Known as liquid gold and majorly composed of milk fats — ghee, or clarified butter has been in use for ages. You can always find this in every Indian Kitchen as the benefits of ghee are numerous! Also, the fat in ghee for babies is one of the healthiest.
Ghee is one of the easily digestible and beneficial foods which can be introduced to your baby. While it’s always a question of when and what to give to babies, ghee for babies is one of the best nutrients that aids in maintaining overall health.
In this blog, we will see the overall benefits of ghee and why this shouldn’t be skipped for your child!
When To Give Ghee To Babies?
Planning on what to introduce for babies once they complete six months of breastfeeding is a challenging task. Apart from the usual foods that are introduced to babies once they can eat solids, there are a few traditional foods too that our babies must get introduced to.
Ghee for babiescan be included in the baby’s diet right from the time they are introduced to solids. Adding a few drops of ghee to the baby’s lentil food or mashed vegetables is a good way to start.
8 Benefits Of Giving Ghee To Babies
Finding an alternative supplement for breastfeeding during the wean-off stage is important for babies to gain weight. Going by the benefits of ghee for babies, many parents opt to introduce it in their baby’s meals.
Now that we know ghee is assumes a very important position both in our cultural and medicinal history. Let us list 8 amazing benefits of giving ghee to babies for you.
1. Improves weight gain
As one of the healthiest fatty foods, giving ghee to babies helps in gaining weight. As stated earlier, it is important to plan for an alternative during the breast milk weaning stage.
Remember to offer ghee regularly and controlled amounts for a stable and gradual weight gain. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in ghee enables healthy weight gain.
2. Ghee is easy to digest for babies
For babies suffering from lactose intolerance, ghee is one of the foods that are easy to digest. A baby’s digestive system is also extremely sensitive. Hence, taking a spoonful of ghee every day sorts out all digestive issues, including constipation.
Thus, giving ghee to the baby acts as a guard in preventing digestion issues and increases the baby’s appetite too. Also, applying ghee in a pinch of asafoetida and rubbing the baby’s belly help fix bloating issues.
3. Reduces chances of infection
Babies generally don’t have a strong immune system. As parents, we take precautions to keep babies out of infection. A spoon of ghee every day helps build immunity in the child.
Ghee comes with a good source of antioxidants that help the baby fight common infections.
4. Helps in brain development
Ghee comes with the perfect level of DHA — an important component for the child’s brain development. It helps the baby develop its memory power.
Related Reading: 12 Best Foods For Baby Brain Development
One tested way is to massage the baby’s head with ghee until 6 months and later include ghee as a part of their food.
5. Provides energy
Our little ones need a lot of energy to explore the world around them. The benefits of giving ghee to the baby including instant energy and keeps the baby on the move.
Babies who have a regular intake of ghee or ghee products have good stamina and energy as they grow up.
6. Ghee acts as a moisturizer
For babies dealing with skin issues such as eczema or red itchy skin, ghee is one of the best remedies which can give a soothing effect.
Ghee has a natural moisturizing quality that helps to maintain baby skin soft and healthy. Always go for ghee when you want to keep your baby moisturizer rather than buying the ones with chemicals.
7. Helps in chest congestion
The common cold is a familiar problem amongst babies. Instead of going for medicines all the time, it’s better to consider traditional ways too.
Related Reading: 12 Home Remedies To Ease Your Baby’s Vaccination Pain
Heat a few tablespoons of ghee and let it cool. Massage the baby using this and the baby will find instant relief for chest congestion.
8. Ghee for babies to build metabolism
Every parent wants an active child. Vitamin K12 and CLA present in ghee will help the baby improve metabolism.
A spoonful of ghee every day is likely to make your baby’s digestion better and increase immunity as well.
With high levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin E, the baby is sure to develop good immunity if fed with ghee everyday.
What Is The Best Way To Introduce Ghee To Babies?
There are many ways by which ghee for babies can be introduced. A few tried and tested methods are listed below.
- Adding a few drops of ghee in the morning breakfast is one good way to start. It enhances the taste and makes it delicious for the baby
- Use ghee for baby food such as frying. Say you want to give potato, fry it in the ghee which adds both taste and nutritional value
- Smear ghee on the baby’s roti and add a few drops of it to the sabzi
- Use it as a dip for idly/dosa and by preparing ghee dosa too
- If the baby likes the taste of plain ghee, you can offer it directly too
Related Reading: 15 Common Foods That Can Be Unsafe For Babies
Other Uses Of Ghee For Babies
While it’s always about consuming ghee, on the other hand, ghee is also good for a baby’s metabolism and nourishment. A few parents use ghee for skin whitening, massage babies with ghee, etc. Yet, many parents are skeptical about it.
