Oats are whole grain foods. Oatmeal is the top food for babies. You can provide oatmeal to your baby when he or she is ready for solid food. When our baby reached the seventh month, we started feeding him oats.
Nutrition:
Oats contain essential nutrients, such as protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, calories, fat, and sodium. Below we’ve shown a picture of nutrional values per 100g serving
When to give oatmeal to babies?
You can start giving oatmeal once your baby reaches the 7th month.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of oats for a 6+month old baby. For 7+ months babies, you can provide 3 tablespoons of oats.
- 1 cup water. But, you can add more water to improve the texture of it.
Procedure:
- Put the oats into a blender and blend them.
- Put 1 cup water into a cooking pot.
- Add 2 tbsp of oats.
- Mix them well.
- You can also add some water to improve the texture.
- Keep stirring.
- Cook until it is soft.
- Remove from heat.
- Your baby’s oats porridge is ready.
Health Benefits:
Naturally whole grain:
Oats are natural whole grain and it has three parts- bran, germ, and endosperm.
Promotes healthy growth:
Oatmeal contains important nutrients, such as protein, zinc, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber, and carbohydrate. These nutrients boost your baby’s growth and development.
Prevents constipation:
Oats contain dietary fiber, which not only softens a baby’s stool but also increases the size and weight of it (source). A bulky stool reduces the chance of constipation.
Digestion:
The dietary fiber found in oats improves digestion and regulates bowel movements.
Prevents colon cancer:
According to a research, oats contain beta-glucan fiber. This beta-glucan fiber prevents colon cancer (source:Nutritional advantages of oats and opportunities for its processing as value added foods – a review)
Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels:
Soluble fiber found in oats lowers bad cholesterol levels.
Controls blood sugar levels:
Soluble fiber found in oats controls blood sugar levels.
Provides energy:
Oatmeal is one of the best energy-boosting foods. Oatmeal provides 389 calories (serving size 100 gram). The food makes babies fit and strong.
Bone health:
Calcium and phosphorus found in oats promote the bone health of babies.
How it benefited our baby?
- Oatmeal has maintained our baby’s body weight very well from the beginning.
- It has given him much energy. He remains active throughout the day.
- It has reduced his constipation.
Types of oats:
Rolled oats:
They are lightly processed whole grain food. Rolled oats are flat and flakey. The cooking time for rolled oats is 10 minutes (source: Why Steel-Cut Oatmeal?).
Steel-cut oats:
Steel–cut oats are oat groats that are chopped into smaller pieces with large steel blades. They are less processed and known as Irish oatmeal. Steel cuts oats are healthier and tastier than rolled oats. Babies really love the chewier texture and nutty flavor of steel-cut oats. The cooking time for steel-cut oats is 20 to 40 minutes (source: Why Steel-Cut Oatmeal?). Bagrry’s is a popular steel cut oat brand which is available in the market.
Instant oats:
Instant oats are pre-cooked and less healthy. They are the most processed type of oats. Thus We don’t suggest feeding instant oats to your baby.
Which oatmeal brand is good for babies?
There are lots of oatmeal brands available in the market. Gerber and Cowhead oats are the best ones. We tried these two oatmeal brands for our baby and they are super healthy.
Gerber:
- Product origin: USA
- It is the number 1 pediatrician recommended brand for infant cereals.
- Iron is essential for your baby’s brain development. Just two servings of Gerber oats meet your baby’s daily iron needs.
- No artificial flavors or colors.
Cowhead baby oats:
- Product origin: Canada
- It is an organic rolled oat.
- Contains beta-glucan.
- No preservative.
Quaker oats:
- Origin: USA
- It is rolled oat.
- Reasonable price.
Please share your comments & feel free to ask questions. If you like this recipe please check out our other recipes
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