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Is it possible to give honey to a child? Honey for children: beneficial properties, application. Baked apples with honey

It's hard to overestimate beneficial properties one of the most valuable natural products. Since ancient times it has been used as a medicinal and prophylactic agent. Honey is actively used in medicine, cosmetology and cooking. Of course, we all think about how to give honey to children: is it possible, when and how to start introducing this magical product and how much will be useful for our children.

Doctors' opinions on the age at which children can drink honey vary somewhat. Some say that children should be given honey from 1.5-2 years of age, others recommend starting after 3 years.

We advise you to follow the recommendations World Organization Health (WHO), which categorically prohibits giving honey to a child under the age of 12-18 months. and believes that it is possible to wait until 2 years to start giving honey to children.

Why can’t you give honey to children under 1 year of age?

British scientists have found that it is dangerous to give honey to children under one year of age: at this age, the delicacy can create a very favorable environment in the baby’s digestive system for the development of botulism. This is due to the content of the spore-forming bacillus Clostridium botulinum in bee honeycombs.
Botulism spores are not bacteria, so they cannot harm a child aged 1-1.5 years or an adult, since they die in the stomach under the influence of hydrochloric acid. In children of the first year of life gastrointestinal tract is still forming, and its acidity is not high enough to fight pathogens. The spores, entering the infant's immature intestines, begin to produce a toxin that disrupts neuromuscular connections. Infant botulism - quite rare occurrence, and is usually completely curable, but sometimes there is still a risk of disability or death.

If your baby is already in the second year of life, you can gradually introduce our wonderful product. Before giving honey to children for the first time, dissolve a couple of drops in a glass of water and give it to your baby to drink (in the first half of the day). If no negative reactions are observed within 24 hours, then start giving 1/3 teaspoon per day. Children under 3 years old can be given 1-2 teaspoons per day, 3-6 years old - 2-3 teaspoons, 7-12 years old - 3-4 teaspoons, over 12 years old - 1-2 tablespoons.

Do not also forget that honey is a strong allergen, along with citrus fruits. An allergic reaction to honey is not a common occurrence, but the immune system of young children is not fully developed, which is why caution should be used when giving honey to children. The cause of the allergy is the complex multicomponent composition of the product, that is, the reaction occurs not to the honey itself, but to its individual components.

If you are sure and the baby responds well to new product, feel free to use it as a general strengthening, preventive or auxiliary therapeutic agent.If your child is sick, and you want to help him with something other than the medications recommended by the doctor, you can give honey to children for medicinal purposes in small quantities from the age of one year. Just like when introducing a beekeeping product to the menu, caution is required here. Start with small doses, and if the baby’s reaction is normal, feel free to start treatment.

Treatment with honey.

Remember that you should not add this valuable product to hot drinks. Heating it above 45 degrees reduces the enzymatic activity of the product, that is, the absorption of carbohydrates worsens and poorly soluble salts are formed.

Light sedative at night. If your “shilopop” doesn’t want to go to bed after an active day, give him a spoonful of honey with warm milk at night. Honey has a beneficial effect on nervous system child and has a calming effect.

Vitamin mixture. Grind using a meat grinder or blender and mix dried apricots, prunes, seedless raisins, figs, walnut and honey Give your child a teaspoon of this mixture per day as an additional source of vitamins (this is especially true in winter and spring). The whole family can take ours.

Rubbing for respiratory infections. For a runny nose and cough, you can smear honey on the child’s chest, neck and back, and then wrap him warmly. But you should not do this procedure at elevated temperatures, otherwise the transfer of heat to the skin will be impaired.

First aid for cooling. If your “researcher” comes home after deep exploration of cold puddles, make him tea and offer him honey. This combination will increase blood circulation and allow you to warm up faster.

For bedwetting. Brew one teaspoon of horsetail and yarrow per glass of boiling water, add one spoon of honey and leave for 2 hours. Give your child this tea an hour before bedtime.

When coughing. The fact is that honey contains substances that help activate the synthesis of compounds that suppress the cough center. Thanks to this, the frequency and intensity of an obsessive, dry cough, which does not bring the slightest relief, is reduced. In addition, due to its enveloping effect, the use of this beekeeping product helps to soothe an irritated throat and eliminate sore throat. At the same time, it contains components that contribute to liquefaction, swelling and, therefore, facilitating the release of mucus from the bronchi. Thus, treating coughs with honey is effective in all cases, that is, with both dry and wet coughs.

