The right time for your baby to eat chocolate

Feeding your baby chocolate at an appropriate time helps the child's cardiovascular and nervous system. However, you should not give chocolate to children under 3 years old.

You and your baby both love chocolate. However, when should children use this? Please join aFamilyToday Health to follow the following shares to understand more about this issue.

When can children eat chocolate?

Ideally, you should wait for your baby to be full 36 months old and then feed your baby because before that, your baby's digestive system has not yet developed fully to handle this food. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, a compound related to caffeine. In addition, the amount of sugar in some chocolates can make children overweight and obese later on.

Theobromine has only 1/10 of the effects of caffeine and is a weak stimulant. However, the caffeine content in chocolate is often a concern, even for babies older than six months and likely to eat other solid foods. After 3 years, you can feed your baby chocolate because it will bring a number of health benefits when your baby eats in moderate amounts.

Is chocolate good for your baby?

Chocolate brings health benefits to babies such as:

Supports brain functions: Flavanols found in chocolate help boost memory and enhance cognition.

Helps the circulatory system: Eating chocolate regularly improves the performance of the heart and blood vessels. The flavanols found in chocolate also prevent blood clots and improve blood circulation.

Helps reduce cell damage:  Chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which help to reduce cell damage and improve efficiency of cell functions.

Mood enhancement:  Chocolate stimulates the production of neurotransmitters called endorphins, which are known to induce happiness in humans. In addition, chocolate also contains another compound called serotonin, which is also known to contribute to feelings of happiness.

How to feed your baby chocolate

Experts recommend chocolate milk as the safest form for babies. The reason is that every 226ml of chocolate milk contains only 5mg of caffeine. As a result, your baby will consume less caffeine with milk compared to other forms.

You might also consider opting for chocolate flavored formulas. When choosing, choose low sugar, no preservatives and rich in nutrients.

Can you use cocoa powder to make chocolate milk at home?

You can prepare chocolate milk at home by choosing to mix whole cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is usually pure chocolate powder. That means you can adjust the amount of added sugar. However, it does not contain added micronutrients. If you choose to choose a malt-free, preservative-free formula or drinks, they will contain essential micronutrients.

Is it possible to offer a dessert containing chocolate?

Experts say that if your child eats a little chocolate-containing desserts such as dark chocolate bars, chocolate cakes and puddings, it's okay. If you only eat a little, the amount of caffeine is not enough to harm a baby.

Chocolate can adversely affect the baby?

There is no scientific evidence that eating chocolate causes any negative effects. Perhaps the only risk of eating chocolate is the amount of sugar added to chocolate and caffeine products. Drinking too much sugar-containing chocolate milk can make  children overweight and obese . You can avoid that by choosing foods that are low in sugar or without sugar.

Although the caffeine content of chocolate is still a problem for many parents, it doesn't pose any risks in certain amounts. Experts recommend that you should not give school-age children more than 45mg of caffeine a day. For toddlers, this number will be lower.

Can your baby be allergic to chocolate?

Some babies may be allergic to chocolate. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the cocoa tree, capable of causing allergies. The indicators of chocolate allergy are similar to those of other food allergies. Some of the common symptoms of an allergy are rash, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, facial swelling, and lethargy.

When to avoid giving baby chocolate?

Eating chocolate rarely causes side effects. However, it is best to avoid feeding your baby in the following situations:

Before bedtime:  A small amount of caffeine before bed can make it difficult for your baby to fall asleep. So, avoid giving your baby chocolate milk or any other chocolate product for a few hours before bedtime.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): This is an acute condition with symptoms such as abdominal pain, change in bowel habits ... Chocolate is one of the foods that causes IBS symptoms. Therefore, feeding should not be made if the baby is diagnosed with this problem.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD):  Chocolate is acidic.

If your baby has a food allergy, you must be extra careful when feeding chocolate. You can check with your pediatrician before feeding your baby.

Can chocolate cause tooth decay and gingivitis in young children?

Eating too much sugar-containing chocolate products can cause tooth decay and gum problems. However, it should be noted that the sugar in chocolate is the culprit, not the chocolate. Therefore, you should choose low-sugar chocolates that are within the allowable range to minimize sugar problems.

Chocolate is a popular dish for both adults and children. Therefore, unless your baby has a medical problem related to eating chocolate, there is no reason for you to avoid it. You should give your baby chocolate in milk form and in moderation.