The effects of pineapples on childrens health: There are many benefits but no less harm!

Pineapple (pineapple) is a tropical fruit that is very popular in the summer. Even in family meals, people often dessert with pineapple because of its delicious taste and many nutrients that this fruit brings. However, not many people know the effect of pineapple is very beneficial for the health of children.

Many mothers often remove pineapples from their children's menu, because they think that this fruit is sour and difficult to prepare and process. This unintentionally causes a loss for the child!

Pineapple is rich in vitamins A , C and E and many enzymes that are good for babies' immature digestive system. However, you should be very careful that this fruit is not completely harmless to young children, so you should only feed your baby a moderate amount.

Therefore, aFamilyToday Health invites you to immediately refer to the following article to better understand the effects of pineapple, along with its limitations, and also share with you how to add this dish to your child's menu.

Troubleshooting: Is pineapple safe for children?

The answer is absolutely yes! Pineapple is a food that you should consider adding to your baby's snack menu because of many good uses that we will cover in the next section.

However, when giving pineapple to children, parents should also pay attention to other acidic fruits (such as oranges, tangerines) present in their child's meals. When feeding this fruit, keep an eye on it to make sure that no allergic reaction occurs in the child. Another point to note is that the citric acid ingredient in pineapples sometimes irritates the baby's stomach, especially for children with gastroesophageal reflux disease .

So, it's better to step-by-step feed your child at the right time. At the same time, make sure that pineapple dishes have been carefully prepared to avoid affecting your baby's health.

Nutrition and effects of pineapple on children's health

1. Nutritional ingredients in pineapple

First of all, pineapple is a very watery fruit with vitamins and carotene which is very good for the immature immune system of children. Besides, this tropical fruit also contains essential minerals such as calcium, sodium, iron ...

According to nutrition experts, 100g of pineapple contains:

9.3g of carbohydrate

0.4g of protein

0.3g of fat

0.4g of fiber

18 mg of calcium

28 mg of phosphorus

0.5 mg of iron

24 mg of vitamin C

0.2 mg of niacin

0.08 mg of vitamin B1

2. Effects of pineapple on children's health

The abundant vitamin C in pineapple is the main factor that plays a role in strengthening the body's immune system , while at the same time promoting collagen production. Furthermore, vitamin B1 in pineapple contributes to the proper functioning of the muscles and nervous system.

Pineapples are also rich in fiber, which is essential for fixing digestive problems in children. The amount of manganese that pineapple provides is also essential in building strong bones and joints.

Not only that, in pineapple there is an enzyme that is also referred to as "pineapple protein enzyme", its scientific name is bromelin or bromelain . This enzyme plays a role in the breakdown of proteins into amino acids. Therefore, this effect is also applied in the food processing industry to help soften food.

Many studies have also demonstrated that this enzyme component has the ability to treat heart disease by dissolving hematoma effectively. Bromelin also prevents cancer metastasis, so this effect of pineapple is very useful when combined with other cancer therapies.

Pineapple is very good for the stomach and digestive system and is effective in preventing diarrhea . Regularly eating pineapple is an effective way to prevent diarrhea in both adults and children.

When is the right time to "introduce" pineapple to children?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has given guidance when using solid foods for children. In particular, children older than 6 months old can use pineapple, as well as some other foods. Depending on the situation, it is not necessary for parents to introduce them in any particular order.

The time over 6 months old is also the time when the baby's digestive system can receive many different types of food. The AAP also recommends that after introducing one food to your baby, you should wait at least two to three days before introducing another. That is, parents should not give it continuously to be able to monitor any allergic reaction that occurs in the child.

Children can use canned or freshly processed pineapple. However, with the canned type, you should make sure it's the type that can be used for weaning . Avoid choosing products with added sugar harmful to your baby's health.

The risks associated with giving pineapple children you need to know

Besides the effects of pineapple is very good above, this fruit still has limitations when given to children. Some of the ingredients in pineapples affect the health of children such as:

Hydroxytryptamine is a neurotransmitter that can cause muscle contractions. So, if you consume too much, it will affect blood pressure and make children feel headaches.

The glycosides in pineapple also affect the oral mucosa. As a result, children sometimes feel itchy, burning and uncomfortable when they finish eating.

Pineapple also contains allergy-causing protein hydrolase. This substance is used in many medical applications with the effect of causing blood clotting. Very few people experience an allergy to this enzyme. However, when an allergic reaction occurs , the child's body may develop a rash , headache, dizziness, or even worse, in a state of difficulty breathing.

Tell mom how to prepare pineapple to prepare delicious food for children

Choose pineapple that is ripe, has a sweet and fresh aroma. All of them are the best criteria to use in baby recipes.

Fresh pineapples should be mashed or pureed with banana, pear, sweet potato, cheese, cream or coconut milk.

If the pineapple is hard or difficult to crush, cook it quickly by steaming or boiling it in water or juice until it softens.

To make the pineapple more delicious and softer, the trick is to keep it at room temperature for a few days before preparing it.

Peeled or sliced ​​pineapples or pineapple juice should be stored in the refrigerator's cooler. If used for children, you should use it within one to two days.

A few questions regarding pineapple use in children may be of interest to you

1. How to choose the best pineapple?

Fresh pineapples need to choose to buy fruits that are ripe evenly, without waterlogging, the eyes are evenly stretched, the fruit can be held firmly. When added, the pineapple meat must be fragrant but still firm.

2. Fresh or canned pineapple: which one is most appropriate to buy?

Of course, to get the most out of pineapple, you should choose fresh pineapple. Canned pineapple only serves as a reluctant alternative when fresh pineapple is not available. Furthermore, canned fruits are often high in unhealthy sugars. However, many children appear to prefer eating canned foods because it is less acidic.

With fresh pineapples, in any case, you should wash and peel and rinse your eyes thoroughly to prevent possible pesticide residues. Should choose to buy pineapple grown according to clean agricultural standards in reputable places, ensuring safety and hygiene.

In addition to being a delicious fruit, the effects of pineapple on the health of both adults and children are very valuable. With children, when starting to choose this food to introduce to your baby, you should make sure that there are no problems with allergies. In case you are still wondering, please consult your doctor!