Apart from using ghee for baby food, let us see below what best it can be used for.
1. Ghee for baby eczema
Itchy and red skin is common among newborns making them uncomfortable. While there are many products for baby’s sensitive skin, Ghee is said to be the best product to keep your baby’s skin moisturized and prevent further spread.
Gently rub ghee on the dry and itchy area of the baby’s body. Ghee for the baby skin acts as a natural moisturizer by softening the skin and preventing further crack.
2. Ghee for baby skin whitening
Did they tell you to drink saffron milk during pregnancy for having a fair baby? Well, I hear ya! The obsession with fair skin is imbibed deeply in our country.
Many moms have tried this technique of using ghee for baby skin whitening. Now ghee does moisturize the skin very well and keeps it healthy, but it has little effect on the color. There is a myth that it might cause the skin to be darker. You can also do baby massage with ghee.
Desi Ghee especially is a natural skin nourisher and keeps your baby away from all prevailing skin diseases.
3. Ghee for babies during cold/ Ghee during cough for babies
Many parents worry about what to feed their toddlers during the cold/cough phase. Ghee for babies during cold is one of the best foods that moms should not miss.
You can dry fry roasted peppercorns and mix them with ghee to enjoy the benefits of ghee for babies during flu/cold.
Giving ghee during cough for babies is effective for children who are tired of continuous coughing.
One traditional way to get the benefit of ghee for babies is that you can heat 2 to 3 teaspoons of ghee by adding 1 tablespoon of rock salt.
Soak a cotton ball in this once it is warm and tie the cotton inside a handkerchief. This cotton handkerchief needs to be tied to the child gently. Make sure it’s not too tight or too hot for the child.
Related Reading: Baby Cries After Feeding- 8 Reasons And 6 Ways To Deal With It
Homemade Ghee For Babies
Homemade ghee has its benefits which can improve the overall health of your baby. However, anything needs to be given in moderation. Remember the days when our moms used to generously prepare ghee at home. The fragrance of fresh ghee would wander inside the house the whole day.
Let your kids relish that phase too. Here is how you would thoroughly enjoy preparing and giving ghee to babies.
All you need is :
- Butter – 200gm
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig optional
- Buttermilk – 2 tbsp optional
Make sure you keep the butter at room temperature before you start the process.
- Cook the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium-high flame, until the butter starts melting and separates
- You will notice foam forming. Keep skimming it with a spoon. Repeat the process until the middle layer is clear
- Keep stirring until the foam turns brown and the clear ghee pops up
- Switch off the flame immediately. Let the foam settle for a while
- Strain the ghee and store it in an airtight container. And here’s your super homemade ghee
The ghee gets a little solid within three to four hours and becomes completely solid the next day.
Tips for preparing homemade ghee for babies
- Always go for unsalted butter while making ghee for babies
- Replace curry leaves with drumstick leaves or rock salt as desired.
- This holds good with a month’s shelf life if handled properly.
Conclusion
Planning your baby’s diet chart could be tricky. Though ghee is good, anything in abundance could be adverse. Make sure to provide ample time for your baby to get accustomed to the new food.
Unlike butter, ghee is a rich source of Vitamins and minerals. Assure you opt for homemade ghee for better results.
FAQs
As a good source of Vitamin A, ghee is safe and helpful for your baby’s skin, vision and immunity. Ghee comes with saturated fat which is a good replacement for breastmilk.
When given in the right amount, ghee can be beneficial. Always prefer unsalted butter for making ghee for babies less than one year. Never feed the baby with ghee until the baby is six months of age.
Ghee as in is good for babies owing to the number of benefits it provides. To have the full benefits of ghee it is always better to opt for homemade ones.
A quick tip to find the best ghee is to heat two tablespoons of ghee. If the ghee melts immediately by turning brown, it can be considered a good one.
One of the benefits of ghee for babies is that the baby gains a healthy weight. As a rich source of healthy fat, it comes with a good amount of calories. Consuming ghee regularly can help babies gain weight.
Including ghee in any form in the baby’s diet can help the baby get those extra pounds. However, excess ghee can lead to loss of appetite and overweight issues.