Many parents often worry about which foods are healthy for their babies. However, one common food that most parents introduce to their growing babies are sweet potatoes. Your baby will prefer to eat sweet potatoes over other vegetables because they taste better. However, they are not just good for your babies because of their taste, but because they are also very healthy. This article discusses the health benefits of sweet potatoes for babies.
Whether they are cooked and mashed, sweet potatoes can be made into a smooth puree that’s easy to eat, even for babies who are just beginning the transition to eating solid foods. Let us find why sweet potatoes are great for your babies
Here are the 6 health benefits of sweet potatoes for babies.
1. Packed With Nutrients
It is very important that your baby eats foods that are highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins and nutrients. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, provide potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that prevents certain types of cancer and destroys up free radicals. Sweet potatoes are very high in manganese, vitamin B6, Pantothenic acid, and vitamin A.
2. Boosts Eyesight and Vision
Sweet potatoes are very, very rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes is converted to vitamin A and used to produce light-detecting receptors inside your eyes. Vitamin A is important for babies and young children, as vitamin A deficiency is common in many countries. It can help their vision in dim light and prevents night blindness.
3. Good For Brain Development
A growing baby needs foods that boost their brain function and memory. That’s another reason why sweet potatoes are great for babies. Sweet Potatoes contain a flavonoid called anthocyanins, which can protect the brain by reducing inflammation. They can also help with improving memory retention and learning capabilities.
4. Boosts Your Baby’s Immune System
Vitamin A and C are present in high amounts in sweet potatoes. Those two vitamins have been linked to strengthening the immune system. A growing baby is susceptible to many diseases, thus, it is imperative that you feed your baby with immune-boosting foods such as sweet potatoes.
5. Promotes Healthy Gut in Babies
A healthy gut in babies will improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food your baby eats. Foods that are rich in fiber are particularly good for improving gut health in babies. Sweet potatoes contain soluble and insoluble fiber. They also contain antioxidants that promote the growth of good gut bacteria and improves digestion.
6. Prevents Cancer
Sweet potatoes contain more quercetin than carrots. Quercetin is a compound that helps prevent cancerous tumors in the body. The American Institute of Cancer Research suggests that people who eat at of fruits and vegetables every day, including sweet potatoes, have a lower risk of developing cancer later in life. So include them in your baby’s diet before they turn one year old to prevent cancer.
7. Promote Weight Loss
Obesity is a growing problem in children today. Child obesity can develop if the baby is not exposed to healthy foods at a younger age. You can prevent obesity from happening to your baby by including sweet potatoes in his diet now. Sweet potatoes are low in calories, and they have a lot of fiber, which helps keep your baby full the whole day. When choosing healthy foods for your babies, sweet potatoes should be among them always.
8. Fights Allergies
Quercetin is a substance present in sweet potatoes that can help fight allergies. Quercetin decreases inflammation and is a natural antihistamine, which can help fight allergies. Researchers believe that quercetin may help reduce symptoms of allergies, such as runny nose, watery eyes, hives, and swelling.
What to mix with sweet potatoes for your baby
Now that you have learned the health benefits of sweet potatoes for babies, how can you help your babies consume them? Sweet potatoes can be eaten alone or mixed with other foods such as veggies, fruits, meats, and spices. Here are some sweet potato baby puree combinations:
- Tomato Stew
- Chicken stew
- Raisins
- Full-fat Greek yogurt
- Peaches
- Rice
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Beef
- Spinach.
