Cucumber is an extremely common fruit that you can find in every Indian home. This versatile fruit is low in calories and is perfect for weight loss. The best part about this fruit is that you can have it as a salad with any meal, lunch or dinner, and you can have it in raw form. Grown specifically in summer, cucumber is a very good hydrating fruit and rich in several beneficial ingredients. When it comes to your baby, as a mother you are in constant search for safe and healthy foods. So, what about cucumber for babies? Are they safe? Can you allow your baby to taste and munch on a slice of cucumber?
The answer is YES. Cucumber is a safe fruit for your baby, and it also comes with some amazing benefits. But remember, overconsumption can cause stomach issues for your little one. Allergies are always a possibility in babies since their digestive system is in nascent stages and still developing. Moreover, you should consider the age of your baby before you introduce cucumber to your little one. In this article we are going to discuss the possible benefits, the nutritional value of cooked cucumber, precautions to take while feeding cucumber, and the storage procedure of this fruit. Stay with us.
In This Article
- Top 5 Health Benefits of Cucumber For Babies
- Safety, Age, Nutritional Facts, Care, Precautions, and Storing
- FAQ’s
Top 5 Health Benefits of Cucumber For Babies
While we are considering cucumber as beneficial, let’s have a look at what are those benefits that make this fruit a healthy one for your baby.
1. Vitamin-Rich Fruit
Cucumber has a flat taste. But do you know that it is a very good source of vital vitamins? Cucumber is rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B5. All these vitamins are great for your baby’s growth and provide nutrition in all ways, right from eyesight development to the nervous system, skeletal development, iron synthesis, blood circulation, and so on.
2. Good For Hydration
Most babies are not interested in drinking water and, apart from some solid foods, they only depend on the mother’s milk. In this condition, it is crucial to keep them hydrated. Cucumber consists of 95% water and hence, it is an amazing source to mitigate the water deficiency of your baby. Cucumber replenishes the vital salts and minerals in your little one’s body.
3. Good Remedy For Stomach Pain
Cucumber, when consumed in juice form, can give relief from stomach pain, ulcers, acidity, and gastric issues. You can give the juice to your baby, which can be prepared by steaming it, crushing, and squeezing. Make sure you remove all the pulp from the juice.
4. Can be Used For Pain Relief
Painkillers are not good for the health of babies and can cause several side effects. Cucumber is rich in flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and provide relief from pain and inflammation. Eating this fruit does not cause major side effects in babies. Hence, you can feed cucumber to your baby if they have issues such as stomach pain.
5. Beneficial For Skin
You might have seen all the major beauty product brands promoting their products as having cucumber as an ingredient. This is because cucumbers can provide amazing benefits to your skin. The chemicals present in cucumbers can have miraculous effects on the skin- for adults as well as babies. Baby skin is very sensitive and, therefore, reacts easily to insect bites or shows an allergic reaction to certain external conditions. Cucumber can be a good remedy for such skin-related issues and reduces inflammation and irritation in that specific place. It soothes the skin for sometime when applied to the affected area. You can use it in purée form or cut it into thin round shapes and apply it to the area. Also, cucumber has positive effects on swelling reduction.
[Read : Avocados For Babies]
Safety, Age, Nutritional Facts, Care, Precautions, and Storing Cucumber
Can Babies Eat Cucumber Safely?
Cucumber is considered safe for babies. As babies are mostly dependent on mother’s milk, it is important to keep them hydrated and there are few fruits that you can select. Cucumber is one of them. Rich in micronutrients and phytochemicals, this fruit consists of water, which makes it healthy for babies.
At what Age My Baby Start Having Cucumber?
It is after the age of seven months to nine months when babies can start consuming solid foods. You can introduce cucumber to your baby when they start enjoying solid or semi-solid foods. To make the fruit easy to digest, you can introduce it in cooked, mashed, or puréed form.
