Can Babies Eat Mushrooms?

Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore- bearing fruiting body of funguses (fungi). They are usually cultivated above ground, on soil or produced directly on their food sources. They are widely used in cooking in many cuisines all around the world. China is the major edible mushrooms producer, producing about half of all cultivated mushrooms.

The definition used for people who collect mushrooms for consumption is mycophagists, and the word for the act of collecting is mushroom hunting or mushrooming. Differentiating edible mushrooms from poisonous ones requires careful attention to details, many of the poisonous species having a big resemblance to some edible species. Consuming poisonous mushrooms can be fatal, so the collecting of mushrooms in the wild is only recommended to people who can really identify the different species of mushrooms.

Mushrooms are mostly composed of water, some carbs and proteins and even less fat. But they are a rich source of vitamins B, selenium, copper, zinc, potassium and phosphorus. Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D, which depends on handling, especially on unintended exposure to sunlight after the harvest of mushrooms.

Can Babies Eat Raw Mushrooms?

Babies can be given mushrooms once they start eating solid food, so at the age of 6 months, but many parents wait with the introduction of mushrooms into their baby’s diets, until they are older, at about 10 – 12 months old. It is safer to get mushrooms from stores, especially if you want to offer them to your baby. You should never give raw or uncooked mushrooms to babies or to adults, because there is a higher risk of poisoning and they also might lead to discomfort.

What Are the Health Benefits of Mushrooms for Babies?

Mushrooms are immunity boosters, healthy for heart functions, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and have hepatoprotective or liver-protective effects. Mushrooms can also lead to allergic reactions. Mushroom allergies are air-borne, oral or contact based. Poisoning is most common if there are wild mushrooms consumed.

Mushroom Soup Recipe

Ingredients: 300g freshly chopped shiitake mushrooms, 700g freshly chopped oyster mushrooms, ½ cup of freshly chopped sage leaves, 2 sliced large onions, 4 chopped cloves of garlic, 3 tsp minced thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp turmeric, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, water.

Pour 2 to 3 tbsp of oil into a pan on medium heat. As the oil gets warm, put the onions into the pan and sauté them for about 5 minutes until they turn light brown. Stir and add the salt and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the thyme, sage and mushrooms mixing everything well together. Add bay leaves, turmeric and the water, cover the pot, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 25 minutes. If the mushrooms are tender, switch off the flame and remove the bay leaves. Remove the pot from heat and let it come to room temperature. Blend the mixture in a food processor and add water to adjust its consistency. You can serve it warm with mashed potatoes.