Doctor in the House: Pass the salt | Parenting News,The Indian Express

It's best to introduce your infant to salt after they are a year old, and that, too, very little at a time

When to start?

When discussing the introduction of complementary foods, I am often asked by both parents and grandparents how much salt can be added to their baby’s meals. My answer is always the same – no salt for at least one year. Babies’ kidneys are not fully developed and, as a result, they are unable to filter out the excess salt like an adult’s kidney can. However, all of us need a little salt to survive, including babies, who require less than 1 gram of salt per day till they turn one. For the first six months, this requirement is met by either breast milk or formula. One- to three-year-olds should not have more than 2 gram of salt per day. Too much salt too early in life may promote a lifelong preference for salt, that is far from healthy. The excessive consumption of salt can cause babies to develop hypertension later in life, which is one of the precursors of heart disease in adults.

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How much is too much?

Once weaning begins and the quantity of milk reduces, your baby will meet her salt requirement from the food she consumes. It is around this time that things start to go wrong, and children consume more salt than is necessary, especially when parents practise baby-led weaning – where babies are offered adult food with a much larger salt content.

https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/doctor-in-the-house-pass-the-salt-7961321/

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