Experts say that mushroom soup can be offered to a child for the first time at the age of 7-8 years. It is better if the mushrooms used are champignons, and the soup is vegetable in diluted mushroom broth. After all, mushroom dishes are "hard" to digest.
Pediatricians quite often state the facts of mushroom poisoning of preschool children, and the point is not even their toxicity. It is possible to talk about the final formation of the children's digestive system by the age of eight, and even at this age, it is very difficult for the child's body to resist various kinds of intoxication.
Mushrooms in the children's diet: pros and cons
It is difficult to dispute the benefits of mushrooms, because they really are a source of vegetable protein, fiber, valuable vitamins and minerals. Potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sodium - this is not the whole list of nutrients found in mushrooms. In terms of the quantity and quality of the minerals that make up mushrooms, scientists equate them with fruits, protein allows mushrooms to replace meat in nutritional value, and carbohydrates - vegetables. Substances such as beta-glucans and melanin have a positive effect on the immune system and prevent the occurrence of malignant tumors.
However, to get to the valuable composition of the mushrooms, the digestive system has to work hard. The difficulty of assimilating this product lies in the presence of a substance - fungin. The chemical composition of fungin is similar to that of chitin, which is part of the shells of crayfish, crabs, snails and some insects. Such a task is sometimes beyond the strength of even an adult organism, and in preschool children there are not enough enzymes necessary for this in the stomach. Dietary fibers of mushrooms also have a coarse structure, which complicates their assimilation by the child's body.
In addition, the spongy structure of mushrooms is often the texture that absorbs toxins from the environment. Alas, the state of forests today is poor. Even if the parents decided to feed their child with mushroom soup, it is better to cook it not from forest representatives, but from greenhouse mushrooms or oyster mushrooms.
Where to begin
The optimal age when you can feed a child with mushroom soup is 7-8 years. Some parents, at their own peril and risk, start from the age of five, but in this case, in no case should you offer soup cooked for the whole family. The first mushroom soup in a child's life should not contain the mushrooms themselves, but only their broth with a set of vegetables familiar to him. It can be a puree soup, in addition, the mushroom broth for its preparation must be diluted in half with water. The mushroom aroma is so strong that it will certainly draw the child's attention to the new dish.
Gradually, chopped mushrooms can be introduced into the children's diet, but nutritionists recommend adding cream to the mushroom soup. They will make the first course more delicate in taste and make it easier to digest. I must say that not all mushrooms are suitable for baby food. It would be better to start with champignons, as they do not contain toxins and are considered easier to digest. It is important not to rush things and for the first time offer the child a small portion, observing his reaction. Even if everything is in order, it is not recommended to give mushroom soup to children more often than 1 time in 2 - 3 weeks.
