Salt is an essential seasoning in the diet. Without it, various dishes would be tasteless, which would significantly affect appetite.
Salt is also the primary source of sodium and chloride in the body. Sodium and chloride are essential inorganic elements that regulate physiological functions. They are rapidly absorbed and easily excreted from the body, with over 90% being discharged in urine and a small portion in sweat. In healthy children, the amount excreted is roughly equal to the intake; more intake leads to more excretion, and less intake leads to less excretion, maintaining a relatively stable level of sodium and chloride in the body. However, for infants under 6 months old, especially preterm infants born before 8 months of gestation, the kidney's filtration function is low, less than one-fifth of an adult's, and they cannot excrete excessive inorganic salts like sodium and chloride. Therefore, salty foods should be avoided. Generally, after a baby is 6 months old, the kidney's filtration function begins to approach that of an adult, and at this time, a small amount of salty food can be given in gradually complementary foods.
Before 6 months of age, an infant's diet is primarily based on milk, with small amounts of complementary foods like baby cereal and rice gradually added. These foods contain a certain amount of sodium and chloride, which can meet the baby's physiological needs for these elements. Therefore, there is no need to worry that the absence of salty food will have any adverse effects on the baby.
Excessive salt intake can加重 the burden on the kidneys. Long-term overburdening of the kidneys may also increase the risk of developing hypertension in adulthood. If the kidneys have a condition, excessive salt can cause edema. Therefore, a baby's food should not be too salty; it should only be salty enough to satisfy their appetite, not measured by an adult's standard for saltiness. The recommended amount of salt for a healthy baby is generally 2.5 to 5 grams per day, and when first introduced to salty food around 6 months of age, the amount should be even less.