Should babies eat olive oil often?

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1. What effect does olive oil have on children's health?

Olive oil is the fat obtained from the processing of the fruit of the olea europaea tree (native to the Mediterranean region). Extra virgin olive oil is produced by mechanical means, that is, without the use of any chemicals and without any heat treatment stages.

1.1 What is the nutritional composition of olive oil?

1 tablespoon olive oil contains: 119 calories, 13.5g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1.8mg vitamin E, 8.1mg vitamin K. In addition, olive oil also contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, alpha - linolenic acid, stearic acid.

1.2 Benefits of giving children olive oil

Children's health is always the top concern of parents. Here are a few reasons why olive oil should be added to your child's diet:
Significantly reduces the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Several studies around the world show that olive oil may help your child cope better with symptoms of ADHD; Helps brain development: Olive oil contains a lot of Omega acids, helping to strengthen the brain development of children; Rich in vitamins: Young children need enough vitamins to keep up with growth. Olive oil contains many vitamins such as A, B, D, E, ... Vitamin A gives children healthy eyes, B vitamins help the brain develop, vitamin D helps strengthen bones,. .. Prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer: Olive oil has a high content of polyphenols - natural antioxidants that reduce triglycerides in the body, contributing to maintaining heart health. At the same time, polyphenols can also repair damaged tissues, reducing the risk of cancer; Healthy skin and hair: The antioxidant squalene found in olive oil helps keep your baby's skin and hair healthy; Rich in calories: Olive oil is rich in calories, which can well meet the daily energy needs of children; Reduce the risk of obesity: Some studies have shown that children whose diets contain olive oil are less likely to become obese (due to the beneficial fatty acids in olive oil). With the above effects, the answer to the question: Should you give your baby olive oil regularly is yes.

3. How do children use olive oil?

Children can use olive oil in different stages. Detail:

3.1 When the baby is still a fetus

When the baby is still in the womb, pregnant women can use olive oil because it is safe for pregnant women. This oil also contains vitamin A - an antioxidant that helps protect pregnant women from the risk of infection during pregnancy. At the same time, vitamin A is also a vitamin that helps babies have healthy eyes right from the womb. In particular, the high content of Omega fats in olive oil also helps to improve the height, weight and brain development of the baby, helping the fetus to develop comprehensively.
The amount of vitamin E in olive oil helps pregnant women fight oxidation to maintain a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. If pregnant women eat olive oil during pregnancy, the baby will develop and have better psychological reflexes than pregnant women who do not eat olive oil.
Therefore, right from the time of pregnancy, mothers should use olive oil in daily cooking, used to mix salads instead of normal oils. Every day pregnant women should eat about 10ml of olive oil.

3.2 During the period when children eat solid foods

When the baby is 6 months old, the baby will start to enter the solid food period. At this time, you can use olive oil for baby food by adding olive oil to your baby's dishes. Olive oil contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 which are similar to fats found in breast milk, which helps the baby develop brain, nerves, perfect stomach function, prevent constipation and common stomach contractions. in young children. Parents can use olive oil to prepare baby food, such as mixed with carrots, potatoes, mashed pumpkin, etc. When the baby has eaten raw food, the mother should use olive oil for frying. Stir-fry, sprinkle on bread instead of butter or add to yogurt to fully supplement nutrition for your baby.
Should your baby use olive oil regularly? The answer is yes, but it is necessary to control the appropriate amount for the baby. Babies from 6-12 months old can use 10ml - 15ml of olive oil in 1 day, divided into 3 meals/day, each meal should not exceed 5ml. For children aged 1 year and older, parents can increase the amount of olive oil in each child's meal to 10ml, not more than 30ml/day. Extra virgin olive oil has many nutrients but has a slightly pungent smell, so many children refuse to eat it. Therefore, parents should choose extra virgin olive oil specially formulated for children with a mild smell, helping them eat more deliciously.

3.3 Other ways to use olive oil for babies

In addition to adding to the diet, children can also use olive oil to:
Massage: Olive oil is used to massage the skin, moisturizes, regenerates dead tissue and maintains the baby's skin smooth. membrane, healthy. For children with diaper rash, parents can apply olive oil to the diaper rash to soothe the skin; Shampoo: Olive oil is also used as a shampoo for children to relieve seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp. After shampooing and massaging the scalp with seborrheic dermatitis with olive oil, wash your baby's hair again with a mild shampoo and warm water. For children with severe scalp seborrheic dermatitis, parents can incubate olive oil on their children's hair and scalp, leave overnight; Soothe a cough: Olive oil, when combined with essential oils of rosemary, peppermint, and eucalyptus, can be used to massage the chest and back of young children, soothe coughs to help them sleep better; Intravenous infusion for preterm infants: Some clinical trials have shown that olive oil can be combined with soybean oil to use parenteral nutrition (intravenous infusion) for premature infants because of the mixture 2 This oil has a lipid content similar to that of breast milk. Experts also recommend using olive oil for babies with low birth weight or babies who have difficulty breastfeeding.

3.4 Note when giving your baby olive oil

Parents should give their children olive oil instead of animal fat to prevent obesity in children; In order to properly use olive oil for children, parents should choose specially formulated olive oil for babies because this oil adds the right amount of vitamins and nutrients for the baby's development; If frying, frying food for children, parents should choose refined olive oil (Refined) because it can withstand high temperatures, up to 210°C. With virgin olive oil (virgin and extra-virgin) or special olive oil for children, parents should use it directly such as in salads, mixed into food, sprinkled on bread, sauces, etc. cooked or just cooked over low or medium heat; Parents should only buy olive oil in a dark glass bottle, with a small capacity (about 250ml) and should use it up within 30 days after opening the bottle to ensure the freshness of the oil. Besides, because heat and light easily lose nutrients of olive oil, parents need to store baby oil bottles in a cool, dry place, avoiding areas with high temperature and direct sunlight. . Question: Should babies eat olive oil regularly? With many health benefits, olive oil can be added to a child's daily diet. Parents should use olive oil produced specifically for children to ensure that the baby absorbs the nutrients in the oil well and grows healthy.
In addition, parents also need to pay attention to supplement the necessary micronutrients such as: Selenium, Chromium, Vitamins B1 and B6, Ginger, acerola fruit extract (vitamin C),... Especially biological zinc. to improve the taste, help children eat well, reach the correct height and weight, and exceed the standard, have a good immune system, strengthen resistance to less sickness and less digestive problems.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.