Any grandmother knows how to quickly calm a crying baby. All you have to do is coat the pacifier with honey and give it to him. The sweet taste will quickly do its job, and the baby will fall asleep happy and calm. Since ancient times, honey has been given since infancy. But today, warnings are increasingly heard that the benefits of this product are greatly exaggerated, and in fact, it can cause serious harm to health. Parents need to clearly know whether their children can have honey, if so, then from infancy or much later, and what the maximum dose may be.

About the benefits of honey for children

Many parents do not even suspect that the answer to the question of whether honey can be given to children may be negative. After all, in childhood they themselves were given it as almost a universal medicine. There is a rational grain in this. The beneficial properties of honey for children are known and proven.

The product promotes the full development of the child.
It is a catalyst for the absorption of calcium and magnesium by the child’s body, and without these substances the full development of the skeleton is impossible.
The product is prescribed to children with low blood hemoglobin.
It improves intestinal motility, promotes food digestion and timely bowel movement.
It contains carotene and vitamin C. It is these substances contained in honey that have a detrimental effect on viruses. Children who consume honey regularly have strong immunity.
Carotene is an element that helps improve visual acuity. How earlier baby begins to consume foods with carotene, so less problems with vision will be at an older age.
Since this product does not contain sugar, it does not contribute to tooth decay. However, fructose in honey can cause disruption of the microflora of the mucous membrane and cause the appearance of ulcers and stomatitis. Therefore, after eating this delicacy you need to rinse your mouth.
The product is used in the complex treatment of childhood enuresis.
It is also a natural sedative, which makes the baby quickly fall asleep.
The product also has expectorant properties, so it is actively taken for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

As you can see, the list of beneficial properties of this product is quite extensive, and few people question whether honey can be given to children. However, there are also contraindications. Some substances contained in the product are strictly prohibited for young children, as they may adversely affect their development. Therefore, the question needs to be posed differently than at the beginning: at what age can children be given honey so that there are no undesirable consequences.

Can children be given honey? Doctor Komarovsky

This delicacy is a storehouse of biologically active substances, which undoubtedly affect the growing organism in one way or another. But this impact is difficult to predict in advance. It can be both positive and negative.

In most cases negative impact manifests itself as an allergic reaction.

The most serious reason to avoid taking this product is early age- risk of botulism. Honey may be contaminated with botulism spores. The child’s body is designed in such a way that bowel movements, where these very spores ultimately end up, can occur irregularly. As a result, intoxication of the body begins, the spores release a deadly poison. This is why bee products cannot be given to children under 2 years of age.

At what age should a child be given honey?

This is a frequently asked question, and it is due to the fact that many mothers do not know whether it is possible to give honey to their infant or whether it is worth waiting. In the past, such a question did not arise, since no one even imagined the existence of any botulism spores or biologically active components of beekeeping products. It was believed that honey treated colds, so they were treated with it, regardless of age. Nowadays, they try to put a scientific basis behind everything, so they carry out all sorts of biological research. But even common sense should tell you that before using this product you need to make sure:

As: our ancestors had no idea what it was environmental disaster, and they were not even afraid to drink water from natural reservoirs. IN Soviet times All products were also safe, as they passed strict GOST control. Today's products, including honey, may contain dyes, flavor enhancers, sugar and even paraffin. Store-bought honey can be dangerous for babies. However, too much useful substances It’s also not “good to eat.” The child's body will begin to reject them. For a child, natural honey can be as harmful as surrogate honey. In addition, it is unknown where the apiary was located. It is possible that a few meters from a busy highway.
In the absence of allergies: statistics say that the number of children with allergies has doubled over the past 25 years. It's all about environmental degradation and an increase in the share of chemical components in food products. Honey is the strongest allergen. If the baby suffers from allergies, then from a few drops he can develop deadly Quincke's edema. Don't you think dear parents, that an exhaustive answer has been given to the question whether a baby can have honey?

According to modern pediatricians, there is no need to rush to introduce honey into children's diets. In addition, it is necessary to observe age-specific dosages for children to consume honey.

