Orange

Oranges can be offered once baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids. Sweet oranges come from a cross between a mandarin and a pomelo. The orange is native to Southeast Asia. Today hundreds of varieties are grown where the climate is warm and humid. The taste ranges from bitter to sweet.

Oranges give carbohydrate, fiber and fluid. Inside are potassium, folate, vitamins A, B6, and C, and antioxidants such as flavonoids. These help with energy, digestion, hydration, vision, immunity and repair. The flavonoids in the peel have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

At 6 months, wash the orange and cut it into large pieces with the peel on, seeds removed. The peel helps baby hold on. Stay calm if baby bites into the rind. Baby can chew it or spit it out, and you can stick out your tongue to show spitting. The airway is as wide as a drinking straw, so a big piece of rind is unlikely to lodge in it, even if unchewed.

Another way is to supreme the orange, cutting each segment free of its membrane. After 9 months give small pieces without membrane. After 18 months, if you trust your child's chewing, you can try large segments with the membrane.

Orange juice as a drink should wait until after 12 months, and only in small amounts. Regular juice raises the risk of cavities and fills the belly, which can lower interest in other foods.

Citrus segments still wrapped in their membrane have small pointed ends, and the texture is slippery and uneven. That raises the choking risk. Serve the orange without membrane (supremed) or in large wedges. Do not give babies small citrus like mandarins and clementines in membrane-covered segments.

Stay within arm's reach of your baby during meals.

Orange does not count among the major food allergens in the United States. Even so, medical papers often describe citrus sensitivity reported by patients themselves. Citrus fruit like oranges may bother people with pollen food syndrome, particularly those allergic to certain tree pollens and grass. The result is a short itch in the mouth, which is usually not dangerous.

In some cases, allergy to orange proteins can lead to serious reactions. The main allergens behind serious reactions are thought to be concentrated in the seed. Though uncommon, chewing the seeds may cause a reaction.

Eating oranges has also been reported to contribute to eczema flares. The acid can leave a harmless redness around the mouth too.

Start with a small amount at the first few meals.