Can a 1 year old child eat corn?

Let's talk about something delicious today - corn! Hot bright yellow cobs, juicy kernels splashing with juice, and sweetish tender pulp make boiled corn popular in the summer menu. In winter, we enjoy opening jars of canned grains. And popcorn is an all-season treat, without which it’s hard to imagine going to the cinema.

But the nutrition of pregnant and lactating women, as well as young children, requires special attention. Is it possible to include this cereal in their menu, and what is better - popcorn, canned or boiled corn? Let's figure it out together.

Composition and calorie content

Boiled grains contain 123 kcal per 100 g of product, and canned sweet grains contain 119 kcal. Despite the relatively high calorie content (green peas have only 73 kcal), nutritionists rarely exclude corn from the diet. After all, it saturates quickly and for a long time, reduces appetite and fights high cholesterol.

Includes:

vitamins A, E, PP, H, B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9, K, C;
minerals: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, selenium, manganese, zinc, sodium, iodine, chromium, molybdenum;
cellulose;
starch - about 70%;
saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Indications for use

Let's consider the indications for the use of paracetamol in the treatment of children, which cannot be neglected. They are:

temperature from 38.0 degrees and above in children under 5 years old, lasting more than five hours;
temperature of 38.5 degrees and above, in children over 5 years old, lasting more than five hours;
dental, muscle, headache of varying intensity;
hyperthermia associated with viral diseases and infections. A child's use of this drug can reduce the accumulation of excess heat in the body.

Thus, children can be given paracetamol to relieve pain and fever, including as part of various drugs.

For teething, any viral infections transmitted by airborne droplets, as well as for diseases of tonsillitis, laryngitis, bronchitis and others, the symptom of which is high fever, the drug is effective both on its own and in combination with analgin.

One of the main advantages of paracetamol is that it can be used almost from birth. The disadvantage is that this drug does not fight the disease itself, but only relieves some of its symptoms. At the end of its effect, these symptoms return again. Therefore, this drug is prescribed in combination with others.

How is it useful for the baby?

Corn easily saturates the body due to simple carbohydrates: fructose and sucrose. They provide quick energy recharging and ensure coordinated functioning of all parts of the brain.
A storehouse of B vitamins, which perform important functions for the child: participate in metabolic processes and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the formation of the skeleton and muscles; support mental and mental development; strengthen the circulatory system.
A source of calcium and phosphorus - important minerals for a growing body, building material for bones and joints.
Corn contains low-calorie fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels in the blood and prevents it from depositing on the walls of blood vessels.
Strengthens the immune system, helps cope with harmful environmental factors, including viruses and bacteria.
Does not contain gluten - a vegetable protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye. It causes allergies in some children and, in more severe cases, an intolerance called celiac disease. Therefore, porridges based on the listed cereals are introduced into the diet after gluten-free ones (buckwheat, rice, corn).
Corn grains have a dense shell that does not allow harmful substances from the environment, traces of fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals to pass through.
Does not lose beneficial properties during heat treatment.

Ready-made baby food made from corn

Ready-made baby food made from corn in the form of porridge is common, but baby puree or multi-component puree containing corn is very rare. I offer an incomplete list of products that can be bought on the Russian market.

Please note that there are very few dairy-free corn porridges without sugar, please read the ingredients carefully. Also, the age on the package does not really correspond to reality, since I would be careful about giving milk porridge at 5 months.

Hipp

Puree My first soup vegetable cream soup with chicken from 7 months 190 grams
Mashed corn from 5 months 80 grams
Puree Tender vegetables with turkey from 12 months 220 grams
Dairy-free corn porridge from 5 months 200 grams
Rice and corn milk porridge with prebiotics from 4 months 250 grams
Rice and corn milk porridge with peach and apricot with prebiotics from 4 months 250 grams
Corn milk porridge with fruits and prebiotics from 5 months 250 grams

Semper

Mashed potatoes-vegetables-chicken stew from 12 months 190 grams
Blueberry corn milk porridge from 6 months 200 grams

