Surprising Advice: When to Introduce Peanuts to Your Baby
Experts recommend introducing peanuts at 4-6 months to reduce allergy risk later in life.
(Photo: shutterstock)Experts recommend introducing peanuts to infants at 4-6 months to reduce the risk of developing allergies later in life.
While the general recommendation has been to avoid solid foods for young infants, allergy specialists have concluded that giving peanut butter to a baby at 4-6 months can potentially prevent or minimize future allergies.
The expert team argues that the guidelines for introducing solid foods to infants need revising. Some caution against giving whole or chopped nuts and peanuts to children under five due to choking hazards.
According to national health service guidelines, peanuts should be introduced into an infant's diet from six months, in the form of powder, paste, or butter. However, the research team advises starting peanut butter introductions as early as 4-6 months.
A Small Amount Can Be Life-Threatening
Those with a peanut allergy can have a severe immune response even to a small amount of peanuts, which can be life-threatening, so extreme caution is necessary.
Over time, it has been found that introducing peanuts while the immune system is still developing may reduce allergic reactions.
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