Avocado for Your Baby - Age for Avocado Introduction to Baby:
(4)6-8 Months Old

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The Goodness of Avocado:

Avocado makes a great first food for baby due to its texture and creaminess as well as its high nutrient content.

 

Avocados are often called one of nature's perfect foods because they are said to contain everything a person needs to survive.

 

A wonderful "good fat" food for baby's brain and physical development, try an avocado as baby's first food instead of refined cereals.

 

"Sodium- and cholesterol- free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including 8% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for folate; 4% DV for fiber and potassium, 4% DV for vitamin E; and 2% DV for iron. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain." http://www.avocado.org/healthy_living/nutrition.php

 

Nutrients in Avocados
VITAMINS: (one cup pureed) Vitamin A - 338 IU Vitamin C - 20.2 mg Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - .2 mg Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - .3 mg Niacin - 3.9 mg Folate - 205 mg Pantothenic Acid - 3.3 mg Vitamin B6 - .6 mg Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.	MINERALS: (one medium) Potassium - 1166 mg Phosphorus - 124 mg Magnesium - 67 mg Calcium - 30 mg Sodium - 18 mg Iron - 1.4 mg Also contains small amounts of selenium, manganese, copper and zinc.

 

When can I introduce Avocado to my baby?

Avocado is a wonderful first food for baby. An avocado is smooth and creamy when mashed - a perfect food that will be more readily accepted as baby begins solids. Avocado may be offered as early as 4 - 6 months old. Babies need carbohydrates, and fats as well as proteins for their growth during the crucial first year and even into the second year.

 

As you begin to introduce a wide variety of foods, you will find that mashing an avocado and mixing with applesauce, peaches or pears, bananas and even yogurt make a wonderful meal or snack.

 

Infants should NOT be on a "low fat" diet so disregard any advice to not feed avocados because they are high in fats. If you have any doubts, as always we recommend you consult your pediatrician.

 

Yes, Avocados are full of fat -

 

Avocados are high in fat and calories and we are often told to stay away from them due to this. A medium size avocado contains approximately 322 calories and up to 30 grams of fat - WOW. 1 cup of avocado puree contains almost 700 calories as it would take approximately 2 avocados to make a cup.

The benefits of avocados far outweigh the "risks". Avocados contain monounsaturated fats which are said to lower "bad" cholesterol and also aid in maintaining a healthy heart. Also high in fiber, avocados are great aids in reducing the risks of cancer and heart attack.

 

How to select the perfect Avocado for baby food

 

When selecting an Avocado, you want a dark green color with bumpy texture. The fruit should be firm yet yielding when gently pushed.

 

When an avocado is sliced in half, the flesh color should be a green that gently transforms into a buttery yellow around the pit.

 

The best way to cook Avocados for Baby Food

 

Avocados are served fresh from their peels. There is no need to cook avocados for baby or adult. Give an avocado a gentle roll around your counter to help separate the meat from the shell before you slice.

 

Freezing Avocados:
I freeze in avocado in slices. For the babies, I take out a slice, mash it up and then serve. The browning of the avocado seemed to be less than when I mashed/pureed it and then froze it.

 

You can also create a bath of:
* 1/2 cup water and
* 2 squeezes-drips of lemon juice
Bathing the slices in mixture will help to retard browning.

 

**But don't feed citrus or acidic fruits to a baby before 1 yr esp. if your baby gets rashy from other foods. Using a drip or 2 of lemon juice in a puree or to bathe several avocado slices is not the same as pureeing up a few orange slices and serving them.

 

Freezing Avocado - What our Visitors say:   Jane in IL says: I just mash and then freeze in trays. I keep the mashed avocado a bit chunky. It gets a little brown but otherwise thaws out nicely.   Samantha in Ontario says: We freeze avocado in slices after a water bath with a dash of lime juice. My mom says lime helps preserve color and flavor better. I did notice that the thawed slices are a bit mushy and runny. I mix in a bit of cereal or banana and yogurt and all is well.

 

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A Few Basic Avocado Baby Food Recipes:

 

Baby's Mashed Avocado

Peel and de-pit a ripe avocado
Cut “meat” out and mash with a fork

There should be no need to use a machine as just like bananas, avocados have a very soft consistency and texture. Avocados do not need to be cooked.

 

 

Creamy Banana-Cado Baby Food

 

Peel and de-pit a ripe avocado
Cut “meat” out and mash with a fork
Peel and mash 1 banana

Place in a blender or food processor and puree until desired texture is achieved. Avocados and Bananas do not need to be cooked.

 

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Guacamole for Baby

 

Peel and pit a ripe avocado
Cut “meat” out and mash with a fork
wheat germ or crushed cheerios (optional)
pinch of garlic powder, pepper & basil

 

Mix avocado, wheat germ/cheerios and spice then blend. Fold in plain whole milk yogurt until a texture good for your baby is achieved.

