5 Health Benefits Of Eating Apples For Babies

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Most of us have heard this proverb during our childhood and as we’ve grown older, we have become oblivious to it. Whoever said it has said it rightly. Medical research in the recent times says that apple is one of the ideal fruits which can improve our health.

Apples have been consumed for thousands of years now. Apples believed to have originated in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Historically, consumption of apple has been observed in Egypt, Babylon and China. The mention of apple can be found in many of cultures. Bible has several instances of apple being mentioned. Scandinavians regarded apple as the “food of Gods”. Even now, apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world. There are about 7500 varieties of apples cultivated and every year, thousands of tonnes of apples.

# Cure stomach disorders

Mothers would have definitely noticed that their babies suffer from stomach disorders very often. In such cases, an apple can come in handy. Peeled, mashed and boiled apple can be given to the baby. Apple can control stomach disorders. The polyphenols in apple fruit reduce gastric injuries by forming a protective layer on the stomach lining. Try adding a teaspoonful of honey to the mashed up apple before serving it.

# Constipation and Diarrhea

Constipation and diarrhea are other very disturbing diseases that babies contract. Apart from containing many nutrients, apples are also rich in dietary fiber which is also essential for smooth bowel movement. Feed them with mashed up and boiled apple. In some cases, constipation can result in diarrhea and vice versa. Turns out that constipation and diarrhea occur more or less in cycle one after another. In such cases, where the infant or the baby is suffering from diarrhea, feeding them with apple juice can also be beneficial because diarrhea can be dehydrating. Essential nutrients and the moisture content in the juice can rejuvenate your baby in no time. For diarrhea, use apple juice as secondary medicine but not as primary medicine. Consult your pediatrician immediately.

# Dysentery

Dysentery is another disease which is found more often in infants and children than in adults. Dysentery results from an infection to the large intestine which leads to pain in the abdomen followed by passage of liquid stools. Dysentery is generally caused by bacterial, protozoan or viral infections. In such cases, ripe and sweet apple can be given as a treatment even in acute and chronic dysentery. Steam, boil and mash ripe apples and give them to your baby several times a day. This treatment has also been advocated by the American Medical Association.

# Cough

Infants or babies with cough might not be able to get good night’s sleep. Sweet apples are effective in reducing cough. Prepare juice of boiled or steamed apple and give it your child for about a week. Before giving this juice, make sure that your baby is at least 6 months old.

# Dental disorders

As such this benefit may not be useful for infants who are below the age of 1 year, but, it is useful for children above the age of 1.5 years as tooth development begins during 1 and 1.5 years. Make sure to give your children, slices of apple after their meals every night. Chewing apple not only promotes blood circulation in the gums, but the fiber also acts like tooth brush in cleaning the teeth and the gums. Mild acids present in apple also have an antimicrobial effect on the dental bacteria. Hence, introducing apples to toddlers is good for their dental care and development.