Hi
I heard that carrots and beetroots contain high nitrates and should avoid giving babies.
Is that true ?
My baby is 7 months old and I used to give carrot,beet,green beans, green peas, zucchini,broccoli,potato orsweet potato,caulifolwer all small pieces put together and little toor dhal and boil and blend it and give along with cerelac 1 tbs.she likes and eat it since 4 1/2 months.is that OK.
I should avoid carr, and beet orwhich month I can give.
Pls advise me.
Also she is having dry cough in the night where she will puke some amount of milk.any thing can be done for the dry cough.
(this cough she got 2 weeks before when she got viral fever,we checked her bld test and there is no infection only the dry cough is still continuing.
Pls help me...... Hetal replied. boil water say 8-10 oz,,add in 1/2tsp of turmeric and 1/2tsp of ghee..let it boil,,and keep offering this water at lukewarm temperature,,every 2-4hours,,aaround 2-4tsp,,or whenever cough becomes bad...nd your baby will feel good with sore throat/cough and this will help him recover smoothly.
ghee smoothens his throat,turmeric cures,,water hydrates !! too good.
also boiling basil/tulsi leaves in water, and offering that water during all her water feeds,might help..not more than 2leaves are required for 7month old..its enough for around 4cups of measurement cup ! Hetal replied. spinach,beets,cabbage,broccoli,carrots contains high amounts of nitrates..

these should be avoided giving to infants that are of age below 6months !!
also avoid giving these raw until your baby is atleast 8months.

other than that, giving these vegetables,,is perfectly safe PROVIDED you cook these in sauces other than PLAIN WATER..nitrates are soluble in water and hence when you boil or cook these in water, they instead combine with water and dissolved in it...thus going in stomach directly in much more easily digestive form !!

so always cook these with other sauces like vegetable purees or tomato purees instead of plain water....

now about the risk part,,,babies who are over the age of 6 months old have good mature digestive system and their stomach acids are strong enough to fight the bacteria that helps nitrate conversion or ne subsequent nitrate poisoning.
thats y most of these vegetables you will find in your baby food section are either in second line of baby foods and mostly all babies are expected to eat vegetables and fruits after 6months !!

also, most of the studies have shown that the nitrates present in these vegetables increased because of its improper storage and improper cooking and not because of only fertilizers.....
freezzing is the most trusted form of storing food esp those contains nitrates..freezing method eleminates the nitrates !!!!!!

avoid giving cabbage until 2 years of age.give brocolli after 8months complete.and most of all the fear of nitrate poisioning or high levels are not vegetables,,but the contaminated drinking or ground water !!!! which is eliminated when you are giving your baby regular water,,unless you are living in farms where the direct source is underground water !!
however, running water, fresh water springs and other water sources where the water is processed and then send to home/residents,,have perfectly safe levels of nitrates in them !!! some areas plants were able to eliminate totally !!

going for organics might help but you have to understand that not all brands of organics are nitrate free !!! so go for the trusted brand after a good research,,ask at whole foods, speciality markets,,which are best..most of real organic products are good in price ! eexpensive,so be prepared...
and also note that if you feel comfortable using baby foods that come in jar,,well they have nitrates too !!! so the only assurance you get from these is they may contain lower level of nitrates compared to the one you make at home,,but please understand that nitrates are something thats in vegetables itself,irrespective of the type of fertilizers used,,so even these baby food companies are not able to remove nitratess.....

so the crux of the whole matter : cook and store these vegetables(or use freshed, washed thoroughly in running warm water) properly and you are doing a very good job in giving your baby a good meal which is safe for cnsmption !!!!

good luck.