Benefits of starch for infants
Starch is a type of complex carbohydrate, which consists of many molecules of glucose linked together, and is extracted from grains, plants, vegetables and fruits, but the most famous of them are rice starch, wheat starch, corn and potatoes, and cornstarch is the most famous of them used in preparing various dishes and desserts, but you may wonder many Mothers, can starch be served to infants?
BENEFITS OF STARCH FOR INFANTS
Infants go through some nutritional transformations during the first months of their life, so that their digestive system begins to digest milk, which contains a high percentage of fat and lactose, and then develops so that it can digest starch and starchy foods such as potatoes, fruits, rice and wheat, and turn it into glucose, as medical studies have proven that an enzyme The amylase found in the pancreas is the basic juice for starch digestion, but its quantity is much lower than the amount of amylase found in older children and adults. In the following lines, we will learn about the most important benefits of starch for infants:
- Energy supply: Women contain a high percentage of carbohydrates, which provide your little one with energy and help in carrying out various daily activities.
- Diarrhea treatment : starch is an astringent substance for the intestines, thus treating diarrhea and reducing the number of stools.
- Prevention of rashes: Starch helps prevent and treat rashes and exfoliation caused by wearing diapers for a long time, because it helps absorb moisture and form an insulating layer on the skin.
- Treatment of skin redness and itching: starch absorbs moisture from the skin without causing dryness, so it helps in treating itching, irritation and redness of the skin.
Disadvantages of starch for infants
Starch is a safe source for your baby, but you should give it to him from useful starchy sources such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, taro, pumpkin, wheat, and mashed rice because they contain starch, vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain the health of your child and help him grow and build his vital organs, because raw starch powder (starch flour It contains a high percentage of calories and carbohydrates, which causes obesity and diabetes in infants.
WAYS TO INTRODUCE STARCH TO INFANTS
Here are some simple ways to introduce starch to your little one:
How to make starch pudding
Ingredients:
- A glass of water, or formula milk.
- a teaspoon of starch.
- Two drops of liquid vanilla.
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) rose water.
How to prepare:
- Dissolve the starch in the water, then put it in a saucepan over a medium heat.
- Stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.
- Remove the pudding from the heat, then add the vanilla and rose water, and stir until the ingredients are mixed.
- Put the pudding on a serving plate, and let it cool completely before serving it to your little one.
- Make sure not to add sugar to the plate so that your child does not like sweetened foods and refuses other foods.
How to make rice pudding with starch
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cup water, or formula.
- 2 tablespoons of Egyptian rice.
- a teaspoon of starch.
- Vanilla points.
- A teaspoon of rose water.
How to prepare:
- Put a cup of water in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the rice and stir well.
- Leave the mixture to boil, then cover the pot, and leave it on a low heat for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked.
- Dissolve the starch in the rest of the water, then add it to the rice mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens.
- Remove the rice pudding from the heat, then add the vanilla and rose water, and stir well.
- Let the pudding cool, then put it in a food processor, and mash it finely, or you can serve it without mashing.
In the end, we presented you in this article the benefits and harms of starch for infants, and how to present it to them, and be sure not to add sugar or honey before he reaches one year of age to maintain his health and not reject other foods, and we also advise you to provide starchy foods to him to take advantage of the starch substance in them, vitamins and elements other food.