Maple syrup
- First taste
- 24 months
- Choking risk
- low
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Added sugar · see market note
Note
CDC advises no added sugars under 2 years.
When can babies eat maple syrup?
A baby's food does not need maple syrup. When and how much to offer differs from country to country. Follow the market note on this page. Serving sugary foods often raises the cavity risk as teeth come in. It can also lower a child's drive to try other foods.
Maple syrup comes from North America. For a short time in spring, sap is collected from living maple trees. The sap is boiled down into a thick, sweet syrup.
How do you prepare maple syrup for babies?
General tips
Avoid serving syrup foods on a regular basis. Keep added sugar as low as you can. Offer baby many flavors.
Babies and toddlers like sweet taste naturally. Most children need gentle limits to see that sweets are just one among many foods. For when and how much to offer, follow the market note on this page.
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.
12 months
12 months · How to use in mealsmash
Check the market note on this page before sharing family meals with syrup. When you do, use only a little. Drizzle a few drops over pancakes, oatmeal or yogurt, or stir it into sauces or quick bread batter. Do not make dessert a big deal. Prepare choking-risk pieces to fit the age. Do not use sweets as a reward or a punishment.
Is maple syrup a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: low
The syrup itself is low risk. Candies and sticky foods made with it can raise choking risk.
As an ingredient, maple syrup is low risk. In theory any food can cause choking. Candies and sticky foods made with syrup can raise the risk. Prepare food to fit baby's age and stay beside baby at meals.
Is maple syrup a common allergen?
Maple syrup rarely causes allergy. Some people with pollen food allergy syndrome have reacted to raw, unprocessed maple sap. No reaction to the cooked syrup has been reported. The usual sign is a brief tingle or burn around the mouth.
Start with a small amount for the first servings. If there is no reaction, raise the amount slowly.
Unlike honey, maple syrup is not known to carry infant botulism risk. Honey is not given in any form before 12 months.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about maple syrup
Can maple syrup replace honey?
Honey is not given before 12 months because of infant botulism risk. This risk is not known with maple syrup. It is still added sugar, though. For when and how much to offer, follow the market note on this page.
Should I track sugary foods?
Keep added sugar as low as you can and offer many flavors. When and how much to offer differs from country to country. See the market note on this page.
Sources for this page
- Rosow LK, Strober JB. (2015). Infant Botulism: Review and Clinical Update. Pediatric Neurology. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.01.006
- Perkins TD, van den Berg AK. (2009). Chapter 4 Maple Syrup—Production, Composition, Chemistry, and Sensory Characteristics. Advances in Food and Nutrition Research. doi:10.1016/S1043-4526(08)00604-9
- Binkley KE. (1994). Making maple syrup: Hazardous avocational ingestion of raw sap in a patient with nut and tree pollen sensitivity. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. doi:10.1053/ai.1994.v94.a56603
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
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