You may introduce cabbage for babies already eating solid foods such equally rice porridge and vegetable purees. Cabbage, as well chosen Brassica oleracea, is available in different varieties, such every bit with smoothen or wrinkled leaves and green, red, white, and royal colors. This leafy vegetable is packed with micronutrients and bioactive compounds. They are as well rich in flavonoids such as apigenin, kaempferol, and quercetin (1).

Fibers in cabbage as well help to prevent constipation. Yous may use the leafy part rather than the centre office that connects the leaves on the sides to avert issues such every bit gas formation. Read on to empathise the health benefits, side effects, and when is the right age to feed cabbage to babies. We also share some exciting cabbage recipes for babies.

Can Babies Eat Cabbage?

Yes, babies tin swallow cooked cabbage. The vegetable tin exist introduced to babies in the form of puree. Then, as your baby grows, you tin add together cabbage to their regular meal in different forms such as soup, back-scratch, salad, and dessert. This vegetable is tasty, healthy, inexpensive, and versatile and then it deserves some more than space in your babies food menu.

When Tin Babies Accept Cabbage?

Your baby tin offset having cabbage from the age of six months. In general, cabbage can be introduced to babies in one case they outset solids similar rice and potato. However, not all babies are ready for solids at the same time. Therefore, consult a pediatrician or pediatric nutritionist before introducing cabbage to your baby. Once satisfied, this vegetable would be a dandy addition to your babies diet as it has so many potential wellness benefits.

Nutritional Value Of Cabbage

Cabbage is a nutritionally counterbalanced vegetable. The nutritional value can vary as per the type of cabbage. The common varieties are greens, spring greens, white, savoy, bok choy, napa cabbage, and red cabbage. About all these varieties can be given to babies. All the same, green cabbage is the most commonly consumed blazon in the earth.

Half a cup of cooked green cabbage contains the following nutrients corresponding to the daily requirement of these nutrients for babies (RDA) (two) (three).

Proper noun Corporeality RDA
Water 69.4g –
Energy 17.2kcal –
Carbohydrate, by deviation 4.13g –
Fiber, total dietary one.42g –
Calcium, Ca 36mg 210mg (0-six months)
270mg (7-12 months)
Magnesium, Mg 11.2mg 30mg (0-vi months)
75mg (7-12 months)
Phosphorus, P 24.8mg 100mg (0-vi months)
275mg (vii-12 months)
Potassium, K 147mg 500mg (0-6 months)
700mg (7-12 months)
Sodium, Na 6mg 120mg (0-half dozen months)
200mg (seven-12 months)
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid 28.1mg 30mg (0-six months)
35mg (7-12 months)
Folate, total 22.5µg 25µg (0-6 months)
35µg (7-12 months)
Choline, total 15.2mg –
Vitamin A, IU 60IU 1167 IU
Vitamin Yard (phylloquinone) 81.5µg five (0-half-dozen months)
10 (vii-12 months)

It likewise contains Iron and riboflavin in modest quantities

Sources: U.S. Section of Agronomics and Earth Wellness Organization

Wellness Benefits Of Cabbage For Babies

Cabbage has been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases (4). The therapeutic properties of cabbage are attributed to its diverse nutritional contour. Some of the impressive wellness benefits of cabbage that your baby could reap by regular consumption of cabbage in moderation are:

  1. Digestive health: Cabbage is a good source of dietary fiber, It is total of gut-friendly insoluble fibre which adds bulk to stools and promotes regular bowel movements. It is rich in soluble fiber too, which has been shown to increase the number of benign friendly bacteria like Lactobacilli. The vegetable too contains compounds such every bit glucosinolates that certain bacteria in the body can hydrolyze and use every bit prebiotics (v). Prebiotics assistance boost gut microflora.
  1. Cardiovascular wellness: Some enquiry studies accept demonstrated that regular consumption of steamed vegetables of Brassica family, such as cabbage, tin can take cardioprotective effects (vi). A study published in the American Periodical of Clinical Nutrition showed a sulfur-containing compound glucosinolate is associated with the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation. Glucosinolate is nowadays in cabbage (7). Red cabbage contains powerful chemical compound anthocyanins, which gives it vibrant color making information technology an execellent option for heart wellness. Substances called phytosterols help in reducing LDL cholesterol.
  1. Enhanced immunity: A research written report published in the Periodical of Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity showed that red cabbage possesses immunomodulatory properties due to the presence of anthocyanins (8). Cabbage likewise has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory backdrop due to the presence of high levels of anthocyanins and flavonoids like kaempferol, sulforaphane, which heave amnesty (ix).
  1. Healing backdrop: Cabbage finds use in traditional medicine due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. It is used to treat diverse ailments such as gastritis, peptic ulcers, duodenal ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome. It might also help in healing wounds and curing mastitis. A study published in the Periodical of Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry showed that cabbage leaves have high levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which is required during the wound healing process (10).
  1. Presence of vitamins: It contains vitamin B6, which is essential for many important processes in body, including energy metabolism and normal function of nervous system. Vitamin K in cabbage acts as a cofactor in claret clotting. Being an execellent source of vitamin C, the vegetable helps in collagen building and gives flexibility to the pare. It is also critical for the proper functioning of the bones, muscles, and blood vessels. Vitamin A being a good source of beta carotene is skilful for optics besides.

