Can Babies Eat Oatmeal?

Oatmeal is a kind of coarse flour, which is made of hulled oat grains, which have been ground or steel-cut. Rolled oats are neither milled nor steel-cut. Ground oats are also known as white oats, while steel-cut oats are also called coarse oatmeal. Oatmeal refers to a popular oat porridge in the USA and in some parts of Canada. Oatmeal is also used as an ingredient for thickening in some Arabic and Egyptian soups, and sometimes used as a cheap way of adding fiber and some nutritional content to meatloaf.

Oatmeal contains carbs, dietary fibers, fat and protein. It is high in manganese and has significant amount of zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Oatmeal is a good source of vitamins B2, B3, B5 and B9. Oatmeal reduces the levels of blood cholesterol, so it is a good way of lowering the risk of heart disease.

Is Oatmeal Good For Babies?

Oatmeal is a good way to introduce solids to babies, because oats are soft, but still have texture. It helps with your baby’s growth, development and being a fiber-rich food, it prevents constipation. It is also a source of melatonin, which triggers insulin production, which helps in inducing sleep, so oatmeal is a good dinner option. Parents can offer homemade oatmeal or instant oatmeal to their babies, starting at the age of 6 months old.

Is Baby Oatmeal the Same as Regular Oatmeal?

The least processed oats are the steel cut oats, and this is the reason why they are slightly more nutritious. The difference between regular oatmeal and baby oats is, that the latter are steamed and flaked into a thinner piece of oat, than the regular ones.

Baked Oatmeal Apple Cereal

Ingredients: 1 small apple, ¼ cup of ground oats, ¾ cup of water.

Peel, core and cut the small apple into small dices. Place the apple dices into a pan with the oats and water, and bring to a slow boil. Simmer covered and check frequently, until the apples are soft and the oatmeal is cooked well. Stir and mash while cooking. You can mix in some formula, breast milk or juice to adjust the consistency and puree it if it is necessary.