We deal with the questions of why a child eats raw potatoes and whether it is harmful
So many different dishes are prepared from potatoes that there is rarely a desire to eat them raw. Adults consider raw tubers inedible, but children quite often eat them with pleasure. In such a situation, parents have a question whether this is harmful to the body and why the child developed the habit of eating raw potatoes. We will look into this further.
Composition and properties of raw potatoes
The tubers are 80% starch, a quarter water and about 2% protein. Less than 1% of the composition is fat. Potatoes also contain a lot of useful substances: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus. In addition, tubers contain vitamins C, D, E, K and group B.
Important! Raw potatoes do not taste very pleasant, but they contain more elements beneficial to the body than heat-treated ones.
Benefits and harms
Potatoes are good for those who suffer from high stomach acidity. It improves metabolism in the body, removes salts, toxins and excess fluid. Potatoes are especially recommended for children suffering from constipation or prone to colds.
The harm of potatoes is that they contain simple carbohydrates and are quite high in calories. It is not recommended to give it to children prone to obesity. If you eat tubers several times a day, this can lead to problems with digestion and gastrointestinal tract.
Why does a child eat raw potatoes?
Young children are actively teething, their nervous system and bone tissue are developing.Regular baby food does not always provide the required amount of building material for a growing body. The child eats potatoes intuitively - he simply makes up for the lack of nutrients. Since potatoes are usually stored in the open, it is easy for the baby to get to them.
Children actively eat raw potatoes when there is a lack of calcium and magnesium in the body. If you monitor your child's diet and give him all the necessary vitamins, most likely he will not eat raw potatoes.
Eating potatoes may be a sign of:
- intestinal problems;
- colds;
- inflammatory processes in the body.
Exactly Potatoes help fight these problems. The child does not know this, but his instinct tells him which product to choose.
Can a child eat it?
Although eating raw tubers may seem strange to adults, there is nothing wrong with it. You can safely allow your child to eat his favorite treat if you follow some rules.
Which raw potatoes can be eaten and which not?
Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Otherwise, there is a risk of becoming infected with E. coli or salmonella. In storage, rodents can run around the tubers and also carry infections. Before giving potatoes to your baby, it is advisable to not only wash them, but also remove the skins.
For raw consumption, take whole tubers without a green tint. When exposed to light, they begin to secrete the toxic substance solanine. Small children have weak bodies, and they will be poisoned by such potatoes. You should also avoid eating frozen potatoes, since their effect on the child’s body has not yet been studied.
Important! If potatoes have sprouts, rot spots and other defects, they are edible only after heat treatment. Under no circumstances should you cut out the flaws and give this tuber to your baby. At best, you will get away with problems with stool, and at worst, it will lead to severe food poisoning.
Contraindications for use
Limit the consumption of raw potatoes in case of diseases of the kidneys, liver and pancreas. If your baby is prone to allergic reactions, give him raw tubers with caution, starting with small quantities. If swelling, itching, rash or red spots appear, they are immediately excluded from the diet.
Pediatricians' opinion
Some pediatricians believe that a large number starch not too healthy for kids. They also urge people to take into account the risk of contracting infections when consuming raw tubers. Others believe that raw potatoes are beneficial in small quantities, as they completely retain all the beneficial substances.
The famous children's doctor Evgeny Komarovsky claims that there is no need to prevent a child from intuitively choosing food that will help him get the substances his body needs. There is some truth in this, so you should not completely prohibit your baby from eating raw potatoes.
This is interesting:
Raw and boiled potatoes as food for guinea pigs, hamsters and livestock.
Conclusion
If you notice that your child has begun to eat raw potatoes, do not panic and scold him for it. It is much better to control the quality of the product by simultaneously adding dishes with a high content of magnesium and calcium to the diet.It is useful to show the child to the pediatrician and consult about the daily menu. The right approach will help you adjust your diet and avoid the risks associated with eating raw potatoes.