For children under 1 year of age, honey is generally contraindicated;
Up to 3 years, the prohibition is not so categorical, but it is better to give beekeeping products only in exceptional cases and no more than half a teaspoon, and this dose is given in 2-3 doses;
At 3-5 years old, you can give your child a little more than a tablespoon of this delicacy per day, divided into 3-4 doses;
At 6-9 years old, the introduction of honey into the diet is welcome, as it stimulates mental activity and strengthens the immune system. An exception is children who are allergic to bee products. The dose for this age category is 3 heaped tablespoons per day;
Children over 9 years old can be given up to 5 tablespoons per day.

No less important for parents is the question of how to give honey to their child so as not to harm his health.

Firstly, even if you follow the dosage, you should not abuse the product and give it for more than 1 month. You can resume taking it after 2-3 months.

Secondly, do not give honey to your child undiluted. It can be diluted with milk, water, added to warm, but not in hot tea. Honey for children can successfully replace sugar in cereals, cottage cheese, and yoghurts. But even if the child needs honey in this particular case, and he does not tolerate it, there is no need to give it by force.

This product should not be given unless necessary. The later such a need arises, the better.

IN school age will bring honey to the child maximum benefit. As a last resort, you can give a child over 2 years old half a teaspoon a day. Giving babies honey before they are 2 years old is an unjustified risk. Responsibility for the consequences will lie entirely with the parents. And it is almost impossible to foresee them. IN best case scenario, it could be a skin rash from overuse bee products. To prevent this from happening, you need to follow the dosage of honey for children in accordance with their age.

Contraindications for taking honey by children

Contraindications are due to the content of biologically active substances in the product. You should not give honey to children if:

The child is under 1 year of age;
The child exhibited allergic reactions to bee products and has diathesis;
Diagnosed with scrofula or external tuberculosis;
There is individual intolerance to some components of honey;
The child suffers from diabetes;
There is a predisposition to be overweight or diagnosed with obesity. If you give him honey, he will acquire to the available extra pounds new.

It is unlikely that any parent will risk neglecting contraindications. After all, this is fraught with very serious problems with the baby’s health.

Why is honey dangerous for children?

If you give honey to your child too early, or give a low-quality product, and do not follow contraindications, the following complications may occur:

Manifestations of allergies from rash to Quincke's edema;
Botulism is a disease that affects the nervous system and respiratory organs;
If there is an individual intolerance to honey, the child may experience some allergy symptoms: hives, runny nose and others;
Excessive consumption of the product leads to the development of caries and weight gain.

To the question of whether children can have honey, parents still do not have a clear answer. As a rule, those who have experienced the hardships of complications will never give this product to their child again; others are confident that only with its help the child’s cold will go away quickly and without consequences. In any case, it is better to avoid drinking honey at an early age. And after 2 years, honey should be introduced into the baby’s menu with caution.

Honey is very useful product, consisting of water, beneficial vitamins, minerals, phytoncides and flavonoids. Honey is one of the five most useful and at the same time delicious foods, has many therapeutic and preventive properties. Children who consume honey develop better and are more resistant to fluctuations in environmental conditions.

For colds and flu. Thanks to all the substances in its composition, honey is an excellent medicine for any symptoms of flu and colds. Its antiseptic properties help soothe a sore throat. The restorative effect of honey helps relieve intoxication and strengthen the child’s body during illness. Honey also has antibacterial properties. None of the means traditional medicine will not help you cope with your cough better or faster. Honey contains substances for the good development and renewal of body cells.

Interesting to know! Scientists from Canada have proven that honey is an antibacterial agent against bacteria that cause chronic runny nose in children. They claim that consuming honey can relieve children from this nasal disease. And American scientists from Pennsylvania conducted an experiment. A group of 100 children under the age of 5 who had a cough was selected. 50 children were treated with medications, and 50 with honey (1 tsp before bedtime). In the end, it turned out that honey helped more effectively. As the scientists themselves explained, unlike medicines honey acts in several ways - it softens the throat, eliminates coughing attacks, kills bacteria, and helps renew damaged cells in the respiratory tract.

