When Can Baby Eat Yogurt and Cheese? Why are Yogurt and Cheese Safe Before Baby is 1 Year Old?
What is the age to introduce yogurt to baby? Learn why introducing yogurt to your baby really does not jive with the "No Dairy Until 1 Year" rule.
We all wonder, why is it ok to give my baby Yogurt (and Cheese) before she is 1 year old?
Is there something special about the dairy aspect of yogurt and cheese?
Yogurt and cheese are a bit special when it comes to these 2 foods being dairy products. While there is NO great magic in Yogurt or Cheese, the most common reasons for yogurt and cheese being ok for baby prior to age 1 year old are:
- Unlike Whole Cow Milk beverage, your baby is not at risk of formula/breast milk being replaced by Yogurt or Cheese.
- The medical community worries that if Whole Cow milk is introduced to an infant prior to 1 year old, that parents would stop formula and/or breastfeeding and use Milk as the replacement. This would possibly be dangerous to your baby's health! They, however, neglect to specify the difference between baby drinking milk and eating yogurt and/or cheese.
- Lactose is broken down with the culturing of the yogurt or cheese and milk proteins are either semi-removed or limited. The culturing makes yogurt and cheese easier to digest. Many people with lactose intolerance often are be able to eat cheese and/or yogurt without trouble. The same is often true for some people with a milk protein (either to the casein or the whey) allergy.
So why do doctors say "No Dairy Until After 1 Year" if Yogurt and Cheese are Ok?
As we note above, the medical community fears that many people would stop formula/breastfeeding and start their kids on whole cow milk earlier than 1 year old - unless they were told not to. Many pediatricians do not explain that yogurt and cheese are ok for your baby from 8 months old and on.
Why is Milk not recommended before age 12 months?
Milk does not contain enough nutrients, vitamins or minerals for it to adequately and properly sustain an infant's growth. Indeed, prior to 1 year old, the consumption of a lot of dairy products may put baby at risk for iron deficient anemia. Milk also impedes the proper absorption of iron. Iron intake is one thing that an infant can not afford to have cut down or cut out of the diet. “Infants fed whole cow's milk receive inadequate amounts of Vitamin E, iron, essential fatty acids, and excessive amounts of protein, sodium, and potassium. These levels may be too high for the infant's system to handle.
Additionally, whole cow's milk protein and fat are more difficult for an infant to digest and absorb. The most dramatic effects are on iron levels in the body. Infants fed breast milk or iron fortified formula have normal iron levels.
Recent studies show infants often have depleted levels when started on cow's milk at six months of age." MerckSource Dairy Facts - Infants
The Magic in Yogurt is:
As mentioned, the one "magical" quality that may be found in Yogurt is that studies show that even people who are lactose intolerant may be able to easily digest Yogurt. Lactose is already converted to lactic acid during the manufacture/culturing of yogurt and people with lactose intolerance (and even the milk protein allergy) often more easily digest it than other dairy products. This digestibility makes yogurt (and even cheese) "ok" for babies 8 months of age and older. Many pediatricians will say that yogurt is fine for babies 6 months of age as well.
When Can My Baby Start Yogurt?
Most pediatricians recommend starting your infant on Yogurt around 7-8 months of age. Some pediatricians also recommend yogurt as a great first food (from 6 months+). Selecting a Whole Milk Yogurt is the most beneficial to your infant as babies need fats in their diets for proper growth!
You can buy Plain Whole Milk Yogurt made by such companies as Stonyfield Farm, Cascade Fresh and Brown Cow. You can also Make Your Own Homemade Yogurt! Stonyfield Farm makes the YoBaby brand that many parents know and love! However, using a large container of Plain Whole Milk yogurt will save you money (and save on added sugar) and give you the flexibility of adding your own flavorings to baby's yogurt. As regards yogurts marketed for for infants (between the ages of 8 months and 12 months old), the YoBaby brand does contain natural organic sugars.
The sugar content is less than in a brand such as Dannimals and it is natural and not refined or chemically processed sugar. There are no additives such as starches, fructose syrup, gelatin etc in the Stonyfield YoBaby brand either. You may be surprised to learn that all yogurts, even the Plain yogurts, will contain sugar. Sugar (lactose) occurs naturally in dairy products. This "dairy" sugar is not an additive and we feel that is an important distinction to make!
How Should I Serve Yogurt?
As long as baby has had the fruits/veggies that you wish to mix in with the
Yogurt, you are unlimited in what you use. Some of our favorites are:
- Yogurt with applesauce and a dash of cinnamon
- Yogurt and Blueberries
- Yogurt with peaches and bananas together (and separate)
- Yogurt with Wheat Germ and no other addition
- Yogurt and mashed avocado
- Yogurt blended with any fruit and water to create a baby-smoothie (using water makes for a thin mix that may slide through a Sippy Cup with ease)
- Yogurt mixed with veggies - sounds yucky to grown-ups but many babies love yogurt mixed with a veggie!
Read More on Yogurt at
Ask Dr. Sears - Yogurt
Yogurt - The Curds and Whey to Health
Dannimals
YoBaby