Regular consumption of cabbage in moderate amounts tin have overall wellness-promoting effects. Notwithstanding, you lot need to know nigh the possible side-furnishings too.

Possible Side-Effects Of Cabbage For Babies

Similar any other nutrient, cabbage, likewise, has some possible side-effects when consumed in large amounts. Some of them are:

    1. Flatulence: Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that is rich in sulfur and dietary cobweb and tin disagree with your babe's sensitive stomach. These substances frequently contribute to gas formation. Near all the varieties of cabbage crusade gas formation. Fiber is benign merely just in small quantities; else it tin can crusade diarrhea. Hence, their consumption by babies must exist controlled well. Excessive gas formation can cause discomfort, which can aggravate further if the babe has colic.
  1. Blue baby syndrome: Blue baby syndrome or methemoglobinemia occurs when hemoglobin is unable to carry oxygen to body tissues, thus making the peel and lips turn blueish. Infants are more susceptible to it because of the immature digestive system. Vegetables that are naturally high in nitrate can lead to this condition. Ingestion of Chinese cabbage has been associated with methemoglobinemia. You can avoid this variety and consider alternative types of cabbage to feed your baby (11).
  1. Goitrogens: Certain foods, when consumed raw, can suppress the performance of the thyroid gland by interfering in the uptake of iodine. It tin can be detrimental for your baby's wellness as thyroid performance is pivotal for proper mental and physical growth (12). Therefore, avoid serving raw cabbage to your baby. Nonetheless the benefits may outweigh the potential side furnishings of goitrogens.
  1. Anti-thiamin: Certain vegetables such as cabbage are known to have thiaminase. Thiaminase is an enzyme that breaks vitamin B1 (thiamin) and renders it inactive. Vitamin B1 is a crucial vitamin for the healthy mental and physical development of babies. The good thing is that cooking tin can destroy thiaminase (12). Thus, the consumption of cabbage should exist washed in cooked course.
  1. Anti-mineral: Oxalic acid is an inorganic salt that binds with calcium and other minerals and renders them insoluble. When minerals get insoluble, their bioavailability reduces, thus leading to health implications. Cabbage contains oxalic acid, and cooking does not break it down. Therefore, babies should accept cabbage in moderate amounts. Recollect, moderate intake does not lead to such issues in healthy babies (12).
  1. Allergy: Cabbage allergy is rare only possible. If your babe is allergic to any food in the Brassica family, like broccoli and kale, then there are loftier chances the baby could exist allergic to cabbage (xiii). In such a case, consult a pediatrician before feeding cabbage to your baby.

Regular, moderate intake of cabbage is usually safe and seldom a cause for concern.

Cabbage Recipes For Babies

Cabbage should e'er exist served cooked to the baby. Raw cabbage can be difficult for the baby'southward tummy to assimilate. The baby can as well be exposed to pathogens and harmful compounds present in raw cabbage. This versatile vegetable can be eaten steamed, fermented, or juiced. It is important to attend your baby's body regardless of how you lot choose to feed it. Below are some recipes that you might like to try.

ane. Carrot and cabbage puree

Carrot and cabbage puree for babies

Image: Shutterstock

Carrot and cabbage puree is the simplest recipe for babies who have just started solids. This recipe has a nutritional combination of cabbage with the carrot. You lot tin serve it as a midday snack.

Yous will need:

  • ½ loving cup cabbage (chopped)
  • ½ cup carrot (chopped )
  • A pinch of pepper
  • 1tsp unsalted butter
  • Common salt (to sense of taste)

How to:

  1. Melt the cabbage and carrot, and then add pepper and common salt to it.
  2. Once washed, add together butter and alloy.
  3. Cabbage and carrot puree is now ready to serve.

Tip: You can combine cabbage with other vegetables that your babe eats. Combining the cabbage with grains and protein sources, such as cheese, is likewise a skilful thought.

2. Cabbage and lentil soup

Cabbage and lentil soup for babies

Image: iStock

Soups are warm, soulful, easy to digest, and work as nutritionally sumptuous appetizers. Here is one such recipe that you may try for babies, who have started solids.

You lot will need:

  • 4 cups fresh vegetable stock
  • 1 cup onion (chopped)
  • 1 28oz canned tomatoes (whole and peeled)
  • ½ green cabbage (chopped)
  • 2 loving cup greenish lentils (cooked)
  • ½tbsp garlic (minced)
  • 1tsp basil
  • Ground pepper, to sense of taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • Virgin olive oil

How to:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Once the oil is warm, add together onions and cook until they turn gold brown.
  3. Stir in garlic and basil. Cook for two more minutes or until they start giving a fine aroma.
  4. At present, add stock, tomatoes, and cabbage. Bring everything to a boil.
  5. Reduce estrus and simmer for at least 25-thirty minutes. In one case the tomatoes wait all mixed, and cabbage looks tender, add in cooked lentils. Simmer for more 20 minutes or until everything is cooked.
  6. Switch off the flame and proceed the pot aside to cool. Blend everything till you get a soup with flowy consistency. Conform the consistency by calculation water.
  7. Serve the soup in a soup basin. Add together salt and pepper pulverisation to taste. Y'all tin can also use carrot instead of lentil, to make cabbage and carrot soup. Cabbage can accept stiff flavor, so it works all-time with other foods.

iii. Cabbage rolls

Cabbage roles for babies Cabbage roles for babies

Image: Shutterstock

Once your babe is seven to nine months old, yous may introduce some mouth-watering finger foods. One such recipe is cabbage rolls. You can add together meat or chicken or tofu with a diversity of vegetables equally stuffing. However, earlier adding any ingredient to the stuffing, check for possible allergens.

