Maitake mushrooms

You can offer maitake once baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months. Serve it cooked.

The mushroom used to be foraged from forests in the northern hemisphere. Cultivated kinds are now easier to find worldwide. Its feathery look and habit of growing in nests at tree bases gave the English name hen of the woods. The Japanese name translates to 'dancing mushroom'. It has long been used in Buddhist ceremonies and cooking in East Asia.

The main nutrients are fiber, fluid, choline, zinc, and vitamin D. They support gut bacteria, brain growth, bone health and immunity.

Cook it

Raw mushroom can be eaten, but cooked is better for babies. Cooking lowers the risk of foodborne illness. It also makes the mushroom easier to digest and lowers the choking risk.

Safe sourcing

Buy mushrooms from a reliable source. Do not forage. Do not eat wild mushrooms unless a mycologist has confirmed they are edible. Poisonous look-alikes are common in the wild.

Do not give babies or toddlers maitake supplements such as capsules or powders. Their safety in young children has not been studied enough.

Maitake is a choking hazard for babies, especially the stem. The texture can be chewy and slippery. A new eater has trouble breaking it down in the mouth.

Remove round stems and prepare it to fit baby's age. Stay within reach of baby at meals.

Maitake is not a common allergen. Mushroom allergy is rare but known. Anaphylaxis and rashes have been reported in people who handle mushrooms. Mushrooms contain chitin, a carbohydrate also found in shellfish and insects. It may add to an allergic response in some people.

People with pollen food allergy syndrome, especially those sensitive to mold, may react to mushrooms too. The sign is usually short itching in the mouth. Cooking lowers or removes the reaction.

Sulfites sometimes preserve dried mushrooms. Sulfites rarely cause allergies. People with asthma can still react.

Start with a small amount and watch for a reaction.