Sometimes parents don't even bother asking at what age children can be given tea. It seems that a less harmless drink is difficult to come up with. Make it weak - and pour the baby. Experts, on the contrary, are not inclined to simplify the situation: useful for an adult, tea can adversely affect the state of a young organism. We will assess the risks and find out if there are teas that are safe for the child.
We have previously discussed the topic of how old children can drink coffee -.
Is tea good for children?
Tea for children, unlike plain water that quenches thirst, is part of their diet, a complete product with a set of various substances that can be useful or harmful to a child of a certain age.
Depending on the nature of the impact on the child's body, teas can be preventive and therapeutic. The first group includes drinks that strengthen the baby's immune system. Teas from the second group can be prescribed by a pediatrician:
- in the treatment of colds (teas with licorice extract, thyme);
- as a sedative for severe excitability (with mint);
- with colic and intestinal disorders ().
The benefits of these drinks are undeniable. However, only a doctor should give recommendations on what kind of tea, in what volumes and for what purpose a baby can drink.
How can it be harmful?
It is forbidden to give black and green tea, beloved by adults, to the youngest children, because they contain dangerous components:
- tannins - make it difficult for the body to absorb iron, and this is fraught with anemia;
- caffeine - leads to overexcitation, heart palpitations;
- oxalic acid - destroys teeth;
- alkaloids - have a diuretic effect, which is not useful for the child's body;
- purine compounds - lead to the accumulation of uric acid in the body, which the baby's kidneys cannot cope with.
The listed substances, which are toxic for children, sometimes become a kind of "time bomb" - they gradually accumulate in the tissues of the body and can later cause a child's hyperactivity, inability to concentrate, poor memory, tendency to restless sleep. At the same time, parents are likely to remain in the dark about where all these problems come from.
From how many months can you give tea to a child?
The very first teas that infants receive:
- fennel (they can drink a child who is 1 month old);
- with linden flowers (not earlier than 4 months);
- ginger and mint tea (starting from six months).
As for classic black tea, it is advised to give it only from 2-3 years old, little by little and not strongly brewed (0.5 teaspoon of tea leaves per 200 ml of water, brewing time - 2-3 minutes). Green tea is introduced into the menu of boys and girls even later - from 10-11 years old, because it is in it that the content of tannins and caffeine is especially high.
Consumption rates
The appearance of black tea in the child's menu does not mean at all that now he can drink it as much as he wants and whenever he wants. For children 2-3 years old, the recommended norm is 50 ml, it is allowed to drink it no more than 3-4 times a week.
Children 3-6 years old can drink tea every day, the norm is 100 ml.
After 7 years, the rate doubles, up to 200 ml, while tea can be brewed more strongly.
Children's herbal teas
Granulated and in bags, these teas are represented in the distribution network by products of such brands as "Grandmother's basket" (you can learn about it from the article), Hipp, Heinz, "Bayushki-bayu". Despite the fact that all the ingredients of these teas are absolutely safe for children, when buying, you need to be guided by the recommendations of a pediatrician - he will advise the drink that will bring more benefits, taking into account the individual characteristics of the baby.
Herbal teas include not only plant components, but also extracts of berries, fruits. Especially for children, they select fees that strengthen the heart, blood vessels, and bone tissue. The age of the baby is always taken into account. For example, from the first weeks of life, a baby can receive tea that stimulates the stomach if it suffers from painful colic and bloating. In such a drink, for sure, there will be not only synthetic dyes and flavors, but even sugar and gluten.
Here are the types of herbal teas (some of which you can make yourself from medicinal raw materials bought at a pharmacy) that support the health of a child at different stages of his life:
What can be added to tea?
Various additives can make tea tastier and healthier. Let's consider several options:
- Bee honey makes it possible to refuse the use of sugar, which is contraindicated for some children. With colds, such an additive to tea will contribute to a faster recovery.
- Berries and fruits supplement the drink with vitamins and minerals. For example, a finely chopped apple will enrich it with iron and ascorbic acid. Strawberries will help improve metabolism, and raspberries are an effective antipyretic.
- Milk reduces the concentration of tea in a cup and reduces its stimulating effect on the nervous system, helps to preserve tooth enamel. Small children (up to three years old) receive tea with milk in a ratio of 1:1.
- Ginger is good for strengthening the immune system. Grated root, added to tea, makes the drink healing for colds, helps to feel better with headaches, nausea.
- Lemon is a good prophylactic against colds, it is rich in vitamin C.
- Thyme tea is useful in the treatment of acute respiratory diseases. In the article, we talked about the beneficial properties and contraindications of tea with thyme.
