Know the Benefits of Pumpkin for Babies

There are various benefits of pumpkin for babies. This fruit is not only sweet and delicious, but also has many nutrients that are good for the health of the eyes and skin, launches the digestive tract of infants, and increases endurance. One reason why pumpkin is good to be added to the complementary food menu for baby breast milk is because of the nutrients contained in it. Pumpkin contains a variety of nutrients needed by babies, namely calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, complex carbohydrates, water, protein, and fiber.

5 Benefits of Pumpkin for Babies

After babies are 6 months and older, milk supply alone cannot meet their nutritional needs. Little also needs nutrition from food or food. Pumpkin can be one of the good and safe fruit choices for babies. The following are the benefits of pumpkin for baby's health:

1. Maintain eye health

Yellow and orange in pumpkin comes from the content of beta carotene which is converted into vitamin A in the body. This vitamin is very good for supporting baby's eye health. The content of vitamin A, lutein, and zeaxanthin in pumpkin is useful to protect the eyes from various diseases, and helps the retina absorb and process light entering the eye.

2. Increase endurance

Pumpkin is rich in iron, folic acid, and vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E which are antioxidants. All of these nutrients function to form the baby's immune system. Antioxidants also play an important role in counteracting the effects of free radicals. Eating pumpkin with sufficient levels can make immune cells work better to ward off and prevent infection and speed up the healing process when the baby is sick or injured.

3. Make skin healthy

Besides being good for the eyes, beta carotene contained in pumpkin can act as a natural sunscreen that can dispel the danger of excessive sun exposure on the skin. Not only vitamin A, vitamin C in pumpkin also plays a role in the process of formation of collagen that is needed by baby's skin to always be healthy and supple.

4. Smooth digestion of the baby

Besides being rich in vitamins and minerals, pumpkin also contains lots of fiber and complex carbohydrates. This nutrient is good for keeping the baby's digestive tract moving smoothly and preventing constipation. To meet their fiber needs, babies need to consume about 10 grams of fiber every day. This fiber intake can be obtained from nuts and fruits and vegetables. One of them is pumpkin.

5. Makes sleep more soundly

Does your child often have trouble sleeping? If so, you can provide processed pumpkin as the MPASI menu. This is because pumpkin contains tryptophan, which is a type of essential amino acid that will help your child produce the hormone serotonin. This hormone plays a role in managing mood, making sleep more soundly, and making babies feel calm and happy. Pumpkin can be processed into a variety of preparations, such as compote, soup, salad, pie, and juice. But for babies, this fruit is more suitable to be served in the form of purée or added to baby porridge. To make pumpkin purée or pumpkin purée, it's quite easy. Choose pumpkin that is good and not deformed. Next, peel the pumpkin skin, wash, and cut the pumpkin into cubes. After that, boil or steam the pumpkin until soft, then remove and drain. The next step is to squash the pumpkin with a blender and add formula milk or breast milk. Serve this pumpkin porridge for Little Snack. Considering the many benefits of pumpkin for babies, it never hurts to add this fruit to your Little One's daily menu. However, you need to be vigilant if your child has a history of allergies. Although it rarely happens, babies may experience allergies after consuming pumpkin. If your child looks fussy, itching, skin rashes, or nausea, vomiting after eating pumpkin, you should immediately consult a pediatrician.