Starting Baby on Solid Foods – Top 5 First Foods for Baby – Carrots
What makes carrots a top 5 first food for babies? Carrots are abundant and are readily available no matter what season it is in your area. They are very simple to prepare at home by either steaming or roasting them. Easy to digest, pleasant to taste, carrots are packed full of nutrients such as beta carotene, Folate, Vitamin C and even Calcium.
Beta carotene is converted to Vitamin A and the abundance of it in carrots makes this ubiquitous veggie a great choice for a first food. Fat-soluble vitamin A plays an essential role in vision, growth, and development; the maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes; immune functions; and even reproductive functions.
It is the high level of beta carotene that causes carrots to be colored orange and may also cause baby’s skin to take on an orange glow. Fear not parents; if your baby develops an orange glow, just cut back on the servings of beta carotene rich foods and you’ll see the normal skin color return. Visit the WBF page “Orange Babies” for more information on the phenomena knows as carotenemia.
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** Always consult with your baby’s pediatrician about introducing solid foods and feeding your baby **