In order for tea to be beneficial, and not create problems, pediatricians give parents a number of recommendations.
Babies from birth to two years old are not advised by doctors to give "adult" teas - you need to buy those that are created specifically for children. They are made on the basis of medicinal herbs and do not contain caffeine. The labels always indicate what age the drink is intended for children, and the instructions that come with the product explain in detail how to make the tea correctly.
Acquaintance with "adult" teas is more correct to start with black varieties, you can - with fruit additives. It is advisable not to use packaged products, since they always contain artificial components, which are especially harmful to the child's body. There are no such additives in loose tea.
Like any new product introduced to the children's menu, tea can have an undesirable reaction.. In order not to let the situation get out of control, parents should, firstly, start with small (preferably morning) portions, and, secondly, observe the well-being and behavior of the baby: how his mood changes, whether he began to fall asleep worse . If no problems are found, the portion of the drink can be increased, and the time of use can be extended, giving tea not only in the morning, but also, for example, after a daytime sleep.
Herbal teas, which have a lot of advantages, are best given to a child after consulting a doctor, since even the most useful medicinal preparations that have helped adults more than once in a difficult situation can provoke an allergy in a child. In addition, with the wrong dosage, herbal medicinal raw materials can cause poisoning of the body.
If herbal tea is prepared in the home kitchen, then the "brewing" should be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared with all the necessary precautions - within the time recommended by experts, in an environmentally safe area. In no case should you buy herbs from random grandmothers in the market or near supermarkets.
The point of view of Dr. Komarovsky
Known for television programs and online consultations, Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky speaks of “drinking in general” for a child, as an opportunity to quench their thirst, and not to enjoy the drink. The list of "optimal drinking", as the pediatrician calls it, includes herbal and fruit teas. Komarovsky believes that they should be at room temperature. If the child has been accustomed to the fact that tea is drunk warm, the intensity of heating should be gradually reduced - it is more useful.
The pediatrician is sure that tea is useful for the child's body, but he warns parents about observing a sense of proportion. Komarovsky allows starting to introduce the baby to his favorite Russian drink during the first complementary foods (from 6 months of age), giving 1 teaspoon of tea, no more. If symptoms of an allergy are found, the tea should be discarded.
Contraindications
The fact that tea is not the most harmless drink for children is evidenced by a number of contraindications associated with the general condition of the child and diseases of individual organs. It:
- the presence of food allergies to any products;
- caffeine intolerance;
- baby hyperactivity;
- poor sleep, difficulty falling asleep;
- diseases of the stomach and intestines;
- kidney problems;
- heat.
In addition, age restrictions should always be taken into account - what kindergartners and schoolchildren are allowed to drink can not always be consumed by a one-year-old child without risk to health.
When feeding a child, it is difficult to limit yourself to milk and water. A variety of juices with pulp are also used, and sometimes even teas. But from what age and what kind of tea can be given to a child?
What is the peculiarity of the impact of different varieties of tea on the child's body? More on this later in the article.
Up to one year
According to WHO recommendations, babies under six months are not advised to give anything but milk. From four months (if the child is not breastfed) it is already allowed to give special teas for children, in which you will not find caffeine or tannins that reduce appetite.
Such teas are completely safe for a child, they have a pleasant taste and various useful properties: soothing, normalizing the work of the stomach, and so on. You can buy them in specialized stores, however, first of all, pay attention to what age this tea is intended for, and also consult your pediatrician.
Starting from six months, it is recommended to give the child special herbal baby teas. Of course, the concentration should be age appropriate. The most beneficial herbs for a child's health are: chamomile and fennel (they have an antiseptic, antispasmodic effect, increase the activity of the food glands and normalize intestinal motility); mint and lemon balm (have a calming effect). Such teas are recommended to be given to the child up to 1 time per day at least an hour before bedtime.
Up to three years
After one year, you can start preparing vitamin fruit and berry teas for your child. They strengthen the immune system and the body as a whole, are sources of vitamins, improve appetite.
An excellent option are such fruits and berries: rosehip, green apple, currant, pear, raspberry, apricot, linden. You can use their leaves instead of fruits - they are less allergenic.
After three years
If you want to give your child "adult" teas, such as black, green or white, then you should do it strictly after 3 years.
It is also important to consider that these types of tea are saturated with caffeine and tannins, so it is worth brewing them strictly once a day and in the morning. If you give such tea to a child in the evening, it is highly likely that he will suffer from insomnia and nervousness.
Doctors recommend starting your acquaintance with this drink after 3 years with black leaf tea without additives. It should be lightly brewed and without sugar, but if you want to “sweeten life”, you can add honey to it.
