Have you seen baby’s videos tasting lemon and their face screwing in reaction? After watching such videos, you might wonder – are lemons good for babies? It’s no surprise lemon for babies is a good source of Vitamin C. Citrus fruits are natural immunity boosters, but their acidic nature can be harsh for the tiny stomachs of babies.
But once your baby starts munching on solid food, you can add lime juice to their diet. Despite its significant health benefits, you need to know about nutritional value, the right age to introduce lemons, and unique serving ideas. Keep reading to know more about lemons for babies.
In This Article
- When Can Babies Have Lemons?
- Nutritional Value of Lemon For Babies
- Top 5 Health Benefits Of Lemon For Babies and Toddlers
- Side Effects of Lemon For Babies and Toddlers
- Ways to Include Lemon in Your Baby’s Diet
- FAQ’s
When Can Babies Have Lemons?
You can introduce lemons into your baby’s diet when they are ready to digest solid food. But keep in mind that lemons are acidic, so start with a few drops of lemon juices instead of a whole lemon. Adding a complete lemon can be harsh on your little munchkin’s tummy. Also, start giving your babies a few drops of lime juice when they are at least 6-8 months old. You can increase the quantity once they become habitual or their stomach is ready to digest it.
Nutritional Value of Lemon For Babies
Lemon belongs to the citrus fruit family. It contains a high amount of Vitamin C that helps improve babies’ immunity. High immunity helps to fight against various illnesses.
Recent research shows that lemons have bioactive compounds and phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, riboflavin, and carotenoids. In addition to Vitamin C, lemons are excellent sources of calcium, fiber, potassium, protein, and other micronutrients. The 100% of lemon juice offers the following vital nutrients.
| Nutrients | Amount | RDA (7-12 Months) |
| Carbohydrate | 2.14g | – |
| Water | 28.6g | – |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.093g | – |
| Phosphorus, P | 2.48mg | 275 (AI) |
| Magnesium, Mg | 1.86mg | 60 |
| Potassium, K | 31.9mg | 700 |
| Folate, total | 6.2µg | 80 (AI)* |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 12mg | 35 |
Hence, adding lemons to a baby’s diet can improve iron absorption, enhancing immunity. Moreover, regular consumption of lemons also helps to improve skin health.
Top 5 Health Benefits Of Lemon For Babies and Toddlers
Lemons for babies can be a healthy addition to your little one’s diet. Here are some top benefits of lemon for babies and toddlers.
1. Good For Immunity
Lemon juice is rich in bioactive compounds, citric acids, and Vitamin C. These key ingredients are known as immunity boosters. Besides that, lemon juice also possesses anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that improve immunity in babies and toddlers.
[Read : How to Increase Immunity in Babies?]
2. Provides Hydration
One ounce of lemon juice can provide around 28.6g of water with minerals and Vitamins. Thus, lemons have a great hydrating effect on your baby’s body. But make sure to dilute lemon juice before giving it to your babies or toddlers. Dilution helps to reduce the acidic level of lemon juice and prevent your baby from suffering the side effects of concentrated lemon.
3. Improves Digestion
When you add lemons into your baby’s diet in small amounts, it helps to improve digestion. The D-limonene compound and pectin present in lemons helps to neutralize stomach acid, increase gastric motility, and reduce gastric reflux and nausea. Our grannies have prepared several home remedies with lemon to improve babies’ digestion.
4. Enhances Iron Absorption
According to the report by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, adding lemon juice to non-heme foods such as pulses, and spinach improves iron bioavailability. Babies require iron for neurological development when they move to solid food. Moreover, iron is also beneficial for the heart’s circulatory system. Therefore, including lemons can help to improve iron absorption in bodies.
5. Provides Relief From Flu Symptoms
Lemons have antimicrobial properties that help to reduce phlegm and mucus from blocked nasal passages. Therefore, including lemons in babies’ diet helps to fight flu symptoms. It also helps to alleviate cold symptoms.
[Read : Flu in Babies]
Side Effects of Lemon For Babies and Toddlers
Never feed lemons directly to your babies and toddlers. They have highly acidic properties, which are harsh for the little stomach of babies. Make sure to dilute lemon juices before you include them in your baby’s diet. Otherwise, your babies may face some side effects.
- Lemon juice may cause gastrointestinal problems such as gastroesophageal reflux. If your little one feels uncomfortable after lemon consumption, immediately stop feeding them.
- Although it is rare, citrus can cause allergies in your babies. If you find diaper rashes on babies after adding lemons to your baby’s diet, stop them and seek consultation from a pediatrician.
- Excessive doses of lemons can cause enamel erosion. Therefore, make sure to add in a diluted format.
Ways to Include Lemon in Your Baby’s Diet
Here are some different ways to add lemon to your baby’s diet.
- Squeeze a few drops of fresh lime juice on roasted vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, and kale.
- Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice directly into the water. It becomes more flavorful, and your babies may love flavored water.
- Sprinkle some drops of lemon juice on fruits and let your babies eat them.
- Add lemon juice to mashed potatoes and give it to your babies.
- Add a few drops of lemon juice to your baby’s soups.
In a nutshell, adding lemons to a baby’s diet is vital to improve their immunity. Keep in mind each baby has a unique taste palette. This means they may either like the taste of lemons or completely dislike them. Therefore, always ensure to start adding lemons in diluted form. Use 1-2 drops of lemons initially and gradually increase the quantity. If you observe some allergies in your babies after adding lemons to your diet, consult doctors for the right guidance.
[Read : Vegetable Soup for Babies]
FAQ’s
1. Is Lemon Good For Baby Cough?
Yes, lemon is good for cough in babies. The antimicrobial properties and bioactive compounds present in lemon help prevent cough and reduce related symptoms. They also help improve immunity in babies.
2. Are Lemons Acidic For Babies?
Yes, lemons have an acidic nature. They are highly acidic for babies. Therefore, when you try to add lemons to babies’ diets, start by adding a few drops. You can dilute lemon juice in water to reduce the acidic level.
3. Is Lemon a Common Allergen For Babies?
Lemons are not allergic to babies. However, in rare cases, babies may get allergies like rashes and redness.
Read Also: Amazing Benefits oof Oranges For Babies