For the nervous system. Honey has a positive effect on the nervous system; it can even be called an antidepressant. If you have insomnia, you can eat a spoonful of honey with water or warm tea. Consuming honey will relieve irritability and anxiety in a child. The presence of simple sugars in the composition will nourish the tired brain of a schoolchild. Honey is good for children who have urinary incontinence.
General protection of the body. The presence of antioxidants can protect the body from the development of cancer and strengthen the body.
Let's say on diets. Although honey contains sugar, at the same time it is one of all sweets allowed in a diet for weight loss, in a diet. It does not promote the growth of adipose tissue.
For the digestive organs. Honey improves digestion, helps absorb proteins and fats, and increases appetite. Reduces inflammation in gastritis and ulcers. A spoonful of honey dissolved in a glass of water normalizes the acidity of the stomach.
It is impossible not to mention the minerals contained in honey, which will strengthen the skeletal system and support normal level hemoglobin.

From the practice of a local pediatrician. One day, a 12-year-old child was admitted and was diagnosed with acute bronchitis and prescribed treatment with antibacterial and expectorant drugs. Within a month, the child’s condition did not improve, and the parents began to give the child radish juice with honey. Surprisingly, it was this remedy that restored the child’s health. Recipe: in a cleanly washed radish you need to cut a hole in the shape of a funnel 2-3 cm deep, fill it with honey to the edges, when juice appears instead of honey - drink it through a straw and so during the day consume all the resulting juice or squeeze it several times a day fresh radish juice and mix it with honey. It can be used for a slight cough, early bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma.

Honey for teenagers' skin and hair

A honey mask will help make teenage acne less noticeable.

Teenagers' skin tends to be oily and highly prone to acne and pimples. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey will help eliminate this problem. Before applying honey, the skin of the face should be washed well with warm water and cleansed with tonic. Only then apply honey to the skin and leave for 15–20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water without using cosmetics. Carry out the procedure 1-2 times a week.

Honey will not only help reduce excess oil in your hair, but will also moisturize your dry ends. For the mask, you need to mix a tablespoon of honey with an egg yolk and a teaspoon olive oil. Apply the mask evenly over the entire length on an unwashed head, put on a shower cap on top and wrap your head with a warm towel. After 30 minutes, wash your hair with shampoo. Repeat the procedure once a week.

Harm of honey

Honey, of course, is useful, but you need to know about the rules for taking it:

Maximum daily dose children under 3 years old – 1.5 tsp., children over 3 years old – 1.5–2 tbsp. l.
Honey is a product. The whole reason lies in the pollen of the flowers from which the bee collected honey. You should know what honey is collected from and whether your child is allergic to this plant. For example, if a child has hay fever (allergic rhinitis) due to sunflower pollen, then honey collected from its flowers can also cause hay fever. It will bring less benefit to the child than harm. An allergic reaction to honey manifests itself in the form of skin rashes (from small elements to generalized urticaria), sneezing, watery eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in rare cases an attack of suffocation.
If your child has had any allergic reaction to honey, wait and do not give it for a year.
You should not offer honey to young children in their first year of life. Honey can cause allergies even in healthy child at this age, bacteria in honey can cause poisoning in babies.
You should not introduce your child to the taste of honey for the first time in quantities exceeding 1/3 tsp.
Honey can cause tooth decay. After honey, as after other sweets, you need to rinse your mouth with water.
Honey should not be heated above 45–50 degrees. When honey is heated above 45 degrees, vitamins and enzymes begin to be destroyed, which give honey all its healing properties; when honey is heated above 60–80 degrees, the sugars in honey begin to turn into teratogenic toxic substances, albeit in small quantities, but still. Conclusion: when heated, honey becomes no more beneficial than simple sugar, and can even be harmful to health. It is not recommended to use honey for making sweets in the oven or making jam.

Note! Add honey to hot drinks when their temperature drops to 50 degrees. If you pour boiling water into a regular-sized cup of tea, you can add honey to it after 5-6 minutes.

At what age can honey be given to a child?

Honey is a highly allergenic product. It is contraindicated for children under 1 year of age, and for children prone to allergies - under 3 years of age.

Honey is a highly allergenic product, therefore it is not recommended for children prone to allergies to other food products, give it before the age of three. Norm per day: 30–50 g (this is 1–1.5 tbsp).

If the child has tried honey before, and no side effects if this was not the case, then after a year the child can be given 1 tsp. honey, for a child of the third year of life – 1–1.5 tsp.

