6 uses of tomatoes for children

Do you know the uses of tomatoes? Tomato is a fruit rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, making it good for the health of children. So, do not hesitate to add this fruit to your baby's daily diet. 

Ensuring your child has a nutritious diet is the most important thing that parents need to pay attention to to help their baby develop healthy. Tomato is a food that has many wonderful uses that you should feed your baby. So what are the uses of tomatoes and what is the right preparation for your baby? The following article will provide you with that information.

When can you start to feed your baby tomatoes?

You should add tomatoes to your baby's diet because this is a fruit that offers a lot of health benefits. The best age that you can feed your baby is when your baby is between 8 and 10 months. Tomatoes rarely cause allergies, but you should still be careful to prevent children from getting a rash after eating tomatoes.

The nutritional value of tomatoes

Tomatoes contain a lot of healthy nutrients. In 100g of tomatoes contains about:

Water - 94.78g

Energy - 16 kcal

Protein - 1.16g

Carbohydrate - 3.18g

Calcium - 5 mg

Fiber - 0.9g

What is the use of tomatoes?

There are 6 uses of the following popular tomatoes:

1. Rich in vitamin A

The red and orange-red color of the tomato is due to the fact that it contains alpha-carotene and beta-carotene. Not only that, tomatoes also contain a lot of vitamin A. These are all substances that play an important role in the development of baby's eyesight.

2. Rich in antioxidants

In addition to vitamin A, tomatoes also contain a lot of antioxidants that are essential for your baby's development. The metabolic rate in young children is usually much higher than in adults and this increases the number of free radicals. If the number of free radicals increases, the risk of damage to cells and DNA increases. Antioxidants will help protect cells from free radicals, helping your baby grow healthy.

3. Strong bones

Vitamin K is found in tomatoes to help develop bones in babies and keep bones strong.

4. Strengthen the immune system

In tomatoes contains a lot of substances that help improve the immune system. The use of this tomato is very important for the development of the baby.

5. Rich in vitamin C

A medium-sized tomato contains about 47% of the vitamin C your body needs each day. Adequate supplement of vitamin C will help increase the body's ability to absorb iron.

6. Helps skin to stay healthy

Eating tomatoes regularly will help increase the production of procollagen, a molecule that helps your baby's skin always smooth and white.

Things to keep in mind when feeding your baby tomatoes

Tomatoes are very good for your baby's health, but when feeding your baby, you should pay attention to some of the following issues:

Tomato Color and Shape:  Offer red or orange tomatoes that won't crack or crack.

Check if your baby is allergic to tomatoes:  Some babies may be allergic to tomatoes. Therefore, you should observe carefully.

Tomato processing:  Because your baby has not yet teething properly, let your baby eat mashed tomatoes or tomato soup to avoid choking.

Preserving tomatoes

It is not necessary to store tomatoes in the refrigerator. You can keep the tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight. However, it's best not to leave the tomatoes for too long, but rather eat them within a few days of buying.

Some recipes for cooking dishes from tomatoes

1. Tomato soup

This is a simple dish, easy to make but extremely good for your baby's health.

Prepare

4 tomatoes

Salt

Butter (1/2 teaspoon)

Water (half cup)

Perform

Wash the tomatoes, drain, then remove the seeds and cut into large pieces. Do not cut before washing, as this will lose many of the nutrients.

Put the tomatoes in the water, cover and heat until soft. Then, peel and grind with a little water.

Put the butter in the pan, add the mashed tomatoes and let it boil for a few minutes, add a little salt if needed.

Let your baby use tomato soup.

2. Mashed tomatoes

Mashed tomatoes will be a delicious and nutritious food for your baby.

Prepare

3 ripe tomatoes

Salt

Pepper powder

1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves

Perform

Peel the tomatoes and place in the pan. Add two cups of water, finely chopped mint leaves, salt and pepper powder, and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it cool, then put in a blender. Pour into cup and let your baby use

Tomatoes contain a lot of nutrients that are beneficial to your baby's health. However, before feeding your baby, you should consult your doctor to see if your baby can eat or not. In addition, when feeding your baby, you should observe allergic reactions as well as pay attention to how to cook to avoid choking.