Kabrita

7-grain porridge with goat's milk and banana from 6 months 180 grams

Heinz

Dairy-free corn porridge from 5 months 200 grams

Baby

Corn milk porridge from 5 months 220 grams

Smart girl

Corn milk porridge from 5 months 200 grams

Bibikol

Corn milk porridge with goat milk from 5 months 200 grams

Nutrilon

Corn milk porridge apricot and banana from 6 months 200 grams
Corn milk porridge from 6 months 200 grams
Dairy-free corn porridge from 5 months 180 grams

Nestle

Dairy-free corn porridge My 1st Porridge. We start complementary feeding from 5 months 200 grams

Fleur Alpine

Corn milk porridge with goat milk from 5 months 200 grams
Porridge THREE GRAINS from 6 months 175 grams

Bellakt

Milk porridge corn pear from 5 months 250 grams
Corn milk porridge from 5 months 250 grams

Mamako

Corn milk porridge with goat milk from 5 months 200 grams

Vinny

Rice and corn milk porridge with banana with prebiotics from 6 months 200 grams

Babushkino Lukoshko

Corn-zucchini-carrot puree, from 6 months 100 grams

Frutonyanya

Dairy-free corn porridge 5 months 200 grams
Puree Vegetable salad 5 months 80 grams
Sweet vegetable salad puree 5 months 80 grams

Harm and contraindications

Under what circumstances can the “queen of the fields” harm a child?

Allergy. If a rash, redness or other allergic reactions appear, feeding corn porridge should be stopped.
Peptic ulcer disease is a strict contraindication to eating corn.
Increased blood clotting. If a child has a tendency to form blood clots, corn is contraindicated.
Indigestion. The grains have a hard shell, but a child under two years of age still does not have enough enzymes to digest it. This leads to possible digestive problems: abdominal cramps, increased gas formation, and stool disturbances.

Nutritionist Jennifer McDaniel from the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “Corn contains fiber that the body does not digest - it simply passes through the intestines. And that’s not a bad thing, because they serve as a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria.”

Microbiologist Paul McNeil: “Fiber-rich foods, moving through the gastrointestinal tract, injure its epithelium. This damage leads to increased production of mucus, which has emollient and protective properties. Which is definitely good."

But does a child’s body need indigestible dietary fiber in the amount in which it is found in corn? Experts do not give a definite answer.

Parents just have to use common sense and respect age standards.

History of corn

Corn as we know it today would not have existed but for people to grow and develop it. It is a human invention, a plant that does not exist in nature. Corn can only survive if people plant it and protect it.

Scientists believe that people living in central Mexico created corn 7,000 years ago. The wild grass Teosinte gave rise to modern corn. From Mexico, corn spread north into the southwestern United States and south along the coast into Peru.

Native Americans taught European colonists how to cultivate corn, and since its introduction to Europe, corn has appeared throughout the world. It is grown in Canada and Russia, with a corn crop ripening almost every month of the year somewhere in the world. It is an important crop in Russia and a staple food product in the world, occupying the third leading place.

Varieties

Boiled

Feeding your baby boiled corn bought from hand is risky. But for some reason some parents do this.

Photo: Depositphotos.com. Author: AChubykin.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, boiled corn should be included in children's menus no earlier than two years of age.

How to cook correctly:

Choose cobs of the same size so they cook evenly.
Wash them and remove all leaves, or only wilted and heavily soiled ones.
Soak for an hour in cool water - this will help them cook better.
Take a saucepan, pour water into it and bring to a boil.
Place the cobs in boiling water. Reduce heat to moderate.
A little sugar and butter will give the corn a delicate flavor.
Cooking time: 20–30 minutes for young specimens; 30–40 minutes for ripe ones; 2–3 hours - for older people.
Salt a few minutes before cooking.

Raw

Some varieties have a pleasant taste and delicate grains and do not require heat treatment. This means they are able to give the child the maximum amount of useful substances.

Dr. Komarovsky: “Corn kernels are offered to children over 2 years of age. Those who are younger swallow without chewing, which can lead to indigestion. Use only ripe corn. At 3–4 years old you can give it directly on the cob. But cut each row of grains in the middle so that they open.”

Canned

Canned corn, when properly prepared, does not lose its beneficial properties. It can be offered to children from 2 years of age. Contains slow carbohydrates, which means it will charge the growing body with energy.