After 3 years, up to 50 g of honey per day is allowed.

Types of honey

There are a huge number of types of honey, and it is impossible to single out the best one, because each type is used by humans for specific purposes, and each has individual taste preferences. We will present the most common types that are more useful for treating children.

Sweet clover honey. Sweet clover and acacia honey are among the elite and most healthy varieties of honey. They have a pleasant delicate aroma and taste, somewhat similar to vanilla. The range of benefits of sweet clover honey is very wide: expectorant, analgesic, diuretic, and it also improves blood circulation, useful for insomnia and headaches.
Acacia. Has a general strengthening, calming effect. It is used for diseases of the nervous system and insomnia. Acacia honey is considered hypoallergenic.
Buckwheat honey Has dark color, sometimes even brown. It tastes tart and has a bitter taste, which children don’t really like. Buckwheat honey contains iron 5 times more than other types of honey, this justifies its use for anemia, frequent colds, and radiation sickness.
Linden honey. Light yellow color. It has a pleasant mild taste and the strongest aroma of all types of honey. As a bactericidal agent, it is perfect in the treatment of colds, kidney and digestive diseases.
Clover honey. Pleasant to the smell and taste. Like linden, it is an excellent help in treating any manifestations of colds. Suitable for the treatment of liver diseases.
Raspberry honey Children will like it for its pleasant sweet taste and delicate raspberry aroma. Used to treat colds and bronchitis.
Forest honey Less sweet, has a sourish-bitter aftertaste. It is especially useful for diseases of the respiratory tract, and is also used for diseases of the stomach.
Propolis honey. It has a refreshing taste of propolis, useful for inflammatory diseases of the mouth and throat.
Sunflower honey. Has a tart taste. Excellent for respiratory spasms, stomach and intestinal spasms.
Meadow honey It is valuable due to the abundance of pollen from different colors. This honey, calming the nervous system, is suitable for the treatment of insomnia and headaches, and is used for influenza, bronchitis and pneumonia. It has increased antimicrobial properties.
May honey Doctors recommend using it as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.
Chestnut honey Better suited for children with diabetes.
Rapeseed honey Probably from the list listed it has the weakest aroma and an unpleasant cloying taste. But it is good because it is not capable of causing allergies; it is used in the treatment of lung diseases and bronchial asthma.

How to choose real honey

It is better to buy honey from a trusted seller who has a certificate and who sells not just one type of honey, but an assortment.

By appearance. Natural honey should be slightly heterogeneous, it should contain particles of wax and pollen. From November, honey should crystallize. In late autumn, spring, and winter, honey is not liquid; it should not separate. Honey of heterogeneous consistency with layers can be a mixture of different types, such a product is not worth buying. Fresh honey has a liquid consistency and hardens within 2–8 weeks.
To taste. Sweet, irritating. The honey should dissolve gradually; sugared particles may be felt. Honey that melts instantly indicates that excess sugar has been added to it, or the honey may be fake. There should be no candy or burnt sugar taste.
Scoop with a spoon. Natural honey can be rolled onto a spoon, and as it flows it will form layers; fake honey does not have such qualities. If the honey flows in an intermittent stream, then it is not yet ripe and is not as healthy as ripe one.
Drop onto paper. Natural honey remains a droplet, while fake honey will spread and be absorbed into the paper.
By weight. One liter jar honey weighs at least 1.4 kg (buckwheat 1.3 kg), unnatural honey is much lighter.

How to store honey

You can store honey in glass, ceramic, enamel containers with a tight lid.

Honey should be kept in a dark place. It is desirable that the jar is made of dark glass.

The optimal storage temperature is 5–10 C.

Products with strong odors should not be stored nearby, otherwise the honey will absorb them and this will spoil its natural sweet aroma.

Storing in a damp place, in a jar with droplets of water, will cause the honey to sour. Unripe honey also turns sour quickly.

Recipes with honey

Honey candies made from nuts and dried fruits

There are no specific proportions, take as much as you don’t mind. (walnuts or almonds are better) in a 1:1 ratio with raisins or a mixture of prunes and dried apricots. Nuts and dried fruits must be ground separately in a blender, then, after mixing thoroughly, you can add honey, add by eye so that everything is mixed to a homogeneous consistency. When the dough can already be sculpted, roll balls with a diameter of 1.5–2 cm with your hands, roll them in powdered sugar, or coconut flakes, and put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Children really like this delicacy. One trick: the honey in these candies takes on the taste of caramel, so even those kids who are not willing to eat honey love them.

