Fruits are rich in nutrients, especially in dry weather like winter. Eating some fruits not only supplements nutrition but also moistens the body. However, how to eat fruit is also a science. Mom.com experts remind that when choosing fruits for babies, the first consideration should be seasonal fruits.
The King of Fruits – Pear
Pears are also known as Kuai Guo or Yu Ru, and are called "natural mineral water" for their fresh, tender, and juicy quality. They have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting fluid production and moistening dryness, and clearing the heart and reducing fire. They have a significant moisturizing effect on the lungs, bronchi, and upper respiratory tract, and can also aid digestion and stimulate appetite.
The Doctor's First Medicine – Apple
Apples are also known as Ping Po. They are sweet and cool in nature, with the effects of tonifying the spleen qi, nourishing the stomach yin, promoting fluid production to quench thirst, and moistening the lungs and pleasing the mind. They are known as the health guardian of the cardiovascular system. Eating more can improve the function of the respiratory system and lungs. After a stressful day, the fresh scent of an apple can refresh the mind and relieve tension!
Sweet and Delicious – Persimmon
Persimmons are sweet and astringent, and cold in nature. Their vitamin and sugar content are one to two times higher than that of ordinary fruits. They can nourish the lungs and protect the stomach, clear dryness and heat, and regular consumption can tonify deficiency, relieve coughing, benefit the intestines, and reduce heat. Eating persimmons on an empty stomach can easily lead to gastrolithiasis, so it's best to eat them after a meal and avoid eating the skin.
The Fine Fruit of the Western Regions – Pomegranate
Pomegranates were originally a specialty of the Western Regions and were introduced to the Central Plains during the Han Dynasty. Pomegranates are sweet, sour, astringent, and warm in nature. They can effectively provide antioxidant effects, reduce oxidized cholesterol deposited in the body, delay aging, and are very effective for relieving dryness and thirst in the throat.
The King of Dried Fruits – Chestnut
Chestnuts are sweet and warm in nature, and they affect the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. They can nourish the stomach, strengthen the spleen, tonify the kidneys, strengthen the waist, strengthen muscles, invigorate blood, stop bleeding, and reduce swelling. Chestnuts are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, which can help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
The King of Vitamin C – Kiwi
Kiwis are named after the macaque's love for them, and their vitamin C content is extremely high. Additionally, this fruit contains serotonin, which can help us stabilize our mood and calm our minds. The rich dietary fiber can promote heart health and aid digestion.
The Fruit of Paradise – Olive
This is the praise of Turks for olives. The flesh of olives is rich in calcium and is very beneficial for the human body when eaten fresh. Olives are sweet, sour, and neutral in nature, and can clear heat and detoxify, eliminate stagnation and resolve phlegm, and moisten the lungs and throat.
Sweet and Sour – Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a typical southern fruit, sweet and sour with a slight bitterness. It is juicy and contains a large amount of vitamin C. The natural pectin it contains can lower cholesterol levels, aid in the absorption of calcium and iron, and can harmonize the stomach to resolve stagnation and promote fluid production to quench thirst.
The Longevity Food – Hawthorn
Hawthorn is also what we often call Shanlihong. The rich flavonoids and large amounts of vitamins in hawthorn can effectively prevent the formation of free radicals and enhance the body's immunity. Hawthorn is sweet, sour, and slightly warm, making it a good remedy for stimulating the appetite, aiding digestion, and enhancing digestive function.
The Vitamin Pill – Jujube
Fresh jujubes are rich in vitamins, especially a large amount of vitamin C, which can promote the conversion of excess cholesterol in the body into bile acids.
There are rules for babies to eat fruit in winter
1. No more than three types of fruit per day
Although fruits are good, they should be given to babies in moderation. Do not give babies more than three types of fruit per day and control the amount. Because some fruits contain too much sugar, eating too much can make the baby lose their appetite and affect the intake of other nutrients and digestive function.
2. Eat fruit one hour before or after a meal
Whether before or after a meal, eating fruit should be more than one hour away from the baby's meal time, or it is also suitable to eat fruit during the period after a nap. Because the baby's stomach capacity is still relatively small, eating fruit right before a meal will take up space and affect the intake of nutrients from the main meal; eating fruit immediately after a meal, the monosaccharides in it can easily get stuck in the stomach, easily causing bloating and possibly constipation.
3. Heat it up before eating
For babies with poor gastrointestinal digestive function, it is best to heat the fruit before giving it to them in winter to avoid stimulating the gastrointestinal tract with cold fruit and causing indigestion. You can also squeeze the fruit into juice and heat it up for the baby to drink.