Air

When preparing puffed corn (popcorn), harmful additives are used: salt, sugar, flavorings.

Diacetyl is especially dangerous, due to which the product acquires the aroma of natural vegetable oil. In large doses, it affects the lungs, causing shortness of breath and creating the preconditions for the future development of Alzheimer's disease.

High sugar content harms the pancreas and contributes to the development of diabetes. Excess salt in popcorn is no less dangerous.

Puffed corn contains complex fibers and can easily cause disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it is not recommended for children under 10–12 years of age.

Versatile product

But its main difference from cereals is that during heat treatment almost all useful elements are preserved. Moreover, this applies not only to corn porridge, but also to corn oil.

The property of preserving useful microelements is not available to every product. That is why corn is considered a unique plant. It is widely used not only in the food industry, but even in pharmacology, cosmetology and traditional medicine.

There are a number of medicines made from corn kernels and stigmas (hairs). They perfectly help overcome diarrhea, hepatitis and even infertility!

Corn porridge

If your baby is 7–9 months old and is already familiar with some vegetables and grains, the time has come to introduce him to corn porridge. It will benefit the growing body. During cooking, a significant portion of vitamins and minerals are retained in it. At the same time, the risk of allergies is minimal.

How to enter

Corn porridge is given to the baby after the successful introduction of buckwheat and rice.

Age depends on the baby's type of nutrition. Breastfed babies are offered to try a new type of complementary food at 8–9 months, and bottle-fed babies at 7–8 months.

We introduce the porridge according to the traditional scheme:

Start with 0.5–1 tsp. in the morning hours.
Watch your child's reaction carefully.
If there is no allergy, gradually increase the portion to 200 g (up to a year).

Puree soups, salads, and boiled corn stews are included in the menu no earlier than 2 years.

What is corn?

Table of contents:

Corn is an annual plant of the Corn genus of the Cereals family. All corn on the cob is considered a vegetable. The corn kernel is considered a grain.

There are more than 200 different varieties of corn in the world. Plants range from 40 cm to 6 m in height, and the ears are 5 to 45 cm long with colorful kernels (yellow, blue or black). Corn is the only grain crop that depends on humans for its survival. Interesting fact: one hectare of corn produces 4 times more oxygen than a hectare of forest.

Harvest time depends on the intended use of the corn. The corn grain is harvested when its water content is between 25 and 35%. For example, for polenta and corn chips. For sweet corn, the water content ranges from 70% to 72%. Corn (or silage) is harvested when the entire plant contains 32 to 35% dry matter. For this type of harvest, the entire plant is crushed and stored before being sold as animal feed.

In addition to its use as a food product, corn is used in packaging (biodegradable plastics) and in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (in the production of antibiotics, vitamins and vaccines). Ethanol produced from its fermentation and distillation is used to produce alcoholic beverages such as gin, as well as in the production of biofuels, providing an alternative to oil-derived gasoline.

corn verse

Selection issues

There are 2 types: sweet corn and feed corn. The first one is suitable for baby food.

Leaves. Fresh, green, without rotten areas or traces left by pests. Choose cobs with tightly fitting leaves. If they were cut long before cooking, the corn will be less juicy.
Grains. They feel soft and smooth to the touch, without any dimples or damage. The color is uniform light yellow or milky. This is typical for fresh young cobs.
Taste: tender, juicy, sweet. If you crush a grain, juice will flow out of it.
Ripening time. Young corn ripens in the first months of summer.

When choosing a canned product, the date of manufacture is important. Summer jars most likely contain fresh grains. Whereas in the fall and winter, pre-dried corn goes into conservation.

Types of corn

There are many types of corn (siliceous, starchy, waxy, chaffy, etc.). sugar varieties are eaten , but there are also popping varieties for popcorn.

minerals and vitamins corn

Sweet corn – has a milky color when young and bright yellow when ripe, with a sweet taste. The siliceous one is used for the production of cereals, and the starchy one is used for flour, molasses and alcohol, and the popping one is used for popcorn.