Baked apples with honey

Baked apples with honey - healthy and very delicious dessert.

For 1 apple we need:

Honey – 1/2 tbsp. l.,
Date – 1 pc.,
Cinnamon - to taste.

Wash the apples well and cut out the cores. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on the bottom, add honey and pitted dates. Bake the apples in an oven preheated to 180 C for 20–30 minutes, until the skin becomes rosy and shiny.

Cake "Honey cake"

For the cakes:

Liquid honey – 150 g,
Butter – 150 g,
Flour – 1.5 tbsp.,
Sugar – 70 g,
Eggs – 2 pcs.,
Baking powder – 1 tsp.

For cream:

Sour cream – 500 g,
Sugar – 125 g.

Beat the eggs with a mixer, add sugar and beat with a mixer until it is completely dissolved. Then add melted butter and honey, beat everything until smooth. Gradually stirring, add flour sifted through a sieve and baking powder. Grease the bottom of the baking dish vegetable oil, put a sheet of parchment paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 C. While the cake is baking, beat the sour cream and sugar for the cream. Cut the finished golden brown cake into 2-3 thin cakes and spread with cream. You can decorate the Honey cake by brushing the top cake with honey and sprinkling with crumbs from the same dough.

Honey drink

Water – 1 l,
Honey – 100 g,
Lemon – 1 pc. bigger.

Boil water and cool to 60 C. Cut the washed lemon with peel into small cubes or grind in a blender, rub a little with a spoon to release the juice faster. Pour water and add honey to desired sweetness. When serving, you can garnish with a mint leaf.

Honey is usually used as an independent dish, as an ingredient in confectionery, and as a dressing in salads. Honey can be combined with animal protein, so simultaneous intake of meat, milk, and cottage cheese will not cause harm to the child’s body. You can also use honey to make a filling for pancakes, coat any cookies you bake with thick honey, serve lean dumplings without filling with honey, add honey to porridge, ready-made breakfast cereals with milk. For your child’s tea, you can mix low-fat cottage cheese with honey, spread honey on a piece white bread. During colds, add honey to warm milk, tea, milk drinks, fruit drinks, compotes. Even fresh cucumbers can be served with honey. Honey goes well with cheeses and any fruit.

Pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky explains at what age a child can eat honey:

Fragrant and fragrant honey - a ready-made mineral and vitamin complex natural origin, which contains the most important and useful for human body substances. It is used for preventive and health purposes, as a supplement to all kinds of diets, instead of sugar in confectionery dishes and drinks. Is it possible for children, and if yes, then at what age?

Composition of honey

Honey is a product formed as a result of the digestion of flower nectar by bees. It has a complex composition and has high biological activity. It contains the following components:

carbohydrates, their share in honey is: 39% fructose and 31% glucose, they are healthier than those contained in sugar, since they belong to the category of easily digestible;
proteins - represented by a group of amino acids, the intensity of muscle cell development and adequate nutrition depend on these elements internal organs and brain;
malic and lactic acids;
iron - supports the hematopoietic system;
phosphorus - needed for full development;
magnesium - important for heart function;
calcium is an essential element that plays important role in the development of the skeletal system.

In addition, honey contains carotene, B vitamins, as well as many other useful substances, including enzymes that normalize metabolism: amylase, invertase and others. Once in the blood, easily digestible carbohydrates do not require energy for processing; they ensure the regeneration of old cells and the formation of new ones.

Depending on the type of honey, its composition may vary. Thus, it is believed that acacia honey is most beneficial for children. It has a special color - pale yellow, similar in appearance to rich sugar syrup. Buckwheat honey is no less useful; it can be easily recognized by its rich dark brown hue. The properties of the product depend not only on the type of plant from which it is collected, but also on the region, climatic conditions and many other factors.

In total, honey contains about 60 microelements. Many of them are extremely important for the proper functioning of the human body. When honey is used correctly, it becomes a powerful tool, allowing not only to successfully combat various diseases, but also to prevent their occurrence.