 

Allow baby to dip toast, soft cooked veggies or even her own fingers in the guac. for a yummy meal accompaniment

 

 

Avocado & Cream Cheese Dippers' Delight

 

Prepare avocado as shown above.

Blend with Cream Cheese until a semi-smooth mixture is formed,

 

Add wheat germ or crushed cheerios and shape into little balls or spread on toast or crackers or blend with cereals.

 

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Baby's Yummy Avocado Fruit Salad

 

3 or 4 ripe avocados
3 or 4 ripe bananas
3 or 4 Pears (steamed)
A couple of dollops Yogurt (for 8 months +)

Directions:
Peel, de seed and slice fruits as needed
Place in a blender or food processor and puree until desired texture is achieved
Add a couple of dollops of Yogurt if desired

 

*Use diced fruits as a Baby Finger Food snack for older infants and toddlers - drizzle the Plain Yogurt over the fruits

 

 

Creamy Avocado Mango Mousse

If your infant is currently not eating yogurt and/or you do not wish to use any juice, simply peel, de-seed and mash the mango with some water until the proper consistency for Your Infant is achieved.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup peeled and cubed mango

1 ripe avocado - peeled, seeded and cubed
Plain or Vanilla Yogurt or Water, Apple or Pear Juice

Directions:

Mash the mango with the avocado until smooth -
Add Yogurt or Water or Juice and whip with a whisk until a creamy mousse like consistency is created.

 

HINT. This will make a great spread or dip for baby's favorite finger foods. You may also use this as a great Baby Finger Food. Simply cut the mango and avocado into dices or chunks that are manageable for your baby. Mix the fruits together (yogurt optional) and serve. You may wish to coat the fruit bits with "cheerio dust", wheat germ or another cereal "dust" to help baby easily pick up the bits.

 

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Peachy Avocados

 

Ingredients:

3 peaches
1 avocado

 

Directions:

1. Peel, pit and cut peaches into chunks
2. Peel, de-seed and cut avocado into chunks
3. Steam peaches gently until tender if needed

4. Place fruits in a blender/food processor and puree until smooth or mash with a fork and let baby try to use a spoon or her fingers.

 

 

Pumpkin, Banana 'Cado

 

Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 avocado, peeled seeded & diced
1 ripe peach – peeled, pitted & diced

 

Directions:

Combine all foods (steam peach together if need be) and mash or puree if needed.

 

HINT. You may also buy a can of pumpkin from your local grocers. Make sure you buy Pumpkin and NOT Pumpkin Pie mix however. Learn more about Cooking with Pumpkin

 

 

Peary Tasty Avocados

 

Ingredients

2 ripe pears, peeled & cored & diced

1 ripe avocado

 

Directions:

Mash the pear and then mix in the avocado – puree if needed.

 

A Few Foods Good to Mix With Avocado:

 

Bananas
Pears
Apples
Summer Squash - Zucchini, Yellow (Crooked Neck)
Chicken
Yogurt

 

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Avocados and Pregnant and Nursing Moms - If avocados are this good for pregnant and lactating Moms and the fetus - imagine the health benefits to Babies.

 

"The avocado can be called the fruit of life because it is sodium and cholesterol-free and contains life's essential vitamins and minerals including folate, potassium, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat," said Dr. Aliza. "And, since it's never been so important as now to eat right and to make every ingredient count, avocados are an excellent addition to a mother's nutrition."

 

Ounce per ounce, avocados contain more folate than other fruits. Folate (the natural form of folic acid) is necessary for healthy fetal cell and tissue development. Pregnant women should have 600-800 micrograms a day to protect against neural tube birth defects like spina bifida. Avocados are also the highest fruit source of potassium, which helps balance the body’s electrolytes, particularly important during pregnancy when blood volume expands up to 50 percent. In addition, potassium aids muscle activity, nerve function and energy metabolism, which helps babies and children grow.

 

Avocados can even aid in one of the most common ailments of expecting mothers -- morning sickness. A valuable source of vitamin B6, avocados have been shown to relieve nausea associated with pregnancy. Besides easing queasiness, vitamin B6 also strengthens the immune system, assists with energy metabolism, aids nerve impulse. transmission and synthesizes red blood cells, which is important at all ages.

 

In addition to the many nutritional benefits, avocados serve as valuable time-savers for pregnant and nursing mothers, who neither have the time nor the energy to prepare nutritious meals. With no cooking time involved, an avocado is a quick nourishing snack eaten right out of the shell or as a luscious topping when served over a salad, soup or entrée. Dr. Aliza Lifshitz "Healthy Moms, Healthy Kids"

Homemade Baby Food Avocado Recipes - Avocado is Easy to Make & Yummy in Baby's Tummy

More Info:

Avocado Nutritional Info for Low Carb or Diabetic Diets
Avocado Fruit Facts 
Avocado Facts from the Univ of CA

 

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