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Baby foods to be avoided

Digestive and immune system of a baby takes time to mature when it can handle certain foods

Fats Salt Sugar and Spices

Chocolate

Avoid Chocolate during first 12 months.

Cinnamon

Some infants may be allergic to Cinnamon

Fats

Avoid using Transfats (Vanaspati) at any age.

Avoid deep fried foods for 24 months

Honey Jaggery (Gur)

Avoid Honey, Jaggery (Gur), Raw sugar, Corn Syrup for first twenty four months. They can result in botulism.

Salt

Salt should be avoided for first 12 months. It can cause kidney damage.  Salt and Children

Sugar

Sugar only adds calories with almost no nutritional value. Also, food with high amount of added sugars can lead to behavioral problems.

Tamarind, Lime, Lemon

Avoid for first 12 months due to high acid.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits

Do not give any raw fruits for the first 12 months except for soft flesh fruits. Soft flesh fruits are Bananas, Avocado, Mango, Papaya, Kiwi

Do not give citric fruits for first 12 months. Citric fruits are: Oranges, Grapefruit

Fruit Juices

Fruit juices should be diluted (One part Juice to 10 parts water).

Vegetables

Do not give any raw vegetables for the first 12 months.

Do not give vegetables high in citric acid such as tomatoes for the first 12 months

Nitrates

The fertilizers used in commercial agriculture introduce nitrates in some of the foods that reduce the infant's body to fully utilize oxygen in the blood. Examples are Carrots, beets, leafy vegetables (Spinach, Mustard greens, Collard greens ). Avoid these vegetables high for the first 12 months. The organically grown vegetables can be used safely.

Canned Vegetables Fruits

Avoid canned (vegetables, beans, and fruits) products to avoid salt, preservatives and sugars.

Poultry and dairy

Cow's milk

The infants should not be weaned off to regular cow's milk for first 12 months. There are two main reasons: 1) Cow's milk is low in iron 2) Protein structures in the cow's milk could cause internal bleeding.

Low fat or Fat free Dairy products

Don't give low fat or fat free dairy products till the age of 4 years. Low fat dairy products may result in stunted growth.

Use whole milk yogurt and cheese during first 4 years.

Eggs

Avoid egg whites for the first 12 months.

Don't give raw or partially cooked eggs (whites and yolk) to infants to avert salmonella poisoning.

Egg yolk of whole hardboiled is good. Egg yolks can be given at the age of nine months.

Miscellaneous

Bottled or Distilled water

Don't use bottled or distilled water. If you need water, boil tap water and let it cool. If tap water is too hard use, household filter before boiling water.

Fish and seafood

Avoid Fish, and seafood for first 36 months (3 years) of age.
Don't give cod liver oil , may be carcinogenic.

Peanuts

Peanuts and peanut products should be avoided for the first six moths. If there is a family history of allergy (Asthma, hay fever, eczema), avoid peanuts and peanut products for the first 12 months.

Wheat and Barley

Avoid wheat and barley products for the first six months, if the mother suffered from gestation diabetes, or the infant's family has a history of diabetes Type 1, or Celiac disease.

When  the wheat products are introduced, don't give more then one serving per day for first four days.

What are special precautions for vegetarians?

Iron is the main issue for infants. This is resolved by using more of breast milk and iron fortified infant formulas. Delay reducing the amount of breast milk or iron fortified formula for the first 12 months. Emphasis should be on fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C to make iron bio-available. It is recommended that a vegetarian infant continue with iron fortified infant formula to 18 months of age.

For the first twelve moths, breast milk also provides Vitamin B-12 before it is available through cow's milk. It is recommended that mother breast feed infant till Vitamin B12 is available through egg yolks or cow's milk.

In India, it is becoming customary to give vitamin A, C, and D as drops starting at six months of age to 12 months, and then as standard tablet or liquid form till the age of five years.