You can also brew hibiscus for a child, which does not have pronounced tonic properties, but at the same time contains many vitamins.
The traditional drink loved by all families is tea. Its popularity is truly global, so many parents want to know when it is possible to give tea to a child, what varieties are suitable for the first “acquaintance”, and what is better to refuse for now. Our article will answer these questions.
Everyone knows about the benefits of a tea drink, but not all parents know why it is worth refusing to introduce it into a children's diet. The drink we are used to is a strong tonic, so its use can lead to the following problems in the crumbs.
Why tea can be dangerous:
- Tannin, which is part of tea leaves, prevents the absorption of iron, which can lead to anemia at an early age, as well as problems with the blood supply to organs. In adults, the supply of this element is quite large, but for children, even a slight loss of iron from the body can have catastrophic consequences.
- The main component that provides the strength of the drink is caffeine. In some varieties of black tea, it is contained even in higher concentrations than in coffee, so a positive invigorating effect for adults can adversely affect the baby's well-being. Caffeine in high doses leads to increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and increased gastrointestinal function. Such phenomena are undesirable for a fragile body, besides, tea slows down the absorption of vitamin D, and this is the main "building" material at this age.
- Tea is also famous for its diuretic effect, which will not benefit a growing body. Together with toxins and “bad” minerals, the necessary supply of useful substances is also washed out.
- The purine compounds that make up the drink are involved in the formation of uric acid salts. The child's excretory system is also not fully formed, so such a load is undesirable and even dangerous. Excess uric acid can lead to manifestations of an allergic reaction, increased excitability and anxiety, as well as sleep disturbances.
- Acids and pigments, also present in the drink, have a negative effect on milk teeth, contributing to the leaching of calcium and the gradual destruction of enamel. In addition, the normal process of bone tissue formation is disrupted, which is fraught with serious consequences in the future.
Of course, such negative effects will not appear from one cup of tea. The accumulation of substances harmful to the child's body occurs gradually, so you should not abuse this drink and start "acquaintance" in infancy. When a child can be given tea, as well as a safe portion for the baby - let's try to figure it out in more detail.
At what age can a child drink tea
Pediatricians unanimously agree on the issue that it is inappropriate and even harmful to give black tea to children before they reach the age of two. Green tea is not so "aggressive", but is it possible to give tea to a child up to a year? There is no logical basis for this, but it is believed that it is desirable to start the first tea party for a baby with just such varieties.
Features of the use of tea for babies in the first year of life:
- Tea can be introduced into the baby's diet only after agreement with the pediatrician. Usually, herbal preparations are prescribed to improve digestion, eliminate colic and other unpleasant symptoms.
- Teas that are safe for a child are sold in pharmacies and have recommendations from what age they can be drunk. Usually for two or three months you can find a suitable fee.
- It is possible to brew and give a drink to a baby only according to the instructions, strictly observing the dosage.
- It is necessary to drink tea for the baby after the main feeding with breast milk or a mixture.
- If the baby does not like the taste of the drink, you can sweeten it a little. In the case when it is even ignored, you should not force it, the grown-up baby will appreciate the new taste more.
If a baby has any developmental pathologies, as well as for premature babies, it is recommended to postpone the introduction of a new product (drink) for a couple of months.
Tea drinking rules for children after two years
When the baby reaches 1.5-2 years old, you can start introducing a portion of tea into the diet. It is better to give tea to a child in the morning to prevent hyperactivity at night. It is advisable to first mix a weak drink with milk and sugar, because in this case its negative effect on teeth and bone tissue is neutralized. It is worth noting that unusual varieties of tea: pu-erh, hibiscus, oolong, as well as aromatic additives (including natural ones), can provoke a negative reaction of the body. It is best to start giving your baby simple black or green tea, the preparation of which should be given special attention.
How to make and give tea to babies:
- It is worth buying only varieties of proven tea, in no case packaged and without additional fragrances.
- A single serving should not exceed 50-70 ml, a child of 2-4 years old can drink no more than 150 ml of tea per day.
- For children, tea should be brewed separately, you should not add a lot of sugar or honey to it, just sweeten the drink a little.
- Additional ingredients (lemon, mint and other herbs) are used in minimal quantities and only in the absence of allergies.
- Honey is also added with caution, because it is a strong allergen. In addition, the drink should be warm, but not hot, so that the honey does not become toxic (this happens with strong heat).
- For each reception it is necessary to prepare a new portion of tea. With prolonged infusion, the tea drink loses most of the nutrients.
