Semolina porridge for babies: the benefits and harm, the age of the beginning of the feeding and recipes

The semolina is a product of grinding wheat grains. In the Soviet Union, semolina consumed almost from birth. A whole generation grew up on this croup.Grandmothers still advise to feed the babies with this tasty cereal. But now the attitude of pediatricians to seizure has changed. Dispel controversies and myths about this popular porridge.

Nourishing semolina porridge in milk is easily absorbed by the body. It has a high energy value (about 100 kcal per 100 grams of the finished product). The product contains a large amount of carbohydrates in the form of starch. Since the grits are cooked very quickly, the maximum of useful substances is preserved in it as a result of a brief heat treatment. Only 3-5 minutes of cooking will not be able to negate the benefits of vitamins and minerals contained in semolina.

Semolina can be an excellent dietary meal for children with the following problems.

• The postoperative period. The semolina is rich in carbohydrates, the grains are very small and easily digested. This makes it an indispensable food for a weakened child’s body, both after operations and after serious illnesses.
• Poor gastrointestinal work. This porridge has the property of enveloping the walls of the intestine and stomach, alleviating spasms, pain and cramps.
• Renal failure. As it is known, it is difficult for kidneys to process protein. In this product its minimum quantity. Therefore, with kidney problems in children, such porridge can be fearlessly consumed.
• Low weight and fatigue. Regular influx of fast carbohydrates into a growing body will help you gain the required kilograms and give you the necessary energy for vitality.

The semolina is useful due to its vitamin and mineral composition. It contains:

• B vitamins that strengthen the nervous system;
• magnesium and potassium that feed the heart muscle;
• silicon and calcium, necessary for the development of baby bones;
• iron - a necessary element that is part of enzymes and proteins;
• phosphorus, which provides growth and development of teeth.

Despite the large number of advantages, semolina is not the best product for the youngest children. The product contains not only useful substances for babies, but also harmful.

• Fitin. This trace element prevents the normal absorption of vitamin D. Lack of this vitamin can cause such a dangerous disease as rickets in an infant. Babies with a shortage of vitamin D categorically can not eat semolina.
• Gluten - Wheat protein, which often causes allergies in the fragile body of young children or is completely intolerable due to celiac disease. Products with this protein are not recommended to enter into the diet for infants younger than one year.
• Glyodine - This is a substance that reduces the absorption of nutrients in the intestine. In a child’s digestive system that is not fully formed, the presence of gliodin in the diet can be detrimental.

Before introducing a new product into the baby’s diet, it is better to consult with the pediatrician so that he, taking into account the developmental characteristics of a particular child, helps to draw up a nutrition plan. Categorically should not give semolina children with signs of rickets, so as not to worsen the condition. After all, semolina porridge does not allow a small body to absorb calcium. If a child has an allergy to gluten, then this product is also strictly contraindicated for him, at least until the age of three.

Many mothers, under the influence of experienced grandmothers, are trying to start feeding on porridge as early as possible so that the child “quickly gains strength”. It is absolutely impossible to do this up to six months.

Giving of semolina for the first time should be in the first half of the day in order, if possible, to track down the onset of allergic reactions and problems with the digestive tract. Porridge for the first feeding should be cooked in water without salt and sugar. Per 100 ml of liquid - 5 grams of cereal. Thus, it will be easier for the child to try the product. Before you give your kid a try for porridge, check to see if at least three days have passed since the previous new product was added to the diet.

If this condition is met, feel free to give a teaspoon of porridge to the baby. After the test, offer the baby a breast or a mixture, if he is on artificial feeding. The serving size in general should be about 200 ml.

In the future, you need every day to increase the portion of the feed about twice. For example:

• Monday: 5 grams of semolina (teaspoon) + breast milk or mixture.
• Tuesday: 10 grams of semolina (2 teaspoons) + breast milk or mixture.
• Wednesday: 15 grams of semolina (3 teaspoons) + breast milk or mixture.
• Thursday: 25 grams of semolina (5 teaspoons) + breast milk or mixture.
• Friday: 50 grams of semolina + breast milk or mixture.
• Saturday: 100 grams of semolina + breast milk or mixture.
• Sunday: 200 grams of semolina + breast milk or mixture.

