In recent days, little Maverick, 2 years old, went viral with his reaction to tasting a meal from his mother, Amelia, which included the famous jalapeño pepper in its ingredients. The boy from Louisina (USA), at first, looks suspiciously at the camera and, when his mother puts her hand out for him to spit, he shakes his head and starts to smile at the taste.
The recording went viral on the internet, and caught the attention of viewers, leading to the question of whether offering peppers to babies and children was dangerous or not. See below:
See this photo on Instagram A post shared by Record News (@recordnews)
Pediatricians Paulo Telles and Anna Bohn, both members of the SBP (Brazilian Society of Pediatrics), state that, despite the strangeness it may generate, peppers can be offered to children from the first year of age, but with precautions.
“During the first year of life, children are introduced to solid foods and getting used to different flavors. Introducing intense seasonings, such as pepper, from the beginning can hinder the acceptance of the food. Furthermore, children have more sensitive intestinal systems and skin, which can cause discomfort in the region, or skin irritation due to direct contact with the pepper”, says Anna.
She points out that some children may have greater tolerance to spicy foods if they are consumed by the mother during the breastfeeding period.
However, the inclusion of the ingredient in the menu must be done lightly and gradually, avoiding bad experiences of high heat, and ensuring that the child does not get confused about which foods are naturally spicy.
Before a year, it is recommended to gradually include some seasonings, such as basil, oregano, onion, garlic and ginger when he is already accepting a good part of the initial foods, in order to understand his sensitivity to flavors. Afterwards, you can add cinnamon and nutmeg to your meals.
After the first year, with acceptance of the previous ingredients, it is possible to start using turmeric, paprika, black pepper, cardamom and cloves. Finally, curry and hotter peppers such as chilli, jalapeño and ladyfinger can be added to the child’s diet.
The hottest peppers should be added in small quantities and observe the child’s acceptance.
“You can start by combining it with other foods and spices. Chilies with cumin and garlic are a great seasoning mix. The ideal is to do this after the introduction is well established and the child is already in the phase of new experiences”, advises Telles.
He also recommends removing the seeds and the structure that holds them to reduce the sensation of heat and burning.
Doctors recommend that consumption be sporadic and that it may occur more frequently after the age of 5, when the gastrointestinal system is more mature.
Although peppers such as jalapeño are a good source of vitamins C, B6, E and K, and are mostly made up of water (92%), this and other types (lady’s finger and habanero) can cause side effects in children, including vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, excessive salivation, gastritis, intestinal cramps and malaise.
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“Intense red peppers, with intense heat and a burning sensation, are especially harmful. They contain capsaicin, an alkaline substance, common to peppers from this hotter group, which is responsible for the symptoms. In excess, it can even lead to hypertensive peaks and kill you”, warns Anna.
Finally, Telles points out that babies can enjoy big flavors, including peppers, but it’s important to start with small flavors and adjust the spice level to suit the child, and that this is not done in exchange for likes on social media.
noticias.r7.com