The benefits of honey for children

Honey is valued for its pronounced antibacterial and antifungal effect. Unlike pharmaceuticals he doesn't have side effects, the only possible complication is allergies. In reasonable doses, honey is used to combat viral diseases and fungi, to improve health and improve immunity.

Honey has been used as a medicinal product for many centuries. IN different times people used it to alleviate diabetes, and used it in combination with medicinal plants to get rid of serious illnesses. The benefits of honey have been scientifically proven; today it is used in many cases, achieving significant improvements in health:

For anemia - as a source of iron, as well as B vitamins.
To strengthen the body - due to the minerals and vitamins contained in honey, it completely replaces complexes; moreover, it is absorbed much better than pharmaceuticals in the form of tablets or liquids.
To normalize sleep - just one teaspoon (for an adult - a tablespoon) provides a lasting relaxation effect.
As a source of energy, just drink honey diluted in 200 ml of warm water. boiled water(never hot) to quickly restore strength.

Honey is an indispensable remedy in the treatment of colds. So, just mix it in a 1:1 ratio with butter and dissolve - this will facilitate expectoration during bronchitis and dry cough. Add a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of baking soda to a glass of slightly warmed milk and get an excellent cough medicine.

Honey can be used in small doses as an alternative to vitamin and mineral complexes. It is advisable not to swallow it immediately, but to dissolve it slowly - this way it is better absorbed. Honey in combs is especially useful - it contains more useful substances. Children love it very much, and you must agree that it is an excellent alternative to chewing gum.

Honey is beneficial due to its antibacterial properties for intestinal disorders. And during periods of intense intellectual stress, this product - the best remedy for schoolchildren of both junior and senior classes. In addition, it normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract - all thanks to the many enzymes it contains: they contribute to the normal digestion of foods.

When can children have honey?

Disputes about this have been going on for many years. There are cases where parents gave honey from 2-3 months - without any consequences. However, in the CIS it is generally accepted that it should not be consumed by children under 18 months. Honey is a powerful allergen, and this must be taken into account if you intend to introduce it into your child’s diet.

When choosing the optimal time to introduce honey, take into account the individual characteristics of the baby and consult with your pediatrician. If one of the parents is allergic to bee products, you should be more careful and careful: there is a high probability that the child’s body will not accept them either.

How to introduce honey into a child's menu?

Start with a microdose, such as adding 1 g of honey to your drink. Check the reaction - if skin rashes or other suspicious symptoms do not appear within 24 hours, the amount of product can be slightly increased. Gradually bring daily norm consumption of honey up to half a teaspoon. For a two-year-old child, it is permissible to consume no more than 20–30 g of honey per day. From three years old you can up to 30–40 g, and from four years old - up to 50 g.

In what form should honey be given? As a vitamin and mineral supplement - together with other products. Important! When heated, honey loses its beneficial properties, so it should not be added to hot tea or milk. Use it to sweeten oatmeal or drinks, or to make sandwiches.

Precautions

When consumed large quantity honey, the likelihood of allergies increases significantly. Please note that if the baby does not perceive the pollen of any of the plants, then honey collected from its flowers will cause hay fever. Allergies to honey in children manifest themselves in different ways. Possible options: skin rashes, tearfulness, runny nose, sharp abdominal pain, gastrointestinal upset, in rare cases there is a high probability of swelling and, as a result, suffocation.

At an early age, honey can cause acute poisoning even in healthy children. An overdose during the first dose is also dangerous - the portion should not exceed 1–2 g. Please note that due to the high content of fructose and glucose, honey provokes the formation of caries, so after consuming it, you must ensure that the child rinses the mouth thoroughly.

The breakdown of vitamins and enzymes occurs already at a temperature of 45? C. Consequently, when it heats up, it ceases to be useful. Moreover, when the temperature of honey rises to 70-80? C, the formation of carcinogenic substances begins. And although their concentration is high, this should not be allowed. It is for this reason that it is recommended not to use honey as an ingredient for confectionery, jam or other sweets.

Honey is a unique natural product containing a huge amount necessary for a person components and microelements: folic acid, vitamin complexes, carbohydrates, carotenes, etc. There is no arguing about the benefits of this sweet, viscous substance, but questions about at what age can a child be given honey still remain relevant. We will try to answer them in this article.