Thus, you will gradually introduce a full meal, consisting of only one semolina on the water, into the diet of your baby for a week. It is not necessary for this week to try to introduce other foods. For infants, it is better to introduce any products slowly, carefully watching the reaction of the fragile organism. It is worth being wary if the lure of semolina was characterized by the following unpleasant manifestations:

• a rash on the face or all over the body;
• puffy face;
• nasal congestion and sneezing;
• sore throat;
• indigestion or intestinal upset, flatulence.

All of these symptoms may indicate the onset of allergic reactions. In this case, you need to stop giving the semolina and contact your doctor. If no visible problems have arisen, and the baby refuses to semolina, it is better not to force him to use this product by force. You can start an introduction to the diet of other types of cereals, and try to offer semolina in a month or two. It is possible that the taste preferences of the child by that time will change.

Mostly kids love tasty liquid semolina, but sometimes cooking this cereal is difficult. Often there are problems in the form of lumps or too thick texture. Also when buying cereals in the store should pay attention to the labeling of the product. M means soft. It should be used for the first time on the sample baby. MT - medium soft. It is a mixture of soft and hard wheat grains. Its caloric content is a little less, but it doesn’t differ in taste. And finally, T is solid. This species is more expensive, but surpasses other types in favor. It can be given to children from three years.

For the first meal, porridge must be prepared as follows:

• boil 100 ml of pure water;
• add 5 grams of cereal to boiling water, stirring continuously;
• cook for about 3-5 minutes on low heat and stir constantly;
• cool the finished product to a temperature of about 40 degrees.

The classic recipe for making baby semolina porridge for a one year old child is as follows:

• you need to boil a glass of water;
• constantly stirring, you need to add two teaspoons of cereals;
• continue stirring so as not to get lumps in the end;
• boil semolina need about seven to ten minutes;
• pour 100 ml of milk into the pan;
• pour sugar and salt to taste (if your child can do without these ingredients, it is better not to add them at all);
• bring the mixture to a boil;
• remove from heat, add butter and cool to 40 degrees.

For children 1-2 years of age will be interesting semolina with various fillings. First you need to cook it for this recipe.

• Boil in a thick-walled saucepan 300 ml of good milk. You can buy a special baby, it is enriched with vitamins and minerals, and also passed various quality checks.
• In a separate container, mix 2 tablespoons of semolina and the same amount of sugar. This action is necessary to get the perfect consistency without lumps.
• In boiling milk in a thin stream, pour the cereal from a cup mixed with sugar, and constantly stir the milk during this process.
• Continue to stir porridge for about five minutes. If it seems too liquid to you, wait, it will thicken very quickly.
• Turn off the heat and add a piece of butter to the porridge. Let it melt under the lid closed.
• Ten minutes later, mix the porridge with the melted butter again and serve it to the table.
• In order for a child with a desire to start eating, you can decorate a plate with a dish with various fruits, berries, jam, sprinkle with grated chocolate or coconut chips, if the baby has already started to use these products. On the Internet there are many images, as they lay out whole pictures on top of semolina.

An interesting recipe for semolina with raspberries for children older than a year:

• you need to take two glasses of fresh raspberries and crush it in gruel;
• add 150 ml of water and squeeze;
• cake must be boiled with 400 ml of water and 200 grams of granulated sugar, then strain through a sieve and throw out the residues;
• on the compote from the cake cook semolina. To do this, pour 100 grams of cereal into it in a thin stream and stir constantly for 3 minutes;
• cool the mass to room temperature and beat with a mixer along with the juice of raspberry until a homogeneous consistency;
• mass spread in molds and send to thicken in the refrigerator for three hours;
• when serving, you can decorate with fresh raspberry berries and sprigs of mint.

Dr. Komarovsky will talk more about the benefits and harms of the decoy in the next video.