Weaning by tomato – and its contents

Tomato, like other vegetables, is a very important element for proper nutrition of the child, as it contains many essential substances for healthy mental and physical development. Tomato is in fact full of water, vitamins, fiber and minerals. The high content of water and its nutrients make tomato as a food that low in calories, light, refreshing and full of mineral. The fibers in it regularize the bowel function, and help to cure constipation problems.

It is a perfect ingredient to prepare meals for children as it goes well with foods such as pasta, rice, and potatoes which can aids the digestion system. In principle, most pediatrician will recommend the inclusion of tomatoes in weaning process of a child before the age of 10-12 months.

Specifically, the tomato is rich in:
* Potassium: helps restore water balance, fights fatigue, cramps and hypertension. It’s a very important mineral in the child’s growth as it stimulates the kidney function and activity of nerves and muscles;
* Phosphorus: helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins and is essential for the structure of the teeth and bones;
* Iron: essential for the production of red blood cells and for the proper functioning of the nervous system of the child;
* Beta-carotene: Vitamin A makes the production of key cell growth, vision and skin;
* Vitamin C: strengthens the child’s immune system and helps the body absorb iron;
* Vitamin B: promote cell turnover, the activity of the nervous system and the production of red blood cells.

However, tomato may be administered to a child only after 10 months, but always followed by pediatrician recommendation. It is best to present tomatoes for baby in fresh, cooked, skinned and seeds, because it may not be easy to chew and digest for them.

The reason why tomato was introduced “late” in the child’s diet is that sometimes it could trigger allergic reactions. In these cases, a child after taking tomato mostly have complains with their tongue tingling and redness around the mouth. These allergic is defined as pseudoallergic, because unlike true allergies, they do not operate an immune mechanism, that are caused by histamine.

In the presence of these allergic reactions, it could be useful to exclude tomato from the baby for a few weeks and then gradually reintroduce it again, just to see if there is a tolerable amount of tomatoes that the child can eat without any side effects.