Despite the fact that honey has many beneficial properties, serious passions still flare up regarding its inclusion in children's diets. Some actively defend the point of view according to which this product is mandatory for consumption almost from the cradle, others hold the diametrically opposite opinion. Who is right? At what age can a child be given honey?

The most famous pediatrician in Russia, Dr. Komarovsky, does not deny the benefits of natural honey delicacy, but strongly recommends treating it with extreme caution. Honey is a biologically active product, and therefore it is almost impossible to predict the body’s reaction to it. That is why the pediatric community has established clear age limits for the consumption of this sweet.

When can a child be given honey?

The consumption of honey treats is strictly contraindicated for small infants (up to twelve months);
in some cases honey can be used one-year-old babies as a biologically active food supplement, but prior to this, consultation with a local pediatrician is necessary;
bee nectar is included in the children's diet after the child reaches the age of three, and no more than one tablespoon can be consumed per day;
children 6-10 years old can consume no more than 45 grams or three tablespoons of bee nectar per day;
Children over ten years of age are allowed to eat up to 75 grams of honey per day.

The modern pediatric community is convinced that feeding honey in the first year of a child’s life is fraught with serious consequences, including fatal outcome. As a rule, children's body does not need additional vitamins and biologically active supplements, since it receives everything it needs through breast milk.

Daily intake

Now that we have found out at what age children can use honey, we should decide on the dosage. It was noted above that in some cases, bee nectar can be prescribed to children under three years of age.

In what form and quantity should they consume this delicacy? As a rule, the daily dose should be no more than a third of a dessert spoon or 5 grams. Honey is diluted with warm milk, and the resulting sweet mixture is poured into a pacifier and presented to the baby in this form.

How much honey can children eat?

from 0 to 12 months – consumption of the product is strictly prohibited;
from 12 months to three years – no more than 5 grams of product per day and no more than 3 times a week;
from three to five years - the daily norm is 16 grams;
from six to ten years – up to 45 grams per day;
from ten years - up to 75 grams.

Parents need to strictly follow daily norm consumption, otherwise their child may develop an allergy.

Features of introducing the product into the diet

Once we have figured out at what age children can be given honey, let’s talk about the features of introducing this product into the diet. Before you start giving honey, you should make sure that there are no allergic reactions.

Step-by-step instructions on how to check if a child is allergic to honey:

Take a small amount of honey.
Apply it to your wrist.
Leave for a couple of minutes.
Rinse with water.

If over the next two to three hours there is no redness in the treated area and the temperature does not rise, then there is no allergic reaction, you can begin to include the product in your diet.

To begin with, your baby will just need a few drops of honey dissolved in a glass of water. After a couple of days, when the body gets used to the sweet liquid, you can start giving it a teaspoon every day.

It is worth noting that only liquid honey varieties are allowed for children under ten years of age. It is not recommended to include a thick candied product in a child’s diet.

Honey for babies

Is it possible to give honey to an infant? Here the opinions of pediatricians agree - honey delicacy is strictly prohibited for consumption in infancy.

The fact is that this product contains spore-forming rods, which, penetrating into digestive system infants, contribute to the creation of favorable conditions for botulism. These spores can also cause intoxication and death.

In addition to the circumstances listed above, honey is prohibited for consumption, as it can provoke the development of allergic reactions. It is quite concentrated biologically active substance, which the baby’s body is unable to assimilate normally.

The benefits of honey for children's bodies

Honey is a unique natural product that has a whole range of beneficial and healing properties. The main ones are listed below:

Promotes accelerated development of the child.
Strengthens the immune system and normalizes its functioning.
Helps strengthen the bone skeleton and tooth enamel.
It has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps cope with colds.
Produces an antipyretic effect and can fight high fever.
Has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive system.
Improves blood circulation.

Honey can also fight a child’s hyperactivity and have a calming effect on him.

Contraindications

Despite a number of advantages and benefits, honey is a rather controversial ingredient that should not always be included in the diet. Its use is prohibited in the following cases:

If you have allergies or individual intolerance to the product.
For scrofula, a rare disease, external signs and the manifestations of which are similar to exudative diathesis.
With idiosyncrasy.
For diabetes mellitus.
For obesity or a genetic predisposition to obesity.

If your child has at least one of the ailments listed above, his honey consumption should be reduced to zero.