When Should You Begin Feeding Your Baby Nuts, Walnuts, Almonds, and Other Varieties?
This is exciting, as exploring new food with your infant can be a gratifying experience. However, when it finally begins with adding substances that might easily cause allergic reactions, like peanuts and tree nuts, it could get quite challenging.
Well, we hear you. And to be honest, you are going to be nervous the first time you give your child a nut. You will most likely be somewhat apprehensive the second, third, and fourth times too.
But here is the catch! Studies have shown that exposing a baby to these allergens, especially nuts may avert the development of nut allergies. So, the best period to introduce nuts is between four and six months of age. A few weeks into solid food.
That means - the latest evidence suggests early exposure to nuts might stave off nut allergies.
In the United States and other Western nations, it was a tradition to delay the introduction of peanuts and tree nuts like walnuts, cashews, and almonds. Weirdly enough, peanuts were introduced to infants rather early on in Israel, a country known for its high rates of peanut consumption within the baby food culture.
Another study, conducted in 2016, reported a peanut allergy rate in Israel of 0.17 percent, compared to the U.S. rate of 1.4 percent and the UK's 1.7 percent.
These important findings have been supported by several innovative clinical investigations, especially the LEAP experiment, which determined that introducing peanut-containing foods into the diet of infants aged 4 to 11 months reduces the risk of developing allergies by over 80 percent! That's an incredible finding!
Because of that, this is the time when the immune system takes developmental steps toward complete maturity.
"We want to offer highly allergenic foods in a controlled and gradual way while the immune system is still developing, exposing it regularly that it starts to become trained to recognize them as 'friendly' and not as a threat," says Dr. Yan Yan, a board-certified pediatrician at Columbia Allergy.
Without such exposure at an appropriate early age, the infant's immune system might perceive trouble with nuts and overreact.
That's why the AAP, NIH, and AAAAI have all revised their guidelines for parents.
So what do they recommend about nuts for babies?
The short answer: Unless your baby has a history of eczema or food allergies, they should be introduced after solids, any time from 4 to 6 months onward.
Just keep that exposure going after the initial introduction (and if they don't react).
"Studies indicate that continued exposure is just as important as early introduction," says Dr. Jessica Hochman, FAAP, board-certified pediatrician and scientific advisory board member for Ready, Set, Food. "Parents need to continue with allergens several times a week for several months."
The best ways to introduce nuts to infants.
There are tons of ways. You can try feeding your baby peanut puffs, such as "Bamba"-like peanut puffs, which dissolve easily when your baby sucks them. They can be also dissolved into the baby's other foods like breast milk.
You can mix nut powder into baby food or bake it into recipes using nut flour.
Nut butter (like peanut or almond butter) is also great. It's very important that this is done carefully because nut butters can be thick and butter and large globs may pose a choking hazard.
"Thinly spread on soft crackers or bananas; stir into oatmeal; add to yogurt; or thin further with a little water and offer small amounts at a time on a spoon," says Megan McNamee, pediatric registered dietitian nutritionist and co-owner of Feeding Littles.
However, if you introduce nuts to your child, be sure to do so gradually: start with no more than about 1/4 tsp and see how your child reacts.
How do I know that I am getting the right nut products for my baby?
Always choose smooth nut butter with no pieces of nuts. And look for butters and products with fewest available additivthe es.
"Fewer ingredients can make it easier to figure out what might have triggered the allergic reaction in a child after eating the nut butter," Yan states.
Fewer ingredients also help you steer clear of all those added sugars that are usually advised against during an infant's first two years.
In addition, you might want to check for reduced salt in butters, as babies should consume 0.4 grams of sodium daily up until age 12 months.
Do not give whole nuts to infants.
"Whole peanuts and nuts are choking hazards for children up to 4 years that could block their airways if they aren't chewed enough and inhaled into the lungs," said Dr. Florencia Segura, FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician with Einstein Pediatrics.
Whole nuts and choking have killed children because the pieces blocked the airway entirely, she says.
That's why in 2022, many leading allergy organizations strongly recommend that no whole nuts be given to children as food until age 5.
What are the health benefits of nuts?
Briefly, "Nuts are good sources of fats considered essential for growth and development," says McNamee, a professor of nutrition and twisted foods.
For the same reason, they are incredibly rich in protein and fiber.
"Walnuts, specifically, contain more omega-3 fatty acids important for brain and eye development," according to McNamee.
Cashews are good sources of omega fats, copper, iron, magnesium, and amino acids that drive cell development.
Almonds offer a good source of fiber, plant protein, and monounsaturated fats (the same type of heart-healthy lipids that can be found in superfoods such as avocado and olive oil). They are also rich in:
- Calcium
- Iron
- Folate (beneficial to metabolism)
- Vitamin E
- Zinc (a powerful antioxidant)
- And what about peanuts?
"Technically, peanuts are legumes; nutritionally, they are considered nuts," reasons McNamee.
That's because they are an excellent source of fats, iron, protein, and micronutrients like copper, zinc, and vitamins E and B. These benefits might help to protect a child's heart, boost their metabolism, and promote brain growth.
How do I introduce nuts to my baby?
Nuts can be easily included in a baby's diet. Here are some quick ideas and recipes:
Steam apples and walnuts, then blend them in a food processor with a little touch of cinnamon.
Stir cashew nut butter together with baby oatmeal.
Grind almonds in a food processor and dip a banana in the crushed almond.
Puree or smash butternut squash and mix in some peanut butter.
Blend some fruit (bananas work well), some breast milk or formula, plus a tiny bit of nut butter for a smoothie.
You can also use nut flour to make baby-friendly treats - almond flour biscuits, for example.
How do I know if my baby suffered an allergic reaction?
Most often, your child will have an allergic reaction minutes to hours after eating the nuts.
- skin redness or itching rashes
- hives (red patches that appear to be mosquito bites)
- vomiting
- difficulties in breathing
- shortness of breath
- coughing or wheezing
- diarrhea
- pale skin
- loss of consciousness
anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention as it can be fatal
To be safe, Yan suggests parents keep on hand a children's non-sedating antihistamine such as Children's Zyrtec.
He explains, "Whenever you plan to introduce your child to a very allergenic food for the first time, we recommend doing so on a day and time where you will be able to monitor the infant for the first six hours for signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction."
The introduction of nuts—or any possible allergen—to your infant can be nerve-wracking. It's perfectly fair to be anxious.
However, keep in mind that early and frequent introduction thus might combat serious allergies later. And fewer allergies mean less stress going ahead.