Despite the milder taste, green tea contains more caffeine and tannins. That is why the opinions of doctors about him are very different. On the one hand, it is a natural cleanser, on the other hand, it is a heavy load on a fragile body. Can children drink green tea? There is no definite answer, but subject to the above recommendations (two years of age, weak tea leaves, and the rest), there are usually no serious contraindications to this. Another thing is that children do not always like the tart taste, so green tea can become a less favorite drink than black tea. It is absolutely impossible to force a baby and even more so to impose one’s tastes (and it won’t work very well), so you should trust your child in choosing this drink.
At what age can tea be given to a child - a frequent question of young parents to their pediatrician. Despite the objective benefits of this drink, it is not recommended for children under two years of age to use it, because the biologically active components that make up the composition can harm the baby. In addition, it is undesirable to offer black tea to children on an empty stomach, as well as to use varieties with exotic additives or a bagged version that contains many impurities and chemicals. It is optimal to start introducing your baby to a new taste with green varieties, as well as use special herbal preparations recommended for baby food. More about the dangers of this drink for the child's body, as well as the features of drinking tea by kids, are described in our article.
At six months, other products are introduced into the baby's diet in addition to breast milk -. Parents immediately have a lot of questions about products that will benefit the baby and will not harm. One of the most common such questions is: is it possible to give tea to a child?
Tea is a common and popular drink, in many families it is consumed daily and in considerable quantities. To understand whether children need tea, it is worth considering in detail its composition.
The components of tea and their effect on the child
The composition of tea includes a large number of different substances. Many of them have a different effect (positive or negative) on the child's body.
- Tannin is the tannin of tea. It reacts with iron in the stomach. It leads to . An increased risk of developing anemia.
- Theine is an alkaloid with a mild but long lasting stimulant effect. It has a positive effect on bowel function and metabolism. The high content of theine in tea helps to inhibit the formation of vitamin D. This leads to the development of rickets.
- Other alkaloids that are part of tea, but in smaller quantities than theine. They have a diuretic and vasodilating effect.
- Purine bases contribute to the formation of excess uric acid and oxalates (its salts). To remove these compounds, the work of the kidneys, which are still weak in the baby, is enhanced.
- Oxalic acid binds calcium in the body. This will lead to the destruction of the first milk teeth and poor bone growth.
- Vitamins C and group B.
- Valuable trace elements: zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese, fluorine.
- Flavonoids are antioxidants. They help to remove harmful substances from the body.
- Methionine helps to normalize the metabolism of fats in the body.
For an adult organism, when drinking tea, all these compounds do not have a pronounced negative effect. For children, even a small amount of them has a strong influence on the development of the body.
So, ordinary tea will not bring benefits to babies. Most likely it is even harmful. You can introduce tea into the baby's diet after one and a half to two years.
White, black or green
There are several types of tea, and it is worth deciding what kind of tea children can drink after 1.5-2 years. All varieties of tea are the leaves of the same plant, but have undergone different processing. The richest in tannin and theine content is green tea. Therefore, at the moment when the child can begin to give tea, it is better to stop at black.
What is better to use when brewing tea: bags or leaves?
It has long been known that it is best to refuse the use of sachets. They contain unwanted impurities. They can cause allergic reactions in children and the quality of such tea is questionable. Only freshly brewed tea can be used. After an hour, the content of useful substances in tea drops sharply, and when reheated, harmful compounds are formed.
When brewing tea for a child, you need to make sure that it is not strong, light brown in color and warm. Black tea should be given during the day, for example, during breakfast. Otherwise, the invigorating effect of the drink will lead to poor falling asleep of the child.
Moms take note!
Hello girls! After giving birth, she gained 11 kilograms and could not get rid of them. I tried to limit myself in food, but diets did not bring special results. I had to look for another solution. And I found it: (-15kg) I hope the information will be useful for you!
Tea Additives
Many drink tea with the addition of milk, sugar, lemon or other flavorings. Should kids add any supplements. And if possible, when to give tea with sugar or honey.
Tea with milk is good for babies. When milk is added, all the beneficial substances of tea are preserved, and the action of some compounds harmful to the baby is neutralized. In preschool children's institutions and in hospitals, it must be included in the menu. Many nutritionists even recommend diluting tea for a child by half with milk. This is due to the action of milk on some components of tea:
- the binding of tannins eliminates the danger of a decrease in hemoglobin levels;
- neutralization of oxalic acid reduces calcium leaching from tooth enamel;
- tea pigments neutralized with milk will not attack tooth enamel.
It is better to refuse the use of sugar for tea completely or put it in very small quantities. You can, if the baby wants to drink sweet tea instead of sugar, use honey. However, you should be careful, as honey is the strongest allergen.
