Mustard greens
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- low
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Cruciferous leafy green · rich in vitamin K
When can babies eat mustard greens?
Mustard greens can be offered once baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids. They are a leafy green native to Asia. Many types exist, with different colors, sizes and leaf shapes. Mizuna is thin and tender. Takana is bitter. Gai choy has a thick, crunchy stem.
They provide fiber, calcium, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins K, E, C, B6, and A. These nutrients help digestion, vision, immunity and bone health.
Vitamin K and medicines
These greens contain a lot of vitamin K, which can interfere with certain medicines. If your baby takes medicine and you eat these greens often at home, ask the doctor.
How do you prepare mustard greens for babies?
Cook the leaves and stems well and chop them fine. Stirring them into a soft food keeps pieces from sticking to the tongue.
Serve homemade purée right away. Leftovers older than two days in the fridge should not be served. Poor storage can raise the nitrate level in vegetables.
For most healthy children, the nitrates in vegetables are not a worry. The benefit of a varied diet outweighs this risk.
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 a puréemash
Cut: Finely chopped
Cook the leaves and stems, then chop them very fine. Stir them into a soft, spoonable food such as vegetable purée or porridge. Serve the purée right away. Leftovers older than two days in the fridge should not be served.
6 months · How to offer a stemstrip
Cut: Finger strip
Cook a long, thick stem and strip off the leaf. You can also offer a raw stem with its leaf. Baby will gnaw on it and soothe the gums. If the stem touches the back of the tongue, a little gagging can happen and is normal.
9 months
9 months · How to prepare as small piecescube
Cut: Shredded
Mix cooked, shredded leaves into soft food. Once your baby starts picking things up with the thumb and finger, hand over small cooked or raw leaf pieces. Raw texture is harder to chew but builds skill.
12 months
12 months · How to prepare as bite-sized piecescube
Serve chopped or shredded leaves, cooked or raw, alone or inside a meal. If your child finds the texture tough, cut thinner strands or try a more tender type such as mizuna.
Is mustard greens a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: low
The choking risk is low. Chopped leaves can cling to the tongue and palate and cause gagging. Mix them into something soft.
Mustard greens carry a low choking risk. Shredded leaves can stick to the tongue and the roof of the mouth and cause gagging or coughing. This is harmless.
Stay within arm's reach of your baby during meals.
Is mustard greens a common allergen?
Mustard greens are not a common allergen. They may share allergen proteins with mustard, though, and mustard is a notable allergen in Europe and Canada. Mustard greens belong to the cruciferous family. A child sensitive to kale and broccoli may react to them too.
People sensitive to mugwort pollen may have pollen food syndrome, with brief itching and burning in the mouth. Cooking can reduce the reaction.
At the first servings, give only a little. If there is no reaction, raise the amount gradually.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about mustard greens
Can babies eat raw mustard greens?
After about 9 months, bite-sized raw pieces can be offered while your baby learns to pick things up. They are harder to chew but help build hand and mouth skills.
Are the nitrates in mustard greens a problem?
Not for most healthy children. Serve purée right away and skip leftovers older than a day or two.
Can mustard greens interact with medicine?
Vitamin K can affect how some medicines work. If your baby takes medicine, ask the doctor.
Sources for this page
- Hermanides HK, Laheÿ‐ de Boer AM, Zuidmeer L, Guikers C, van Ree R, Knulst AC. (2006). Brassica oleracea pollen, a new source of occupational allergens. Allergy. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2006.01055.x
- Kashyap RR, Kashyap RS. (2015). Kashyap RR, Kashyap RS, Journal of Allergy, 2015. Journal of Allergy. doi:10.1155/2015/543928
- Brkić D, Bošnir J, Bevardi M, Bošković AG, Miloš S, Lasić D, et al. (2017). NITRATE IN LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES AND ESTIMATED INTAKE. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. doi:10.21010/ajtcam.v14i3.4
- EFSA. (2017). Nitrate in vegetables, scientific opinion.
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