Feeding Nutella to your baby has been a debate that involves many parents for many years. As a parent, it’s reasonable to worry about the foods you feed your baby. It can affect major and minor development components in your child’s growth. Is Nutella Safe/Healthy?
It has become a question to many parents whether or not you should feed your child Nutella, but today you have come to the right place. We have the answer just for you below to answer the debate question. Bottom-line Answer: It Depends. It’s Yes and No.
If your child does suffer from solely a nut allergy and not from other nuts, here’s the good news. Nutella is safe for your child! Nutella is made from hazelnuts. Also, the product doesn’t use any peanuts or peanut-base products in the process of manufacturing.
If the case is your child doesn’t suffer from any nut allergies or food allergies in general, then Nutella is a good substitute for Peanut butter. Hazelnuts are a healthy nut. The benefits hazelnuts offer are keeping your heart healthy and reduces the risk of getting cancer. The cocoa part of Nutella gives your child the tasty part of Nutella to enjoy.
Nutella’s everyday use is for bread, toast, waffles, crackers, chips. Again, the possibilities for Nutella are endless. Feeding your child Nutella will depend on the factors of family history with food allergies.
There is another side to the debate—the opposing team for children not eating Nutella. According to sources from Today’s Parent, they say Nutella is made of 50% sugar. They also recommend children not to eat huge amounts of sweet chocolate spread. They also say Nutella contains Palm oil, which is a carcinogenic component. The company though, refuses to change the ingredient of Palm oil into another because it can’t be replaced. And also, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) has not ban Nutella. So the debate for feeding your child has the side of not because of the risk of potentially getting cancer form Nutella.
Shown above are the two sides which are common to find in the Nutella debate. Below is some information for if you decide to let your child eat Nutella and the precautions you should take.
To give an intro, Nutella is a cocoa-hazelnut spread by Ferrero Company. Its use is similar to peanut butter. You can spread it on toast, crepes, and in many other ways. The possibilities are endless. So, now it comes down to the question: Is Nutella safe for your baby. The ingredients in the tasty spread are the following ingredients. Sugar, Palm oil, Hazelnuts, Skim Milk, Cocoa, Soy Lecithin as Emulsifier, and Vanillin. Some details on the nutritional content: It’s 200 calories with 100 Fat Calories. It contains 11 grams of TOtal fat, 2 grams of protein, and 21 grams of sugar.
Some of the advantages to Nutella are it is Kosher Dairy, Gluten-free, and it contains no artificial colors or preservatives.
The answers are also dependent on your child. Because Nutella is made from Hazelnuts, it’s also one of the foods to be cautious about. It could activate allergic reactions. Also, if you have ever known about the “wait til 2 to give nut- products to your child.” The standards for the rules are now more leaning towards your family’s history of food allergies.
Because many food allergies are acquired from genetics, it’s best to wait after your child’s third birthday before giving Nutella. After the age of 3, your child’s body is ready to handle symptoms associates with allergic reactions. Though if your child has a food allergy, note the following symptoms: Swelling of the face, rash, itchiness, vomiting, and trouble breathing.
If the case is your family has no history of food allergies, then it’s safe to introduce Nutella after your baby’s first birthday. Though after introducing Nutella, you should wait 3-4 days before checking for allergic reactions. If you take these precautions and no symptoms appear, then it’s safe to continue letting your child eat Nutella.
When you notice your child reacts Nutella, you have an option to follow one of these protocols. One, take them to the doctor if they present one or more of the following symptoms: Rashes or itching. The second protocol is to take them to the hospital if they show these symptoms: vomiting or loss of breath. If the result of the reaction is because your child has a nut allergy, usually the doctor will recommend preventative medications to be ready to use at all times. Examples of these preventative medications are Eppy pens.
Knowing if your child has a nut allergy, you need to be careful. Keep observation of the foods you feed your child. Nuts can always be found in foods/drinks you don’t expect to find nuts in. If you are buying groceries at a store, double-check each label of food/drink products you buy. If you are dining in at a restaurant, check-in with the server/cook. Make
sure to ask if there are no nuts or nut oils in cooking the dish.
So bottom-line, Nutella has some beneficial properties and one potential risk of cancer in the form of Palm oil. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to give your child Nutella. If you decide to, make sure you follow the advice and tips above. Remember, introduce Nutella to your child at the age of three. By the age of three, your child’s body at 3 is now able to handle allergic reactions. If your child displays any allergic reactions, take them to the hospital.
Remember, the decision is up to you as the parent when it comes to deciding whether your child should eat Nutella or not.
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