As additives, you can use apples, dried rose hips, currants, strawberries or raspberries. Fragrant herbs (linden flowers, chamomile, mint) will add flavor and aroma to the drink and will benefit. All of them have pronounced medicinal properties, so you should consult your doctor before using them.
In principle, tea, like coffee, is an “adult” drink. Until the age of two, it is better to stop using this drink altogether.
On sale there are many herbal and fruit collections (teas) designed specifically for small children. There are even teas that can be used from two months. If you want to give your baby a drink, such drinks will not only remove thirst, but will also benefit.
Updated: for babies there are special herbal and herbal teas. For example, with chamomile, lemon balm, mint, St. John's wort, fennel, wild rose, linden. This drink also heals. For example, it normalizes digestion, soothes, and facilitates the separation of sputum when coughing. Pharmacies have a large selection of tea in granules, it is important to follow the indicated dosage with them. But before you buy a package of tea, do not be too lazy to consult a doctor: you need to be extremely careful with herbs. Artificial babies can be given tea as early as 3-4 months, babies - after six.
Consider options for weakly brewed tea, fruit or vegetable broth. We are talking about this topic in the block of Irina Zaitseva with pediatrician Sofya Nikolaevna:
With the birth of a child, a young mother is always worried about the introduction of new products into the baby's diet. What foods can and can't be given? And if so, in what quantities? Often this question arises in relation to such a popular drink as tea.
Consider at what age appears tea in children's diet, which types of tea are useful, and which ones should be postponed.
1. Children under one year old
Everyone knows that the best drink and food for very young children is breast milk. Therefore, if you still decide to diversify the child’s menu and give him tea (for example, in extreme heat), then it is better to give preference special children's teas. Such teas are made, in most cases, by pharmaceutical companies that make sure that their teas are as healthy and harmless as possible for children.
In addition, there are now children's herbal teas, which can help your baby with some of the problems of infants, such as colic. Such teas are infused mainly with chamomile or fennel, and, as you know, it is these plants that can relieve spasms in young children.
Also, herbal teas promote sound sleep, improve digestion and appetite in infants.
Like any other product, tea should be introduced gradually to the baby to avoid an allergic reaction.
Teas allowed to drink babies from 1 month(according to indications) - fennel, chamomile.
Teas to drink children from 4 months(according to indications) - single-component teas, with a therapeutic effect.
Multi-component medicinal teas after consultation with a doctor - after 6 months.
Types of tea for babies:
- in sachets(in special bags there are tea leaves and herbs, fruit additives, inflorescences);
- in granules(a dry powder that dissolves well in water. Such teas almost always contain sucrose or dextrose to improve the taste)
2. Children over one year old
Most children drink plenty of fluids, so tea can also be given to expand the drinking ration.
What tea is healthier for a child?
Preference should be given green tea or herbal, they contain fewer substances that adversely affect the nervous system. Green tea contains vitamins, phenolic derivatives, zinc, fluorine, which have a positive effect on the child's body.
Green tea has recently become a very popular drink, a wide selection of tea varieties is presented in specialized stores, in the online tea store.
The main criterion when buying tea for a child- this is the absence of flavors, dyes and preservatives. Therefore, before buying tea for a child, carefully read the composition indicated on the box, most often cheap, with a strong smell of fruits or herbs, teas contain artificial flavors.
If you want to get fragrant tea., use natural ingredients prepared in advance - sprigs and leaves of black currant, cherry, mint leaves, oregano, linden inflorescences, chamomile flowers.
When and how much to give?
It is better to give tea to a child in the morning, no more than one or two cups a day.
Tea should be necessarily weak, freshly brewed and warm, and not hot or cold.
The use of strong tea in large quantities causes excitation of the nervous system in children, increases the heart rate, causes insomnia, and can lead to disruption of the intestines.
How useful is tea?
Tea is very useful to drink for children suffering from excessive appetite and weight, as tea is able to break down fats, normalize bowel function, and improve the separation of gastric juice.
The high fluoride content will help strengthen bones, nails and teeth. Sometimes green tea It is recommended to rinse your mouth to strengthen tooth enamel. Therefore, moderate consumption of weak tea is good for the child.
Original tea recipe from Chef Artyom 🙂
(All hot summer Artyom delighted us with a delicious refreshing drink, the recipe of which is simple):
Fresh peppermint leaves are poured with boiling water.
For 2 liters of drink, add a lemon cut with a peel (half).
Sugar to taste.
Let stand and cool.
Yummy!!!
(Visitors 4,192 all time, 1 views today)