested at a younger plant age. It has tender leaves, and there is no significant nutritional difference between baby spinach and the fully-grown versions. However, baby spinach is predominantly used in salads (6). For your baby’s food, you can choose the conventional fully-grown varieties of spinach.
How To Cook Spinach For Baby?
There are various ways to cook spinach, but blanching (boiling the water and putting the leaves in the hot water for 15-20 seconds) is the best since it frees the naturally-present oxalic acidiXIt is an organic compound commonly used in laundries to remove stubborn stains such as ink and get rid of rust. from the leaves. The acid may be slightly toxic and may strain the baby’s kidneys (7). For the same reason, you need to strain the water after boiling the spinach.
Amazing Spinach Recipes For Babies
Here are some wonderful baby food spinach recipes to feed in combination with other food items:
1. Spinach puree
The classic spinach baby food recipe works as a health tonic with all the goodness of multiple vitamins and minerals from the leafy vegetable. You will need:
2 cups of chopped fresh spinach Finely grated paneer 4-5 cups of water
How to:
2. Spinach and carrot puree
Carrots and spinach, both, are rich in vitamin A, which makes this puree an amazing vitamin A booster for the little one. You may also make a thin suji porridge with these vegetables. You will need:
2 cups cubed carrot pieces 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
3. Spinach and banana mash
Banana goes great with spinach since it dulls the slightly bitter flavor of the leaves, making it more palatable to the baby. You will need:
2 cups chopped banana 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 3-4 cups of water
How to:
4. Spinach meat puree
Meat is rich in iron and minerals, complimenting it well with spinach. You will need:
1-2 cups boneless chicken 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
5. Spinach chicken soup
If your baby likes soups, then he will surely love this delicious soup made from chicken stock and spinach puree. You will need:
2 cups chopped chicken with bone 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 6-7 cups of water Butter
How to:
6. Spinach and peas mash
A green delight full of the goodness of proteins and vitamins that are abundant in green peas and spinach. You will need:
2 cups fresh green peas 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
7. Spinach and potato puree
You can use sweet potato or white potato since both add carbohydrates providing energy to the little one. You will need:
2 cups chopped sweet or white potato 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
8. Spinach with lentil
Spinach tastes great with lentils, and you can use any lentil that you feed your baby. For this recipe, we have chosen pigeon pea, which is also known as arhar or toor dal in India. You will need:
1 cup cleaned pigeon peas 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
9. Spinach puree with mashed boiled rice
Rice goes well with spinach puree. Just like bananas, rice can mellow down the somewhat bitter taste of spinach, thanks to its rich carbohydrate content. You will need:
2 cups of rice 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
10. Spinach puree with finger millet flour (ragi)
Finger millet or ragi is rich in minerals such as calcium and iron, which are found in plenty even in spinach, making this puree a superfood! You will need:
2 cups finger millet flour 2 cups fresh, chopped spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to:
11. Spinach puree with sago (sabudana)
Sago pearls or sabudana is easy to digest, and when combined with spinach puree, it makes a fantastic spinach baby food. You will need:
2 cups sago pearls 2 cups chopped fresh spinach 4-5 cups of water
How to: Aren’t these recipes really easy? You can combine the leafy vegetable with other foods that your baby consumes to make spinach an integral part of the baby’s diet. Note: Add fat i.e., oil, butter, clarified butter, etc., to the foods to make them calorie dense. You may also some mild spices in order to introduce various flavors.
Spinach Baby Food Combinations
Spinach can be combined with food items such as:
Vegetables: You can combine nearly any vegetable from carrots to beans with spinach depending on the baby’s age and what suits them.
Grains and lentils: Spinach compounds the nutritional value of grains and lentils making them more beneficial to the little one’s health.
Meat: Even adults love the combination of meat and greens such as spinach, so why not let your baby enjoy that flavor too.
Fruits: Spinach goes well with a limited number of fruits such as bananas, apples, and blueberries. Avoid mixing it with juicy and pulpy fruits such as mangoes or strawberries since the leafy vegetable can distort their taste.
Can My Baby Be Allergic To Spinach?
Spinach is one of the most common allergens (8). The oxalic acid in the leaves can be eliminated when you boil them, but the nitrates remain. Intolerance to nitrates can lead to a blood disorder called methemoglobinemia, where the blood is unable to adequately transfuse oxygen to the tissues (9). Start by giving smaller portions of spinach and if you notice that your baby has any reaction, then discontinue it and consult a doctor immediately. The symptoms of spinach allergy and methemoglobinemia are similar, and this is what your baby will display in such situations:
