Is Cabbage Safe For Babies? Health Benefits & Recipes

Q: Can I Give Raw Cabbage to my Baby?

It is always safer to give your baby well cooked food. It removes all bacteria. Prevents food poisoning too.

As soon as your baby is ready for solids, we know how much you can struggle with regard to what to feed your baby. While there are a plethora of things to give and things not to, there are a few exceptional veggies that will serve wonders for your little one. Cabbage for babies can be healthy but what is the right way to start? This article explains everything you need to know.

Cabbage For Babies

Cabbage can be an amazing veggie for babies. It will not only serve variety to your baby’s diet, but also add nutritional value. It is rich in vitamin K and various other nutritional values. Vitamin K in cabbage will not deplete while cooking and hence be very beneficial for the growing baby.

Nutritional Value of Cabbage

75 gms of cabbage contains:

Nutrients	Value
Calories	17
Protein	1 gm
Vitamin K	81.5 micro grams
Folate	22 micrograms
Carbohydrate	4 grams
Vitamin C	30% -35% of daily required
Antioxidants	–
Magnesium	11 milligrams

It also contains some quantity of calcium, potassium, and vitamin B 6

When Can I Start to Give Cabbage to My Baby?

You can start giving cabbage to your baby once they turn 8 months. When introducing, you can start with pureed cabbage, which will make it easy for your little one to swallow and digest. To make the puree, you can steam the cabbage leaves and mash them in your food processor. To make it healthy and delicious, you can also steam other veggies and add them to the puree.

Health Benefits of Red Cabbage For Babies

Red cabbage has more vitamin C than Orange! It is also rich in Iron. Including red cabbage in your baby’s diet will surely prove more wholesome. Red cabbage has a diverse nutritional profile which contributes to its impressive health benefits. The benefits of red cabbage for your baby are described below.

1. Improve Immunity

Red cabbage has a decent amount of iron, which helps in boosting immunity in your baby. You can give red cabbage juice to your baby, or even red cabbage puree can work well.

2. Protects Guts

The amounts of fiber present in red cabbage make it a gut friendly food. It will ease out the constipation and keep your baby smiling.

3. Better Healing

Red cabbage can boost immunity levels, and improve the hemoglobin levels of your baby; which will ultimately lead to better and faster healing.

4. Strengthening Bones

Cabbage promotes bone growth. The nutrients and minerals present in the red cabbage help in strengthening your baby’s bones.

[Read: Spinach For Babies]

Other Benefits of Cabbages For Babies

Cabbage will never disappoint you. It never runs out of benefits! Here’re a couple of more benefits cabbage has in store for your baby:

1. Good For Digestion

The amount of fiber and sulfur present in cabbage kill the unwanted bacteria in the guts; thus, improving your baby’s digestion.

2. Prevents Cancer

Researches prove that consuming cruciferous vegetables lowers the risk of cancer. While we know you haven’t even thought that far, it is always better to be prepared!

3. Detoxifies Body

It is very important to detoxify one’s body. Be it an adult or a baby. A detoxified body means a healthy body! Bid toxins goodbye from your baby’s body.

4. Keeps The Heart Healthy

The high polyphenol content in cabbage helps reduce gas and inflammation in your baby. Hence, a healthy, hearty, happy baby!

5. Rich in Vitamins.

Cabbage contains vitamin B6, which is crucial to the functioning of the nervous system and energy metabolism in the body.

Cabbage contains vitamin K, which contributes to blood clotting.
As an excellent source of vitamin C, the vegetable promotes collagen formation and enhances skin elasticity.
A healthy skeletal system, muscular system, and circulatory system are also supported by vitamin C in cabbage.
Being a good source of beta carotene, cabbage provides eye benefits as well.

Cabbage For Babies – Side Effects to Watch Out For

Everything has good and bad to it. While cabbage can be a superfood for your baby, here’re a few side effects to watch out for.

1. Contains Nitrates

Cabbage contains a lot of nitrates. This can affect the hemoglobin levels in your baby. This could bring about a condition called a blue baby syndrome. Blue lips and pale skin are characteristic of the disorder.

When the hemoglobin in the blood is unable to supply sufficient oxygen to cells within the body, the cells become blue. Since Chinese cabbage contains high levels of nitrates when compared to other varieties, avoiding it when feeding your baby is advised.

