The Best Vegetable Protein for Baby Complementary Foods
Vegetable protein for complementary foods can be given since the baby turns 6 months of age. At this age, your little one begins to need additional nutrition and energy apart from breast milk. In addition to animal protein, vegetable protein can be a good source of protein to support growth and development.
The protein requirement for infants aged 7-12 months is 13 grams per day. This amount must be met because protein is very important for babies. Protein not only functions as a source of energy, but also plays a role in the formation of bones, muscles, and immunity of babies.
Therefore, you must ensure that the complementary foods given to your little one contain protein, be it animal protein or vegetable protein, to meet this need.
5 Vegetable Protein for Baby Complementary Foods
There are still many people who only rely on animal protein as a source of protein in their baby menu. In fact, protein can also be obtained from vegetable or plant products. The options are also diverse and here are some of them:
1. Red beans
Red beans are a source of vegetable protein for complementary foods. To make red beans as a complementary menu, wash the red beans thoroughly, boil them until cooked, and puree in a blender.
In 2 tablespoons of mashed boiled kidney beans, there are about 2 grams of protein. This meets approximately 15% of the baby's daily protein needs. Apart from protein, kidney beans also contain other important nutrients such as folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
2. Peanut butter
Babies who have been introduced to complementary foods can also be given peanut butter. The reason is, foods made from peanuts contain high enough protein. 1 tablespoon of peanut butter contains about 4 grams of protein.
Even though peanut butter is a good source of protein to give to your little one, you must be careful in giving it. The reason is that some children are allergic to peanuts.
When introducing peanut butter, start with a small spoon first. If afterward your little one experiences an allergic reaction, such as rashes, itchy skin, swelling, runny nose, sneezing, vomiting, and diarrhea, immediately stop giving peanut butter.
In addition to seeing the risk of allergies, pay attention to the texture. Make sure that the peanut butter given has a slightly runny and soft texture so that your little one doesn't choke while eating it.
Tofu and tempeh are vegetable protein choices for the next solids. Foods made from soybeans contain a variety of nutrients, from calcium, manganese, fiber, to protein.
In 1 medium slice of tofu (± 50 grams), it contains about 4 grams of protein. Meanwhile, 1 piece of tempeh (± 25 grams) contains about 4.5 grams of protein.
Although tofu and tempeh can be given since your little one consumes solid foods, it is recommended that you give them in small portions first. This is because the soy content in tofu and tempeh may trigger an allergic reaction.
4. Avocado
Some fruits can also be used as snacks that contain protein, such as avocado. In 1 serving of avocado puree (± 50 grams), it contains about 1 gram of protein. Even though the amount is not that high, additional protein from snacks, in addition to main meals, can certainly be beneficial for your little one.
Avocado can be the right choice of complementary foods. Apart from the delicious taste, the texture is also soft and easy to make. The nutrients contained in this fruit also vary, for example, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, and folate.
5. Green beans
Green beans contain a variety of nutrients, such as B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, potassium, zinc, fiber, and protein. In 2 tablespoons of green bean pulp, it contains about 3 grams of protein. So, green beans can be an option for a vegetable protein that can be given to your little one.
How to process it is also not difficult, you only need to boil green beans until tender for 20-30 minutes. Then, grind it in a blender so that the texture is softer and easier to digest.
Apart from these 5 foods, other choices of vegetable protein sources for complementary foods that you can provide are edamame, chia seeds, peas, and quinoa. You can combine these foods with other foods so that the complementary nutrition provided to your little one is more diverse.
As well as paying attention to the nutritional content of complementary foods, pay attention to the texture. At the beginning of the introduction, make sure that the texture of the food is really soft and smooth so that it is easy to swallow. Then after he gets used to it and his age increases, the texture and viscosity of solids can be improved.
If you still want to know more clearly about the choice of vegetable protein for complementary foods and guidelines for giving it, you can consult a doctor, especially if your little one is allergic to certain types of food.
The protein requirement for infants aged 7-12 months is 13 grams per day. This amount must be met because protein is very important for babies. Protein not only functions as a source of energy, but also plays a role in the formation of bones, muscles, and immunity of babies.
Therefore, you must ensure that the complementary foods given to your little one contain protein, be it animal protein or vegetable protein, to meet this need.
5 Vegetable Protein for Baby Complementary Foods
There are still many people who only rely on animal protein as a source of protein in their baby menu. In fact, protein can also be obtained from vegetable or plant products. The options are also diverse and here are some of them:
1. Red beans
Red beans are a source of vegetable protein for complementary foods. To make red beans as a complementary menu, wash the red beans thoroughly, boil them until cooked, and puree in a blender.
In 2 tablespoons of mashed boiled kidney beans, there are about 2 grams of protein. This meets approximately 15% of the baby's daily protein needs. Apart from protein, kidney beans also contain other important nutrients such as folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
2. Peanut butter
Babies who have been introduced to complementary foods can also be given peanut butter. The reason is, foods made from peanuts contain high enough protein. 1 tablespoon of peanut butter contains about 4 grams of protein.
Even though peanut butter is a good source of protein to give to your little one, you must be careful in giving it. The reason is that some children are allergic to peanuts.
When introducing peanut butter, start with a small spoon first. If afterward your little one experiences an allergic reaction, such as rashes, itchy skin, swelling, runny nose, sneezing, vomiting, and diarrhea, immediately stop giving peanut butter.
In addition to seeing the risk of allergies, pay attention to the texture. Make sure that the peanut butter given has a slightly runny and soft texture so that your little one doesn't choke while eating it.
3. Tofu and tempe
Tofu and tempeh are vegetable protein choices for the next solids. Foods made from soybeans contain a variety of nutrients, from calcium, manganese, fiber, to protein.
In 1 medium slice of tofu (± 50 grams), it contains about 4 grams of protein. Meanwhile, 1 piece of tempeh (± 25 grams) contains about 4.5 grams of protein.
Although tofu and tempeh can be given since your little one consumes solid foods, it is recommended that you give them in small portions first. This is because the soy content in tofu and tempeh may trigger an allergic reaction.
4. Avocado
Some fruits can also be used as snacks that contain protein, such as avocado. In 1 serving of avocado puree (± 50 grams), it contains about 1 gram of protein. Even though the amount is not that high, additional protein from snacks, in addition to main meals, can certainly be beneficial for your little one.
Avocado can be the right choice of complementary foods. Apart from the delicious taste, the texture is also soft and easy to make. The nutrients contained in this fruit also vary, for example, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, and folate.
5. Green beans
Green beans contain a variety of nutrients, such as B vitamins, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, potassium, zinc, fiber, and protein. In 2 tablespoons of green bean pulp, it contains about 3 grams of protein. So, green beans can be an option for a vegetable protein that can be given to your little one.
How to process it is also not difficult, you only need to boil green beans until tender for 20-30 minutes. Then, grind it in a blender so that the texture is softer and easier to digest.
Apart from these 5 foods, other choices of vegetable protein sources for complementary foods that you can provide are edamame, chia seeds, peas, and quinoa. You can combine these foods with other foods so that the complementary nutrition provided to your little one is more diverse.
As well as paying attention to the nutritional content of complementary foods, pay attention to the texture. At the beginning of the introduction, make sure that the texture of the food is really soft and smooth so that it is easy to swallow. Then after he gets used to it and his age increases, the texture and viscosity of solids can be improved.
If you still want to know more clearly about the choice of vegetable protein for complementary foods and guidelines for giving it, you can consult a doctor, especially if your little one is allergic to certain types of food.
