When weaning starts, which usually happens after six months of exclusive breastfeeding or formula feeding, most mothers are concerned whether the bland food they give their baby will appeal to their taste. And here is where most mothers make the mistake of adding salt to the food or sugar to fruit juices to add up to the taste. This does just the opposite for the kid. Salt or sugar, when added to foods and given at such a tender age, can have an adverse effect on her health.
Remember, your child is used to having breast milk or formula for the initial six months that doesn’t have any added condiments like sugar or salt. If your child refuses weaning foods, it’s because she is still not accustomed to the taste yet. Here is how sugar and salt can affect your child’s health:
Salt: Of the two, salt is more dangerous for your child. A baby’s salt requirement is less than 1 gm a day which she gets from natural foods that you give her (fruits or vegetables). If you add more salt to your baby’s foods, it leads to excess sodium in the body. ‘This creates a load on the immature kidneys that is responsible for processing the same,’ points out Sonali Shivlani, an Internationally Certified Pregnancy, Lactation, and Child Nutrition Counsellor. Excess salt intake at such a tender age can lead to kidney malfunctions and hypertension in adulthood.
Sugar: Sweet is not always appealing and rewarding, especially if it is white sugar which is processed and loaded with chemicals. Sugar from natural sources will not do your baby any harm, but added sugar in foods can lead to carries or tooth decay. It could also lead to intake of excess calories and be a cause of obesity. Like salt, even excess sugar intake takes a toll on the kidneys and can lead to troubles for your little one.
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