You will need:

    • ½ cup chocolate-brown rice (cooked)
  • 2 small green cabbage heads
  • 1 carrot (grated)
  • 2 capsicums (grated)
  • 1 cup cottage cheese (mashed)
  • one big onion (chopped)
  • 1 loving cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • Salt, to sense of taste
  • Ground pepper, to gustatory modality
  • Sesame oil

How to:

To make the filling:

  1. Take a flat bottom pan and put it over the stove on medium rut.
  2. Every bit the pan gets warm, add two to 3 tablespoon oil and add onions. Cook the onions over low heat until they plow translucent brown. Once done, go on the pan aside.
  3. Now, accept a large bowl and add cottage cheese, carrots, rice, capsicum, table salt, and pepper. Mix everything well and keep the bowl aside.
  4. iv. Cutting the lesser of the cabbage and remove the leaves abroad from the stalk.
  5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and offset preparing the rolls.

To make rolls:

  1. Take a cabbage leafage and put 2 tablespoons of filling at the bottom of the broad part of the leaf. Scroll it like a burrito – tucking sides in. Make as many rolls as you lot want.
  2. Place all the gear up rolls in a baking goulash and pour some bootleg tomato sauce over it. Cover the lid of the goulash and bake the rolls for near an hour.
  3. In one case the rolls are done, accept the lid off and broil the rolls for an additional 30 minutes.
  4. Serve the rolls with fresh homemade hummus or cream sauce.

Tip: Before yous serve the rolls to the baby, it cutting them into two halves for ease of eating.

Cabbage recipes are endless; you lot can try as many as you want. Yet, ensure that you are non going overboard.

Cabbage is a mutual vegetable available in every household. Information technology is a good source of dietary fiber, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds that aid in good for you growth and development of the baby. Add cabbage to your baby'southward food by preparing interesting recipes for your little i.

Do you take some interesting ways to innovate babies to cabbage? Let us know in the comment section below.

References:

MomJunction's manufactures are written after analyzing the enquiry works of proficient authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the data we present in our editorial policy.

one. Chun OK et al.; Antioxidant properties of raw and candy cabbages..; National Center For Biotechnology Information
2. Cabbage, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt, (; Food Data Primal; USDA
three. Feeding and nutrition of infants and young children; WHO
four. Dong Kwon Yang; Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) Protects against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress by Preventing Mitochondrial Dysfunction in H9c2 Cardiomyoblasts; National Centre For Biotechnology Information
5. Fei Li et al.; Human Gut Bacterial Communities Are Altered by Addition of Cruciferous Vegetables to a Controlled Fruit- and Vegetable-Free Diet; National Center For Biotechnology Information
half-dozen. Kahlon TS et al.; Steam cooking significantly improves in vitro bile acid binding of collard greens, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, dark-green bell pepper, and cabbage..; National Center For Biotechnology Information
7. Xianglan Zhang et al.; Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced take chances of full and cardiovascular disease mortality; National Middle For Biotechnology Information
8. Ilaria Peluso et al.; Effects of Loftier Consumption of Vegetables on Clinical, Immunological, and Antioxidant Markers in Subjects at Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases; National Center For Biotechnology Information
ix. Youjung Lee et al.; Anti-inflammatory Effects of Brassica oleracea Var. capitata Fifty. (Cabbage) Methanol Extract in Mice with Contact Dermatitis; National Center For Biotechnology Information
10. Tanaka T et al.; Formation of lysophosphatidic acid, a wound-healing lipid, during digestion of cabbage leaves.; National Eye For Biotechnology Information
11. Nitrate and Nitrite in Vegetables and Babe Feeding; Eye For Food Rubber; The Authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
12. Laurie C. Dolan et al.; Naturally Occurring Food Toxins; National Center For Biotechnology Information
13. Cabbage Allergy: A Rare Cause of Food-induced Anaphylaxis; ActaDV

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Seeemaa Budhraja is a Delhi-based dietitian and nutritionist. She specializes in weight and lifestyle direction. She is a healthy recipe designer, works as a health motivator and wellness double-decker likewise. She has worked equally a slimming head with one of the top organizations in India. She excels in therapeutic diets for various lifestyle-related diseases. This renowned nutritionist is a... more than

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist and toddler mom with over 8 years of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle projection catering to school children. Then she worked equally a nutrition faculty and clinical nutrition jitney in dissimilar organizations. Her interest in scientific writing... more