Bay leaf
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- high
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Remove whole leaf · ground is fine
When can babies eat bay leaf?
Bay leaf can be used around 6 months, once baby is ready for solids. The whole leaf adds flavor to a dish but must be taken out before serving.
Bay leaves come from several laurel species. The most commonly eaten kind first grew around the Mediterranean. A fresh or dried leaf gives broth, soup and stew a mild herbal note. Even after long simmering it stays firm and leathery, so it is lifted out of the pot. The leaf can also be ground to a powder for seafood, stews and desserts.
Nutrition
Bay leaf contains plant compounds including phenols and flavonoids. These may have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. It is used in small amounts, so it is not counted as a nutrient source.
How do you prepare bay leaf for babies?
Soup, stew or rice cooked with bay leaves can be shared in portions that suit your child's age. Before serving, check that no leaf remains in baby's portion.
Ground bay leaf is a safer option. It works in stews, sauces and family dishes, and you do not need to strain it.
Preparation by age
The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.
6 months
6 months · How to use for flavormash
Cook the leaf in soups, stews, broth or rice for flavor. Remove every whole leaf before serving. Check baby's portion piece by piece. Ground bay leaf is also an option, and the powder does not need to be strained out.
12 months
12 months · How to serve as teamash
From age one, bay leaf tea may be served in a cup. Wait for it to cool down so it is not hot. Until 12 months, offer only breast milk, formula and small sips of water, with no tea or other drinks. The rules in the 6-month card still apply for cooking.
Is bay leaf a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: high
A whole bay leaf is firm, sharp and hard to chew. It can cause choking and can injure the esophagus or throat. Always take whole leaves out before serving.
A whole bay leaf is firm and sharp. If left in a dish, it is hard to chew. These traits raise the risk of choking and of injury to the esophagus or throat.
Take the leaf out
Remove every whole leaf from the dish before serving. It does not soften or break down with cooking.
If someone eats one
Bay leaves used in cooking are not toxic. Do not worry if you or baby swallow a bite. Still, the leaf is a choking risk, so check baby's portion carefully in a shared dish.
Is bay leaf a common allergen?
Bay leaf is not a common allergen. Reports describe rashes after skin contact and breathing symptoms after inhaling the dried herb.
Some dried herb blends that include bay leaf may carry common allergens. With food allergies in the family, check the label carefully.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about bay leaf
Can a baby drink bay leaf tea?
Once your child turns one, it may be served in a cup. Let it cool first. Before 12 months, give nothing to drink besides breast milk, formula and small sips of water.
What if my baby swallows a bay leaf by accident?
Cooking bay leaf is not toxic. It still carries a choking risk because it never softens. Watch your baby, and get help if coughing or breathing trouble appears.
Do I need to strain ground bay leaf?
No. Ground leaf does not need to be strained out.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- Batool S, Khera RA, Hanif MA, Ayub MA. (2020). Bay Leaf. Medicinal Plants of South Asia. doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-102659-5.00005-7
- Vassileva S, Darlenski R. (2021). Bay leaf phytodermatitis. Contact Dermatitis. doi:10.1111/cod.13742
- Lemière C, Cartier A, Lehre SB, Malo J. (1996). Occupational asthma caused by aromatic herbs. Allergy. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.1996.tb04685.x
- Awerbuck DC, Briant TDR, Wax MK. (1994). Bay leaf: An uncommon foreign body of the hypopharynx. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. doi:10.1177/019459989411000314
Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides
Medical note
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.
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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com