When can I give coconut milk to my baby?

Most Asian dishes are incomplete without coconut milk. So I understand why you are eagerly waiting for the day that you can introduce your baby to the creamy taste of coconut milk. The babies are born with an immature digestive system that can handle only a little amount of breastmilk or baby formula. Therefore, anything offered to your baby beyond breastmilk or baby formula should be thoroughly considered with their age.

Coconut milk is rich in nutrients and can benefit an adult body in many different ways. Is coconut milk good for our little ones? If so, when can we start to offer them? Keep reading this article to know when your baby will be ready to taste coconut milk.

CONTENT

1.   What is coconut milk?

2.   What is the nutritional value of coconut milk?

3.   When can I give coconut milk to my baby?

4.   What are the benefits of offering coconut milk to my baby?

5.   The difference between coconut milk and breastmilk

6.   How to make coconut milk at home

1.    What is coconut milk?

Although call it coconut milk, is it really milk? Technically, it is not the milk of the coconut. The white meat of the coconut is scraped and coconut milk is squeezed from this pulp. A small amount of water also will be mixed with coconut milk. Therefore, coconut milk is a mixture of water and juice squeezed from the coconut pulp.

2.    What is the nutritional value of coconut milk?

Coconut is rich in many types of nutrients. The babies require essential fat for the development of their brains, insulation, and the nourishment of their skin. Coconut milk contains a good amount of healthy fat beneficial for the baby.

Coconut milk also includes vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E and C. These vitamins are needed to boost immunity and maintain the health and wellbeing of growing children. But coconut milk is never a replacement for breastmilk or baby formula as well as cow’s milk.

3.    When can I give coconut milk to my baby?

Coconut milk is a healthy drink for us due to its anti-microbial properties and cooling effect. But we cannot introduce coconut milk to babies until their digestive systems are ready for it. So when will your baby be ready to taste coconut milk?

Coconut milk can be used in the preparation of solid food after the age of six months. But you should wait until the baby’s first birthday to offer coconut milk as a drink. The same applies to cow’s milk and other milk alternatives. (Read this article to know when you can offer cow’s milk to your baby).

Simply, a baby should not drink any milk other than breastmilk or baby formula during his first year of life. Read these articles if you are curious about when you can stop breastfeeding or giving baby formula to your baby.

When can I igve coconut milk to my baby?

4.    What are the benefits of offering coconut milk to my baby?

Below are a few reasons why you should consider offering coconut milk to your baby.

Promotes the development of the brain.

The high-fat content of coconut milk can provide the necessary amount of fat for the development of your baby’s brain. The fat contained in coconut milk is saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated which is healthy for the consumers. At the young age in which your baby’s brain is developing fast, a nutritious fatty drink like coconut milk is invaluable.

Boost the immune system

Vitamins and minerals boost the immunity of humans. Coconut milk includes plenty of them. It is rich in potassium and sodium that are required to maintain the blood pressure at a healthy level. Although it is not well known, coconut milk contains vitamin C that boosts immunity, and repairs body tissues.

Anti-microbial properties

Coconut milk can protect your baby from bacteria, viruses, and germs with its anti-microbial properties. The water in the coconut mainly possesses this property and, it is a part of the coconut milk.

5.    The difference between coconut milk and breastmilk

Coconut milk is highly nutritious as we discussed above. It will keep your baby full for a long time due to the fats and calories in it. But coconut milk is not nutritious enough to replace breastmilk.

Protein is critical nutrition needed by a growing baby to support his muscle growth. Coconut milk contains only 2g of protein in 100g. Therefore,  it clearly fails to meet the level of protein provided by breastmilk or baby formula. Coconut milk also lacks calcium and provides only around 10% of a baby’s calcium needs.

6.    How to make coconut milk at home?

Coconut milk is available for purchase in grocery stores. But we have to be extra cautious about the food that we offer to our babies. You can make coconut milk at home to ensure that you are not feeding him any preservatives or added sugar.

What do you need?

  • A coconut, fresh and dehusked
  • Warm water
  • A muslin cloth

Method

  • Break the coconut carefully. Collect the coconut water into a separate bowl and leave it aside.
  • Grate the coconut. Put it in warm water and boil it for a few minutes.
  • Mix the coconut water with the coconut pulp formed. Grind it till it becomes thicker.
  • Put the mixture into a clean muslin cloth and squeeze the juice into a ball.
  • Let the coconut milk cool down before offering it to the baby.

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