Table of contents:
- What is turmeric?
- Benefits of turmeric for babies
- Which must be considered before giving turmeric to babies
Turmeric in Indonesia is commonly used as a cooking spice or can also be used as herbal medicine. Turmeric is also believed to be a herbal medicine because it can help cure several diseases in traditional ways. Not only for adults, turmeric is also beneficial for children and even babies. Want to know what are the benefits of turmeric for babies and children? Check out the full explanation here.
What is turmeric?
Turmeric is the root stalk of a tropical plant which is still part of the ginger family. Turmeric which can give your cooking a natural yellow color has several substances that are useful for health. One of them is curcumin which has healing properties.
Not surprisingly, turmeric has long been used as medicine by the Chinese and Indians to treat digestive problems, such as heartburn, diarrhea, flatulence, colds, and others. Turmeric is also believed to help treat cancer, heart disease, and depression. Apart from that, turmeric also has antibacterial properties that can treat wound infections on the skin.
Benefits of turmeric for babies
Turmeric has various benefits for babies, either by consumption or by external use. The curcumin compounds in turmeric have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Because of this curcumin compound, turmeric is believed to cure various diseases. Such as colds, osteoarthritis, viral or bacterial infections, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, and other digestive problems. Turmeric can also improve digestive health and improve bowel movements.
In addition, the curcumin compounds in turmeric also have antioxidant properties. These antioxidants can protect body cells from damage caused by free radicals. Not only that, but curcumin can also trigger enzymes in the body to produce its own antioxidants. Thus, the benefits received by the body are doubled. The antioxidant properties in turmeric can also help boost the immunity of your baby and child, so they don't fall sick easily.
Apart from being consumed, the benefits of turmeric for other babies are that it can also be used as an external treatment to treat damage or wounds to the skin and make the skin healthier. Turmeric can make the skin smoother and softer. Apart from that, it can also help even out skin tone. To get this benefit, you just need to mix ground turmeric with lemon juice and apply it to your skin.
Which must be considered before giving turmeric to babies
Turmeric is one of the cooking spices. So, giving it to babies should not be arbitrary. Many doctors recommend that you wait until your baby is at least 8 months old to introduce spices to your baby's diet. It aims to help prevent digestive problems and allergies in babies.
However, it also seems okay if you spice up baby food when your baby is 6 months old or when your baby has been introduced to food. Remember, do not feed your baby other than breast milk, such as turmeric juice, if your baby is exclusively breastfed.
If the baby has finished exclusive breastfeeding and has been fed, you should introduce spices to the baby slowly in small amounts. Wait four to six days before introducing a new spice or food to the baby to see an allergic reaction in the baby.
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