Can Babies Eat Spinach?

Spinach is a leafy green flowering plant, originating in Asia. Its leaves can be consumed raw, cooked, steamed or boiled. Spinach can be stored by being canned, frozen or dehydrated.

Spinach contains some carbs, protein and dietary fibers. It is high in iron, calcium and vitamin K, but it has also significant amounts of vitamins A, B9, B2, B6, C and E, manganese, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Spinach contains high levels of oxalate, which inhibits the absorption of iron and calcium in the human body. For example, the human body absorbs only 5% of the calcium in spinach, whereas from broccoli, about half of the calcium content can be absorbed.

Is Baby Spinach Better Than Regular Spinach?

Baby spinach consists of the smallest leaves of the flat-leaf variety, and does not only have all the health benefits of regular spinach, but it is actually more concentrated than mature spinach in nutrients like vitamin A, B9, C, calcium and iron.

Does Spinach Cause Constipation In Babies?

Spinach can be introduced into a baby’s diet starting at the age of 6 months. There are pediatricians, who recommend giving spinach to babies only later on, at the age between 8-10 months. Spinach can be pureed or blended into fruit smoothies. It is better to cook and puree spinach given to babies, because of its high levels of nitrates. Spinach helps with constipation due to its dietary fiber content, so it does not cause, but relieves constipation.

Parsnip, Spinach And Sweet Potato

Ingredients: a knob of unsalted butter, 1 peeled and diced medium parsnip, 250g sweet potato, 1 peeled, cored and diced apple, 250ml unsalted vegetable stock, 75g baby spinach.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the parsnip, sweet potato and apple and sauté them for about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the ingredients get tender. Add the baby spinach and simmer for about 2 minutes. Transfer everything to a blender and puree until you get the desired texture for your baby.