Are beets healthy
for babies?
Yes. Beets are full of nutrients, including fiber for healthy digestion and folate, an essential nutrient to fuel a child’s development in this early stage of life. Beets also contain carotenoids, phenols, and many other plant nutrients that act as antioxidants and support cellular health.1
Different varieties of beetroots come in hues of red, yellow, or white, and sometimes they are striped with pink. We use Dark red beets for our puree. Each variety offers a unique set of phdytonutrients. For example, We use dark red beets in our baby food puree and dark beets are packed with nutrients that support the liver and act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories – important qualities to help fight against toxins in our modern world. Note: Red beets often change the color of baby’s poop and urine to bright red. Don’t worry if this happens! It’s natural.
How to prepare beets for your baby!
Every baby develops on their own timeline. The preparation suggestions below are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional, nutritionist or dietitian, or expert in pediatric feeding and eating. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.
6 to 8 months old: If cooking at home. Cook the whole beetroot until it is completely soft and easily pierced with a knife, then peel and discard the skin, and cut the vegetable in half or in quarters to offer to baby. You can also mash or grate raw or cooked beets. Red beet stains almost anything it touches, including baby’s skin and clothes. Remember, red beets can also change the color of baby’s poop and urine to bright red. Don’t worry if this happens! It’s natural.
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9 to 12 months old: Offer quarters of cooked beetroot with the skins removed. At this age, babies develop the pincer grasp (where the thumb and pointer finger meet), which enables them to pick up smaller pieces of food. When you see signs of this development happening, try offering bite-sized pieces of cooked beetroot for baby to try to pick up. If you like, you can also continue with whole or halved cooked beets for biting and chewing practice.
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12 to 24 months old: Utensil time! If you have not introduced a fork yet, this is a good time to do so, and cooked, soft beetroot is a great food for fork practice. Offer bite-sized pieces of cooked beets and pre-load baby’s fork or trainer chopsticks as needed. Be patient: consistent, independent use of utensils may not happen until closer to 18 months of age.
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