Is it okay to give broth to babies?
I’m frequently asked “Is bone broth safe for babies? I started to give my own children bone broth as soon as I knew how to make it properly. It was always important to ensure my son had bone broth included in his diet because I’ve always felt that he suffered from poor gut health since he was born. Jack was given antibiotics as soon as he was born. When Jack was a few weeks old, he would grunt and kick his legs at 4 a.m. every morning. He was trying to pass wind; sometimes he would, others not. After, he would remain constipated for days.
My theory is that antibiotics early in his life prevented some of the bacteria from colonising and growing leaving him with digestive problems. Jack is now five years old and has bone broth frequently in his diet. I have been giving broth to him from the age of 3. My daughter was 18 months when she first had bone broth. Adding bone broth to their meals is an important part of their diet.
After receiving many requests for information about the nutritional value of our beef bone broth, we listened and sent our broth off to the lab:
In 100g of beef bone broth you will find:
Calories: 22
Protein: 5.5g
Total Fat: 0g
Total Carbs: 1g
Collagen: 3.6g
Sodium: < 0.5g
Vit A: 0.005mg
Is bone broth safe for babies?
By including bone broth in your child’s diet, you can ensure they are receiving plenty of protein goodness. Protein is needed to help us grow and develop. Protein recommendations differ based on your child’s age. Healthy toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 need 0.55 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. For a toddler weighing 30 pounds, this translates to 16.5 grams of protein per day. As a child increases in age, protein needs decrease. Children between 4 and 6 need 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, so a 45-pound 5-year-old requires 22.5 grams of protein. Children between 7 and 14 require 0.45 grams of protein per body weight. For a 12-year-old weighing 90 pounds, this translates to 40.5 grams of protein daily [1].
Bone broth is rich in minerals and vitamins
Bone broth is also rich in other minerals and vitamins. Vitamin A has been tested and we can confirm there is 0.005mg found in 100g. We felt it important to get Vitamin A tested because in Australia there have been some concerns about parents replacing breast milk with bone broth. This is something awful and should never happen, but it raised some issues about Vitamin A. According to doctors in Australia, giving a newborn baby bone broth can cause Vitamin A poisoning.
I would like to add, bone broth should not be given unless your child has been weaned and it should be added to meals or included as part of your child’s normal diet. There are very low Vitamin A levels in our beef broth, so there is no need to be concerned, but as with anything to do with health it’s best to form your own opinion, all we can do is pass on information.
We are now selling smaller pouches just for babies and small children (ensure to continue with your baby or child’s normal diet). Can be given as an occasional warm drink or added to meals. Click here for recipes.