Corn silk

Corn silk (threads or fibers at the top of the corn cob) is a herbal remedy from the arsenal of traditional medicine. Used for medicinal purposes, usually in the form of decoctions and infusions.

Compound

vitamins C, D, E, K, group B;
fatty acid;
essential oils;
trace elements: iron, manganese, chromium, copper, aluminum;
sugary substances;
chlorophyll;
starch;
alkaloids, etc.

Therapeutic effect

Useful properties of the product:

sedative,
choleretic,
diuretic,
hemostatic,
anti-inflammatory,
restorative.

In addition, corn silk reduces blood sugar, accelerates metabolism, has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, and helps in the treatment of hepatitis (reduces bilirubin levels in the blood).

Children over 3 years old can use decoctions and infusions to treat rashes, burns, cholecystitis, hepatitis, enuresis, edema syndrome, obesity, etc. It is important to strictly follow the dosage and obtain a doctor’s approval.

The product must be taken every 3-4 hours. Average one-time quantity:

3–7 years – up to 5 ml;
7–10 years – up to 10 ml;
10–14 years – up to 15 ml;
from 14 years old - 15–45 ml.

Depending on the disease, the dosage may vary.

Treatment of enuresis

Enuresis is a disease that causes urinary incontinence, mainly during sleep. 95% of people suffering from it are children.

A decoction of corn silk is effective only if the cause of the illness is an infection of the urinary system. In this case, the positive effect is achieved due to the diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties of plant materials.

Cooking method:

Pour boiling water over corn silk in a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. per glass of water.
Place the container in a water bath and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer slowly for another 10 minutes.
Cover the pan with the broth with a towel and let it brew for 30 minutes.

The finished product is given to the child 1/4 cup 2-3 times a day. Last dose no later than 4 hours before bedtime.

Contraindications

diabetes mellitus and taking medications to control blood sugar levels;
tendency to thrombosis and increased blood clotting;
hypertension;
taking anti-inflammatory drugs;
cholelithiasis in the presence of medium and large stones;
anorexia;
individual intolerance;
obstructive jaundice.

How to assemble?

Important! The right time to harvest corn silk is when the cobs have reached milky maturity. During this period, the concentration of biologically active substances in their composition is the highest.

It is not necessary to cut off the entire cob. You can carefully pull out or cut off only the stigma. After this, they need to be dried well and put into a bag.

They are stored for no more than a year.

* Pisareva M. Cleanse food from the mold of lies. Myths about food and advice from nutritionists. - St. Petersburg: IG “Ves”, 2013.

Complementary feeding norms by month

Parents decide for themselves which complementary foods will be the first. In any case, it should be introduced gradually. At 6-7 months, the recommended amount of food is 20 grams, then complementary feeding norms will be as follows:

8 months – 40 gr.;
9 months – 60 gr.;
10 months – 100 gr.;
1 year – 150 gr.

Attention! Soviet pediatricians argued that the first complementary foods can be introduced as early as four months. Now the point of view has changed

If a breastfed baby develops normally, you should not introduce porridge before six months. The newborn should receive only formula or breast milk.

How often to give

You can give corn porridge as complementary food, like any other, every day. There will be no harm from this, only benefit. The main thing is to follow the recommended proportions. If the baby is breastfed, one breastfeeding should be gradually replaced with a corn dish.

Attention! Any baby's complementary feeding starts with half a teaspoon. Even if the child asks for more, the dose should not be increased

This is done gradually to prevent unwanted reactions.

Quantity

Corn grits are a very filling product, so the maximum amount of food at one time should be no more than 200 grams. The frequency of including the product in the daily diet is no more than once a day. Children from one year old can eat porridge 2-3 times a day; in this case, a corn dish can be served, for example, for breakfast and dinner.

What can be combined with

The product itself has a pleasant taste, so there is no need to specifically add anything to the porridge to improve the taste. Children who already have teeth can eat a ready-made dish with a piece of white or black bread. Porridge with pieces of fresh seasonal fruit or cooked in vegetable broth has an interesting taste. If your baby refuses to eat, you should not force him. Perhaps, when a little hungry, the baby will appreciate the delicious porridge.

The porridge has a pleasant taste and beautiful appearance