2. Can Cause Intestinal Gas Issues

Cabbage is one of the top-rated foods that induce gas issues. Sulfur and fiber are abundant in this cruciferous vegetable. It can, thus, irritate your baby’s sensitive stomach. Gas issues make your baby cranky and make their colic worse.
The majority of cabbage varieties can potentially bring about flatulence in babies. Hence their consumption by infants should be managed appropriately.

3. Choking Hazard

Cabbage being crunchy and chewy, babies can choke on it due to its appearance and texture. Before feeding cabbage to babies, cook it thoroughly. You must always start off by giving pureed cabbage to your little one.

4. Can Interfere With Iodine Absorption

The natural uptake of iodine is inhibited by some raw foods, which can suppress the thyroid gland’s function. These foods are called goitrogens. One of them is raw cabbage.

Raw cabbage can negatively affect the development of your baby’s thyroid. The optimal thyroid function is crucial for the mental and physical growth of a baby.

5. Low on Calories and Fats

The reason why adults include cabbage in their food while dieting is because it has low levels of calories. Your baby might need more of that for healthy growth!

6. Chances of Allergy

There is a possibility of cabbage allergy, but it is rare. A baby who is allergic to any Brassica food, like broccoli or kale, is likely to be allergic to cabbage as well. When you’re first introducing your child to this crunchy vegetable, closely watch out for allergic reactions.

7. Affect the Development of the Baby

A few vegetables, including cabbage, contain an enzyme called thiaminase, which can potentially break down Vitamin B1, also called thiamin, and inactivate it. Babies need vitamin B1 for proper mental and physical development.
However, cooking cabbage can destroy the enzyme. One more reason why you shouldn’t feed cabbage to your baby in raw form.

8. Impairs Mineral Absorption

Oxalic acid is an inorganic salt that attaches to calcium and other minerals, making them insoluble. Minerals’ bioavailability is reduced when they become insoluble, which can have serious health consequences. Cabbage contains oxalic acid, which is not broken down by cooking. Therefore, the baby should consume cabbage only in moderation. Moderate intake of cabbage does not cause problems in healthy babies.

[Read: Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes for Babies]

What All Should Be Keep in Mind While Preparing Cabbage For Babies?

Here are some points that you should keep in mind while giving cabbage to your baby:

When it comes to giving cabbage to a baby, always remember overfeeding can increase the chances of side effects.
Avoid using the large rib in the center of the cabbage while preparing cabbage for your baby.
Add a little cumin or fennel while preparing the cabbage to bring down the chances of gas formation.
Use organic cabbage to avoid the risk of pesticides and herbicides.
Never overcook cabbage. Overcooking brings about a sulfurous odor, which can make it unpalatable to your little one.

Cabbage Recipes For Baby

Here’s amazing and easy-to-make cabbage recipes for your little one. These recipes will help you introduce cabbage to your infant with ease. Hush the fuss away!

1. Apple and Cabbage Puree

Take an apple and boil it. Once boiled, peel off the skin. At the same time, wash the cabbage thoroughly and boil it. Once the leaves are soggy take them out of the water. Put the apple and cabbage in a food processor or mixer and blend well. The puree is ready to serve.

2. Carrot and Cabbage Puree

Take a carrot, wash and dice it and then boil it. Repeat the same with cabbage. Once boiled, toss them into a food processor. Once the desired consistency is achieved, it is ready to serve. You can also add castor sugar to it, in order to cast out the plain taste.

Cabbage is healthy and a must-add to your baby’s diet. It contains many nutrients that are vital for your baby’s growth and development. However, in case you are worried about gas and flatulence, you can always follow the right cooking and feeding methods to ensure that your little one gets the maximum mileage out of this nutritious vegetable.

[Read: Cucumber For Babies]

FAQ’s

1. Can I Give Raw Cabbage to My Baby?

It is always safer to give your baby well-cooked food. It removes all bacteria. Prevents food poisoning too.

2. Can I Give My Baby Purple Cabbage?

Yes, you can. It contains anthocyanins. These are very good for the heart.

3. Can I Give my 6-Month Old Cabbage?

No, we would suggest waiting a little longer. Babies don’t know how to chew yet. However, if you are giving cabbage puree, you can after consulting your doctor.

4. When Can I Start Raw Cabbage For My Baby?

You can start once they are 9 months of age. They are better with digesting solids. They can chew too.