Probably there are few people who do not know about the benefits of onions for an adult organism. However, not everything that is useful to an adult will also affect a child just as well. Today we’ll talk about how to give this vegetable to children, including infants.

The chemical composition of onions

The positive effect of the product on the body is the result of the action of its components - vitamins, micro and macro elements.

Nutritional value per 100 g of product:

• calorie content - 41 kcal;
• proteins - 1.4 g;
• fats - 0.2 g;
• carbohydrates - 8.2 g;
• fiber - 20 g.

In addition, onions contain a small amount of vitamins A, B2, B9, B7, K, as well as the trace element selenium, unsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6. Although the calorie content of the vegetable is small and makes up less than 3% of the daily norm, it contains 15% of the dietary fiber, 11% of the vitamin C norm, satisfies the body's need for silicon by almost 17%, cobalt in 50%, and magnesium in 11%.

Did you know? In terms of sugar content, onions are ahead of apples and pears. That is why when frying it is caramelized and acquires a sweet taste and smell.

What is useful for children onions

Onions, both bulb and green, are very useful for children.

• This vegetable:
• forms immunity;
• restores strength;
• improves iron absorption, which contributes to the normalization of hemoglobin levels in the blood;
• strengthens teeth;
• relieves bleeding of the nose and gums;
• stimulates the metabolism;
• strengthens the bone and connective system;
• improves growth;
• contributes to the normal development of the reproductive system.

At what age can I give onions

The first acquaintance with onions should occur no earlier than 7-8 months, and should be given boiled. At this age, the kids are fed vegetables into the lure, and during cooking, they need to add 1 small ring of green onion or a small cube of onion, everything is carefully chopped when serving. In the absence of adverse reactions, a one-year-old child is allowed to add up to 10 g of this product to the vegetable mixture.

Important! The first time you add onions to the lure, you can’t introduce any more products for the first time in order to know exactly what kind of reaction this vegetable will cause.

A raw bulb is not used in complementary foods, as it strongly irritates the baby’s delicate mucous membranes. You can add it to food no earlier than 3 years of age.

How to give onions

You can talk about the benefits of onions only if you give them to children correctly, and for this you should:

1. Make sure that the baby does not have diseases of the digestive system.
2. Introduce the vegetable gradually, starting with tiny portions.
3. Mix onion with other vegetables, cereals or meat.
4. Do not give on an empty stomach.
5. Discard the vegetable if there is an allergic reaction or problems with the intestines.
6. Correctly choose, do not use spoiled product for food.
7. Wash and peel the bulb before use.
8. Soak for 1 hour in order to relieve hotness.

Medicines for ailments

• For medicinal purposes, this vegetable is used:
• against cough;
• with a runny nose;
• for the prevention of colds.

Cough medicine

To prepare a cough remedy you need:

1. Skip the onion, peeled and thoroughly washed, through a juicer, or grate finely with a grater or food processor.
2. Wrap the grated vegetable in gauze to squeeze the juice.
3. Mix 1 teaspoon of the resulting juice with 1 teaspoon of honey.
4. Give the child within 3-5 days 3 times a day: if he is 3-6 years old - 1 teaspoon, more than 7 - 1 tablespoon.

Important! All onion-based products should only be given to children after meals.

To reduce the likelihood of mucosal damage, the grated onion can be poured with a glass of boiling water, and after cooling, dilute the liquid with 1 teaspoon of honey. Instead of water, you can also use milk. Give the child a warm drink before bedtime: from 3 years old - 0.25 cups, from 12 years old - 1 cup each.

If honey is contraindicated, you can pour finely grated onion in the evening with 2 tablespoons of sugar and leave until morning. To give according to the scheme described for means with honey.

Two-year-old children can be given a drug based on a boiled vegetable. First, the onion is boiled in sweet water, in a proportion of sugar and vegetable 1: 1, then turned into mashed potatoes and boiled again. The regimen remains the same.

Help with a cold

Since the child has a very delicate mucous membrane, it is better to refrain from digging onion juice into the baby’s nose, even in diluted form. Instead, it is best to let the child breathe over the cut bulb for 5 minutes, but only if he does not suffer from hypersensitivity to this smell.

Prophylactic

For children of all ages, to prevent colds, you can put onion slices in the room and change them every 2 hours for fresh ones. To avoid the appearance of headaches in the baby, do not leave the onion slices too close to the crib.

Possible side effects and contraindications

• The use of fresh onions is contraindicated in children with such ailments:
• digestive system diseases;
• kidney disease
• bronchial asthma.

This raw vegetable can irritate the mucous membranes. When used in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, burns may appear, and the eyes respond to this irritation with lacrimation. A pungent smell can cause a headache. In some children, raw onions can cause an allergic reaction, while in most cases the reaction to a cooked vegetable is absent even in children prone to allergies.

Did you know? The UN considered that the Libyans eat most onions — 33 kg per person, while the French, known for their onion soup and other onion dishes, eat less than 6 kg.

Thus, onions are on the list of not only allowed, but also very useful products for children. However, young children need to eat it boiled, and raw vegetables are allowed to give from 3 years. And remember that the reaction of children to such a strong irritant can be much stronger than that of adults, and take sick children to see a doctor.