Horseradish

When to start

Horseradish can be offered once your baby has started solids, typically near 6 months. It is quite hot, so begin with a small amount stirred into your baby's food.

Horseradish belongs to the Brassica family, alongside cabbage and turnip. It most likely comes from Eastern Europe and West Asia. The horse in its name is not the animal. In an older use it meant strong, a nod to its sharp taste. Because of the peppery bite, cooks usually keep the portion small or blend it with other ingredients in sauces, dips, and dressings. Chrain, khrenovina, and pepperrotsaus are some of these sauces.

Why it matters

Horseradish is usually not eaten in nutritionally meaningful amounts. Still, it has fiber, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants. It also carries glucosinolates, which may have anti-cancer effects.

Despite what many people believe, babies can enjoy bold flavors, even heat. Begin with a small taste though, and set the heat to suit your child. The aim is to avoid a bad experience from too much heat.

Grate horseradish and stir a small amount into food. Fresh or pickled both work. Hold off on regularly serving very hot dishes until your baby is a little older. The aim is to teach that food is pleasant. Heat can upset a baby. Horseradish can cause coughing.

Something creamy cools the heat: mashed avocado, plain yogurt, or a drink of cow's milk, formula or breast milk. A light cooking, or mixing it into applesauce or sour cream, also reduces the heat. Taste the dish before you serve it.

Horseradish can pose a choking risk. Grated, prepared to suit the child's age, it is low risk. Thick raw pieces are firm, round, and hard to chew, which raises the risk. Grate it and do not serve raw pieces.

Stay within reach while your baby eats. Set up a safe eating space.

Horseradish is not a common allergen, though reactions have been reported. It belongs to the cruciferous (Brassica) family. Someone who reacts to a relative of horseradish, say mustard greens or broccoli, might in theory react to it as well.

Its sharp taste comes from a compound called allyl isothiocyanate. Wash your hands and any skin that touches it while grating. It can irritate skin and cause contact dermatitis. A harmless red ring can appear around the mouth while your baby eats. Larger amounts can add to diaper rash. A thin coat of barrier cream can go on the face and the diaper area. A balm of plant oil and wax works, and so does pure petroleum jelly.

Sulfites are sometimes used to preserve processed horseradish products. People with asthma in particular can react to added sulfites in a way that looks like an allergy. When sulfites worry you, stay away from products that list sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium bisulfite or sulfur dioxide.

Offer a small amount for the first few servings. If there is no reaction, raise the amount slowly.