But be cautious, raw cucumbers can cause abdominal discomfort in some babies. Cucurbitacin, a compound found in plants from the Cucurbitaceae family, are responsible for this gastrointestinal issue.
Nutritional Facts of Cooked Cucumber
If you want to give the nutrients of cucumber to your baby, start feeding them cooked cucumber. Apart from being an excellent source of hydrating compounds, cucumber has a lot of other nutritional values too. 95% of cucumber is water. Besides, it has many important elements in it like fluoride, zinc, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, folate, iron, and many more. Cucumber is rich in some vitamins like vitamin K, vitamin C, Vitamin B5, and Riboflavin. So, you can imagine what kind of benefits this simple fruit can provide to your baby.
[Read : Corn For Babies]
Care and Precautions When Giving Cucumber to Babies
Undoubtedly, till now, we have understood that cucumbers are safe and healthy food for your baby and do not have side effects. But if you are planning to give cucumbers to your little one, it is better to note some precautionary points.
- Mix cucumber with other vegetables and blend the mixture to prepare a purée and then feed your baby.
- Do not give raw cucumber to your baby. The raw food items may contain microbes and other chemicals that may adversely affect your baby’s health. The safest way to feed is to prepare cucumber after steaming or boiling it properly.
- Babies are very sensitive and prone to allergic reactions to some foods. Check how your baby reacts to cucumbers. Start with a small amount first and wait for some days to observe the reaction.
- The digestive system of the babies is immature and at an underdeveloped stage. The system cannot properly digest the skin of cucumber and may cause an upset stomach. Always peel the skin of the cucumber before preparing it for your baby.
- Always use a fresh cucumber to make your baby’s food.
- Before preparing the food, taste the cucumbers as some may taste bitter. Bitter cucumbers are not safe for consumption and your little one won’t like the taste either.
[Read : The 3-Day Wait Rule For Babies To Introduce Solids]
Tips For Selecting and Storing Cucumbers
Cucumber is an easily available fruit and sold in huge quantities. Therefore, you need to check for fresh ones. You can follow the below points to get the best one for your baby.
Select the firm cucumbers without any soft spots and blemishes. This is an indication that the product is fresh. Fresh cucumber has a dark green color without any yellow spots on it. Avoid buying yellow cucumbers as those are getting ripe and taste bad with an odd smell. If the fruit is stored for a long time, wrinkles are formed on the skin. This is also an indication of bad cucumber.
Unlike some other vegetables like onion and potato, cucumbers are perishable, and you must buy them fresh. Due to the fridge burns, cucumbers can degrade if kept for more than three to four days in the refrigerator. Wrap the cucumbers in plastic wrap or store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. But do not store them for more than three-four days. Try not to store cut cucumbers for later consumption. Cut cucumbers go bad quickly and lose their nutritional value when kept for long.
Cucumbers are an amazingly healthy food that you can surely add to your baby’s diet. This fruit can keep your baby hydrated and the other vital elements promote healthy development. You just need to feed them as per the appropriate age and other precautions mentioned above. Give cucumber purée to your little ones, while kids above the age of one year can enjoy cucumber slices.
FAQ’s
1. Is Cucumber Safe For Children Below 1 Year of Age?
Cucumbers are beneficial for kids below 1 year. You can introduce cucumbers when your baby crosses the age of 6 months. But consider giving in purée form to children below 1 year.
2. Are There Any Side Effects of Giving Cucumbers to Babies?
Cucumbers are generally considered safe for babies. But some babies may have an allergic reaction after consuming it.
3. Can I Feed Raw Cucumber to My Baby?
The raw form of this fruit may cause stomach pain to your baby. It is recommended to feed boiled or steamed cucumber to your baby.
4. How Can I Store Cucumber?
Cucumber should not be stored for more than three to four days, even in a refrigerator. To get the most benefit of it, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.
Read Also: Fennel Seeds For Babies – Benefits And Precautions
