Babies need a lot of nutrients during their growing age to ensure optimal cognitive and physical health. You must add multiple nutrients to the diet, from calcium to phosphorus, from vitamin A to vitamin C, and from carbohydrates to proteins. The best way to ensure that these nutritional requirements are met is by ensuring that your baby consumes a variety of foods from all food groups (1). Today, we discuss all about salmon for babies and how including this in your munchkin’s diet will be beneficial for them.
Naturally occurring foods not only have multiple nutrients but also ensure maximum safety for babies due to the lack of adulteration and chemicals. Known to be the king of fish in many countries, salmon packs some of the essential nutrients your baby requires for improved physical and cognitive health. As you might be skeptical about including this fish in your baby’s diet, we have discussed some reasons why salmon can be a great source of essential nutrients and when you can introduce it to your baby’s diet.
In This Article
- When Can You Introduce Salmon to Babies?
- Is Salmon Safe For Babies?
- Nutritional Value of Salmon
- Amazing Top 4 Health Benefits of Salmon For Babies
- Precautions to Follow When Introducing Salmon to Babies
- Are There Any Side Effects of Salmon For Babies?
- How to Feed Salmon to Babies?
- FAQ’s
When Can You Introduce Salmon to Babies?
You can start your baby on this fish once they are about 7 or 8 months old. Salmon is a safe food to introduce to babies who have started eating solids. The presence of various nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D and omega fatty acids (2) make salmon extremely beneficial to a baby’s diet.
It is important to ensure that your baby is not allergic to seafood before feeding fish to your munchkin (3). The 3-day rule will help you assess whether your baby can safely have seafood such as salmon on a regular basis.
Is Salmon Safe For Babies?
Salmon is a safe fish to give babies. But, there is always a risk of the presence of pollutants, metals, and chemicals (2A). Opting for fresh salmon from known sources is one way of ensuring that the fish your baby has is safe to consume. If you compare its mercury content with tuna, mackerel, and other seafish commonly eaten, you will always find mercury in salmon at the lowest position (4).
The nutritional value makes it not only safe but also a must include in your baby’s diet. The soft texture of this fish is another good reason to introduce this to your baby at early stages of life once they are comfortable with solids.
Nutritional Value of Salmon
Here are some of the important nutrients present in salmon fish and their quantities.
| Nutrients | Wild Salmon Value | Farmed Salmon Value |
| Protein | 25 g | 22 g |
| Fat | 8 g | 12 g |
| Vitamin B12 | 127% of DV | 117% of DV |
| Vitamin B6 | 56% of DV | 38% of DV |
| Selenium | 85% of DV | 75% of DV |
| Niacin | 63% of DV | 50% of DV |
| Pantothenic acid | 38% of DV | 30% of DV |
| Thiamine | 23% of DV | 28% of DV |
| Phosphorus | 21% of DV | 20% of DV |
* DV- Percentage of Daily Value
Amazing Top 4 Health Benefits of Salmon For Babies
So, how does your little munchkin benefit from eating salmon? Let us look at some of the important benefits of salmon for babies.
1. High in Protein Content
Protein is one of the major nutrients every kid requires at an early age (5). It is said to be the building block of the body as it facilitates the growth of cells, tissues, organs, and so on. Proteins are also required for the preparation of enzymes and hormones.
Deficiency of this nutrient in the diet can lead to kwashiorkor or marasmus (6). This is why including Salmon is vital because it contains a huge amount of protein that can be utilized appropriately for your baby’s physical development.
2. Excellent Source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are vital for the proper growth and development of every human being. Right from forming an important part of cell structure to being vital to the health of the various parts of your body, these fatty acids have many roles.
Omega 3 fatty acids are present in only a few foods and fish is one of them. For this reason, early introduction and regular intake of this fish in moderation is quite beneficial for your munchkin (7).
3. Helps in Cognitive Development in Babies
Salmon is an excellent source of DHA and several other essential components required for cognitive development in babies. Including this food item in their diet plan will help them to improve intelligence, concentration power, and focus to a great extent (8).
