When is it Safe to Introduce Salt and Sugar in Baby’s Diet

Like most mothers, I was confused about when to introduce salt and sugar in food for my little one. As a first time mother, I got a lot of suggestions and advice from my family and friends. I read a lot of books, researched on the internet and asked other moms to know just the right time to introduce complementary food for my baby. Although I really appreciate the advice from all my dear ones, I still couldn't figure out the right time to introduce basic salt and sugar to my baby. The introduction of various kinds of food in my baby's diet was something I was really looking forward to but I was also conscious of how my baby's body would react to it. After consulting my doctor and reading about this common concern of various first-time or even some veteran mothers, I concluded that the right time is different for all babies. Since every baby is different in terms of their eating habits and the way they respond to it differs, it is advisable to continue breastfeeding the baby for an initial period of six months. Newborns have a very little need of sodium and it is completely taken care of by breast milk or infant formula. It may initially seem exciting to see how your baby responds to various flavors and ingredients; it is a wise choice to manage the baby's diet by introducing solid food only after six months of age. Once your baby is 6 months old, he/she needs more nutrients and more food. Breast milk alone is not sufficient to satisfy this need and you may introduce some solid food gradually. Although the baby’s’ taste buds have already developed and he/she may start enjoying solid food, most pediatricians advise mothers to give salt and sugar only after the baby is a year old. Often parents start giving commercially available food like biscuits, soups etc. that has added salt and sugar for the purpose of taste enhancement. I would recommend mothers to read the ingredients carefully if they are feeding their baby any kind of packaged food. Some of the major problems seen due to an untimely introduction of salt and sugar are as follows:

• Risk of high blood pressure and kidney failure because of high level of sodium
• High content of salt in body can also lead to dehydration
• Increased sugar content in food can result in your baby developing a sweet tooth
• High dose of sugar in the initial years can also increase the future risk of diabetes
• Adding too much sugar can also result in oral cavities in babies

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