Capers
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- medium
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Salty, flatten and serve in small amounts
When can babies eat capers?
Capers can start when your baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids. They are high in sodium. But they are used in small amounts, and an occasional taste of a dish with capers fits in a varied diet.
Capers grow around the Mediterranean. The caper bush produces small flower buds, and people pick them by hand. They are traditionally pickled in brine or cured in salt. Capers add flavor to Tunisian stews, Spanish tapas, Greek salads and Sicilian puttanesca.
Even a handful of capers carries a bit of vitamin K and fiber, along with phenolic acids and flavonoids. These help digestion and blood clotting.
How do you prepare capers for babies?
About the salt
Capers are salty, but small amounts within a varied diet are fine. Babies eat little while they learn to feed themselves. Sharing the family table also has benefits: your baby meets more foods, takes part in the family food culture and tries different textures.
Draining and rinsing capers from their brine lowers the salt. Do not add capers to dishes that are already very salty.
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 prepare choppedmash
If the family dish has capers, chop the capers in your baby's portion very fine or press them flat. You can also blend them into sauces and dressings. Capers are salty, so use very little.
9 months
9 months · How to serve flattenedcube
Keep serving flattened or chopped capers mixed into shared meals. For a taste on their own, press each caper gently flat and set a few on the tray. Your baby picks them up with the fingers.
12 months
12 months · How to serve wholecube
Most children can handle whole capers by this age. Serve them in pasta, in chicken sauce or in a yogurt dip. Still keep the amount small.
Is capers a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: medium
Tiny, round and sometimes hard. Before 12 months, chop finely or flatten.
The buds are tiny and round and may be firm, so the choking risk goes up. Before 12 months, chop capers finely or flatten them. Stay with your baby during meals.
Is capers a common allergen?
Capers rarely cause allergy. There are reports of allergic reactions to capers, and capers in wet compresses have caused allergic contact dermatitis.
Offer a small amount for the first few meals. If there is no reaction, increase gradually.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about capers
Do capers have too much salt for babies?
They are high in sodium. Small amounts within a varied diet are fine. You can drain and rinse them.
Are capers a choking risk?
Yes. Capers are tiny and round, and may be hard. Before 12 months, chop finely or flatten them.
What are capers?
They are small flower buds of the caper bush, preserved in brine or salt.
Sources for this page
- Annaz H, Sane Y, Bitchagno GTM, Ben Bakrim W, Drissi B, Mahdi I, et al. (2022). Annaz H, Sane Y, Bitchagno GTM, et al. Caper (Capparis spinosa L.): An Updated Review on Its Phytochemistry, Nutritional Value, Traditional Uses, and Therapeutic Potential. Frontiers in Pharmacology. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.878749
- Strazzullo P, Campanozzi A, Avallone S. (2012). Strazzullo P, Campanozzi A, Avallone S. Does salt intake in the first two years of life affect the development of cardiovascular disorders in adulthood? Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2012.04.003
- Angelini G, Vena GA, Filotico R, Foti C, Grandolfo M. (1991). Allergic contact dermatitis from Capparis spinosa L. applied as wet compresses. Contact Dermatitis. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1991.tb01764.x
- Liem D. (2017). Liem DG. Infants' and children's salt taste perception and liking: a review. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu9091011
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
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