4. Loaded With Vitamin B
The vitamin B group consists of several sub vitamins, each performing a particular function. For instance, vitamin B12 or cobalamine is required to absorb iron in the blood properly.
On the other hand, vitamin B2 prevents beriberi in children. A few handful of food items have multiple vitamin B subcategories. Salmon is one of them, which is why you must include it in your baby’s diet without thinking much.
[Read : Motor & Cognitive Skills Development Of A Baby]
Precautions to Follow When Introducing Salmon to Babies
Here are a few precautions when introducing salmon to your babies.
- The water from which the fish is sourced can cause the fish to be contaminated with high levels of metals such as mercury and other pollutants.
- Ensure that you buy fresh fish from known sources.
- Limit your baby’s intake of fish to ensure that they do not suffer from unnecessary side effects.
- Talk to your doctor to understand the right age, time and the right quantity of salmon that you can feed to your munchkin.
- You must always give your baby well-cooked fish to ensure minimal chances of bacterial contamination.
Are There Any Side Effects of Salmon For Babies?
Salmon is a seafood and is a known allergen. Babies who are allergic to salmon or seafood in general can exhibit symptoms (9) such as
- Hives
- Redness and itching
- Skin rashes
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Swelling of the mouth and the throat areas
The intensity may not be the same for all babies and varies depending on the tolerance levels of the baby.
[Read : Hives In Babies]
How to Feed Salmon to Babies?
Salmon can be given to babies in different forms such as grilled, poached, steamed, or baked. Ensure that the fish is fully cooked which means it must be opaque after cooking. Remove any bones since they may prove a choking hazard for your baby.
- In the initial stages, you can feed ground salmon to your baby. Cook it well, remove the bones, and cut it into fine pieces and your baby will be able to eat without much discomfort.
- As your baby grows, you can cut and offer this fish in age-appropriate sizes to your baby.
- Slowly, you can introduce the skin part also, provided the fish is fresh, and the skin is form and crisp.
To sum up, salmon is a must-include fish in your baby’s diet due to the rich nutrient content and the ease of eating and digestibility. If you have any questions regarding salmon for babies, you can always consult your pediatrician or a child nutritionist and take their guidance on the right time and the right way of introducing this fish to your munchkin.
FAQ’s
1. Can Babies Eat Salmon?
Yes!! babies can eat salmon. This fish is excellent for babies and a must-include in your baby’s diet if your baby doesn’t have any allergies to this fish and can digest it well.
2. Is Salmon High in Mercury?
Salmon is not high in mercury and is one of the safe fish for your baby who is ready for solids or has already started eating solids.
3. Is Salmon Bad For Babies?
No, on the contrary salmon is very good for babies. The soft texture and nutritional value of this fish make it an excellent addition to your baby’s solid diet. But the tiny bones present in this fish, if not removed, can prove to be a choking hazard for your munchkin.
[Read Also: Chicken For Babies]
References
- Healthy nutrition for a healthy child: A review on infant feeding in India – PMC – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6984033/]
- Investigation of the nutritional composition of different types of salmon available to Canadian consumers – ScienceDirect – [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666154320300375]
- Seafood allergy in children: a descriptive study – ScienceDirect – [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1081120611000937]
- Healthy fish consumption and reduced mercury exposure – PMC – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3024155/]
- Role of Protein and Amino Acids in Infant and Young Child Nutrition: Protein and Amino Acid Needs and Relationship with Child Growth – [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284545709_Role_of_Protein_and_Amino_Acids_in_Infant_and_Young_Child_Nutrition_Protein_and_Amino_Acid_Needs_and_Relationship_with_Child_Growth]
- Educational Case: Understanding Kwashiorkor and Marasmus: Disease Mechanisms and Pathologic Consequences – PMC – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8392804/]
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids EPA and DHA: Health Benefits Throughout Life – ScienceDirect – [Omega-3 Fatty Acids EPA and DHA: Health Benefits Throughout Life – ScienceDirecthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322009620]
- The effect of Atlantic salmon consumption on the cognitive performance of preschool children – A randomized controlled trial – PubMed – [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30598384/]
- Fish Allergy | Causes, Symptoms & Treatment | ACAAI Public Website – [https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/food/fish/]
