Miso
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- low
- Common allergen
- yes
- Iron
- low
Soy allergen · salty, small amounts
Contains allergens
Each new allergen is offered on its own and watched for two hours. Our allergen introduction guide is available in Turkish for now.
When can babies eat miso?
You can serve food with miso once baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months. Miso has a lot of sodium, but now and then a small taste within a varied diet is fine. Miso contains soy and, in some kinds, wheat and seafood.
Miso is an East Asian seasoning. It adds flavor to everything from bread to soups, stews, salads and pickles. It is usually made from salt, soybeans and koji. Koji is the Japanese name of the Aspergillus oryzae mold that breaks the soybeans into fats and sugars, giving miso its umami taste. Colors range from deep red and rusty orange to earthy brown and pale yellow, set by how long it ferments and what goes in.
How do you prepare miso for babies?
Sodium and salt
Miso is salty, but as an ingredient in food within a varied diet it is not too salty for a baby. The sodium babies take in while learning to feed themselves tends to be low. Some sodium is needed for electrolyte balance, hydration and movement. Many health bodies advise skipping or lowering salt in meals baby shares. Newer research reviews hint that this may be unnecessary. Even with salt, sharing family meals lets baby explore more foods, learn the family food culture and practice many textures. Miso also offers prebiotics and probiotics that support baby's developing gut microbiome.
To cut the sodium
Use a lower-sodium miso. Put in less miso than a recipe asks for. Boost the dish's umami with mushrooms, garlic, ginger, onion, seaweed or dashi. Water or rice vinegar will thin out the miso.
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 as stripsstrip
Take miso-glazed salmon and remove every bone and all skin, then pull it into strips. Baby can hold and munch on a strip. Try soy and the other allergens in the dish on their own beforehand. A small bite from your table is enough. Skip miso candies and any firm or chewy miso foods.
6 months · How to prepare as chopped noodlescube
Chop the noodles from a miso ramen into short pieces and put them in a bowl. Baby can scoop them with a spoon or hand. The sodium level is high, though a small share of a dish that suits baby's age is fine.
12 months
12 months · How to use in family mealsmash
At family meals, miso goes in the way it usually would: marinades, sauces, stews or soups. With miso soup, first give only a small amount of the broth in an open cup for drinking practice. Take out the age-suitable solids and serve them on the child's plate. Candies made with miso, and other hard or sticky foods, wait until the child chews and swallows well and sits calmly to follow directions. That usually comes after the second birthday.
Is miso a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: low
Miso is low risk. Firm or sticky candies made with miso raise choking risk.
Miso is low risk when prepared to suit the child's age and development. In theory any food can cause choking. Miso candies and firm or chewy foods made with miso raise the risk. Stay beside baby, within arm's reach, for the whole meal.
Is miso a common allergen?
Soy, a common allergen, is the base of miso, and fish or wheat may also be in it. A few people allergic to soy protein or wheat handle small amounts of miso. If baby is known to be allergic to soy, talk to your doctor before offering miso.
Before serving a dish with miso, try soy and each of the other common allergens in it separately and rule them out. Then, when you are ready for the miso dish, you know the child has eaten those allergens safely. If a reaction follows a miso dish, it is also easier to find the cause.
Start with a small amount for the first servings. If there is no reaction, raise the amount slowly.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about miso
Is miso too salty for a baby?
As an ingredient in food, a small amount now and then within a varied diet is fine. You can still pick a lower-sodium miso or use less in a recipe.
Is miso gluten-free?
Not always. Some miso contains wheat. If celiac disease or wheat allergy is a concern, check the label and ask your doctor.
Can I give miso soup?
At 6 months a small amount with age-suitable solids is fine. After 12 months you can give a little broth in an open cup and serve the solids on a separate plate.
Sources for this page
- 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? Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 22(10):787-792. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2012.04.003
- Liem D. (2017). Liem DG. Nutrients 9(9):1011. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu9091011
- Saeed F, Afzaal M, Shah YA, Khan MH, Hussain M, Ikram A, et al. (2022). Miso: A traditional nutritious & health‐endorsing fermented product. Food Science and Nutrition. doi:10.1002/fsn3.3029
- Allwood JG, Wakeling LT, Bean DC. (2021). Fermentation and the microbial community of Japanese koji and miso : A review. Journal of Food Science. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.15773
- 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