Reviewed by Infant Feeding Specialist and Little Melly Founder, Jennifer Muller Mansour
Packed with vitamins, iron, zinc, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals, pomegranate is one of the best ways to ensure a healthy diet for your little one. Pomegranates are great citrus fruits that can help your baby grow and develop. Read to find out how to make it baby-friendly.
When can pomegranate be introduced to babies?
Pomegranate, a seeded red fruit can be offered after the baby hits 6 months of age.
Make sure you give it in a form that is age-appropriate (see below) and do not overdo it as it may counter-effect the purpose of adding it in your baby's diet. You can even consult your regular pediatrician before you include the fruit in your baby’s diet.
Is pomegranate a choking hazard?
Pomegranate seeds that are small, round, and hard can be easily swallowed by babies under 12 months old with a smaller airway, causing them to choke. After 1 year of age, kids are more easily able to eat the full kernel.
Pomegranate seeds should be served after your baby can pick up little pieces of food that are easily chewable. You can also flatten each seed with the back of a fork before offering.
The benefits of pomegranate:
Pomegranate offers your child a variety of nutritional and health benefits. Here are a few significant ones:
- Helps build immunity and fight infections
- Helps with digestion and constipation
- Kills intestinal worms
- Stabilizes and helps control fever
How to serve pomegranate
From 6 to 12 months: it is best to crush pomegranate kernels with the back of a spoon to avoid the risk of choking.
From 12 months+: you can serve the whole seeds on their own. You can add pomegranate seeds to either fruity or savory mixes and smoothies for extra crunchiness. So make sure that your baby already knows how to chew his food well before introducing whole pomegranate seeds.
Note that it’s not advised to introduce pomegranate in the form of juice until baby reaches the age of two years old, to help avoid a preference for sweet drinks or any sweet taste in general. Additionally, when a fruit is juiced, some of the advantages of fiber and other components are lost. But you can give it occasionally.
Summary of Precautions to take before introducing pomegranate to baby:
- Under age 1: Ensure that the seeds are flattened for babies younger.
- After age 1: Do not include the white skin in the juice; it makes it sour.
- After age 1: Restrict the intake of pomegranate to 180ml/day to prevent diarrhea.
