Cheese in a child's diet

During the introduction of complementary foods, many parents unfairly ignore the cheese, considering it a product not for the children's table. And by the way very much in vain! This valuable and useful product is quite appropriate in the kids' menu even for up to a year, not to mention the children of an older age. What is so useful about cheese and how should you give it to your children?
The Benefits of Cheese
Cheese is rich in protein, which is digested much better than protein in milk or cottage cheese. The second distinctive feature is the huge amount of calcium (Ca), for example in hard varieties such as parmesan or Russian, the calcium content reaches 1300 mg / 100 g. For comparison: in milk - 120 mg / 100 g, and in curds - 125 mg / 100 g. It is also remarkable that due to the favorable and balanced combination of proteins and fats in cheese and the presence of such an element as phosphorus, calcium is perfectly absorbed by the body. In addition, the cheeses are rich in vitamins A and PP, as well as B vitamins. Thus, it is certainly a valuable food for the baby. But to get involved in it, however, does not follow. Do not forget that cheese is an allergen, and the high concentration of protein and fat in it is quite a serious load on the little man's body.

Time to eat cheese
To familiarize the baby with cheese is recommended not earlier than 10-11 months of age. The increased concentration of animal proteins contained in the product can pepe unripe kidneys of the baby, violating their proper work. In addition, the cheese contains a considerable amount of fats and salts, which are hard to digest by the children's body, and rennet enzyme, used in the recipes of many types of cheese, can have a negative effect on the functioning of the pancreas. Closer to the year the digestive system of the child begins to ripen: the enzymes of the pancreas begin to be produced in sufficient quantity, the walls of the intestine thicken and become denser and thus less susceptible to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the blood, the immunity is appreciably strengthened, which means that the possibility of allergies to untested earlier the product is significantly reduced.

We introduce cheese into the diet
Begin to eat cheese for children should be with 5 grams per day. By the age of two, the amount of cheese per day can be increased to 20-30 g. Despite the fact that cheese has a mass of merits, it should not be present on the children's table every day. It is enough if the crumb treats cheese 2-3 times a week. It is advisable to give it in the morning. Digestive enzymes during this period are the most active, and it will be easier for the body to assimilate and process a rather complex product.
In cheese there are a lot of proteins and carbohydrates, therefore it is desirable for them to supplement products in which in a plenty there are useful carbohydrates - bread, macaroni and various vegetables. For example, sprinkle them with vegetable salads.

Choosing cheese
Pediatricians and children's nutritionists recommend starting with unhealthy, unsalted solid varieties such as Parmesan, Russian, Poshekhon, Dutch, Maasdam, Edam, Lithuanian and others, gradually expanding the range of cheeses in the baby's diet.

Pay special attention to the fat content of the product. It is optimal if it is approximately 36-45% in the preparation of the product or 17-23% of the fat content in the dry matter (in cheese produced in Russia and manufactured in the CIS countries, as a rule, the fat content of the finished product is indicated, and on foreign cheeses - the fat content in dry substance). Both too fatty and low-fat cheese to feed the baby is not good. The fact is that a large amount of fat overloads the still immature liver and pancreas crumbs, and when its low content is poorly digested a valuable element - calcium, and the naturalness of such a product is highly questionable. Gradually, by one and a half years, the cheese menu of the baby can be expanded by introducing into it sour milk (curd cheese) and pickled (Adyghe, suluguni, Georgian and others) cheeses. Sour-milk cheeses have a lower fat content than hard rennet. However, it is not recommended to introduce them into the children's diet first - in such cheeses there is more salt, and this is an additional burden on the kidneys of the baby.

Do moms need to worry about the fact that cheese is a high-calorie product? During the first years of life the child grows very actively, crawls, walks, runs a lot - energy is spent on everything, and so you can not think about the calorie content of the dishes. Everything that is eaten will give strength for movement, if, of course, the child is healthy, and he does not have obesity or inclination to it. But such a diagnosis is exhibited only by a doctor.

Abstain!
Do not offer the young child cheeses of melted and smoked kinds, as these cheeses contain an increased amount of fat and a lot of salt. Also, do not give the baby cheese with mold, since such cheeses are very serious allergens. In addition, cheeses with mold and soft cheeses can cause infection with Listeria (a pathogenic bacterium that provokes deadly diseases).

It is recommended to postpone the child's acquaintance with these varieties until 5-6 years of age.

How to Eat
In what form to eat cheese, first of all depends on the age of the child.

Up to 3 years
In this period it is best to offer the baby cheese in grated form as a supplement, seasoning to other foods. The best "company" for this product with high protein and fat content is food rich in useful slow carbohydrates, for example bread (better than whole grains, bran and seeds), pasta from durum wheat, all kinds of vegetables. But butter and meat are not the best choice. These foods themselves contain a lot of fat and protein. In combination with cheese, this will create too much strain on the kidneys, liver and pancreas of the baby. Therefore, favorite with many sandwiches with butter and cheese to small children is best not to give.

After 3 years
At this age the child can be offered cheese as a separate dish - cut into small slices, cubes and pieces. In addition, that the baby is saturated, chewing the cheese, he trains the jaw muscles and clears the teeth from plaque.