Gooseberry

Gooseberries can be offered once your baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids.

This fruit grows on thorny bushes in temperate regions of Europe, Asia and the Americas, where it is native. It is related to the currant and tastes similarly tart. Some varieties are as big as grapes and others as small as wild blueberries. As they ripen, some stay translucent green or yellow with pale veins, while others turn pink and then dark purplish red. Other fruits called gooseberry in English, such as Indian and cape gooseberry, belong to different plant families.

It supplies carbohydrates, fiber and fluid, plus potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. These help with energy, the gut microbiome, fluid balance, skin health, iron absorption and immunity. Flavanols and anthocyanins, both antioxidants, are plentiful in the red, pink and purple varieties.

For a young baby, cook the fruit until soft and mash it. Stir into porridge, ricotta or yogurt, or make a compote. As your child grows, press ripe berries into discs with your fingers.

Around the first birthday many children get ready for whole gooseberries. Check your child's eating skill first. Show how to crush one with the teeth and stay close. If they are not ready, flatten them a little less each time.

The tiny seeds are edible and not a choking hazard.

Gooseberries are round and small, and often firm. These traits raise the choking risk.

Prepare them for your baby's age: cook and mash, or flatten. You do not need to remove the tiny seeds. Stay within arm's reach during meals.

Gooseberry allergy is uncommon. Allergy to its relative the currant has been reported, though rarely. Allergy to kiwi, a related fruit, has also been reported but is relatively uncommon.

As with any new food, start with a small amount for the first meals and raise it over later meals if nothing happens.