Parsley
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- low
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Chop finely · stir into food · spitting is normal
When can babies eat parsley?
You can introduce parsley once your baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months.
Parsley is native to the Mediterranean region. People can eat all parts of the plant. The raw leaves serve as a garnish, the seeds as a spice, and the root resembles a parsnip. Curly and flat-leaf types are interchangeable, though flat-leaf has a stronger taste.
Parsley is not eaten in large amounts, but it still brings fiber, folate, calcium, potassium, zinc and the vitamins A, C and K. They support gut health, bones, nervous system growth, eyesight and immunity. It also contains plant compounds such as apigenin.
How do you prepare parsley for babies?
Mix it in
The easiest way is to chop parsley finely and stir it into purée, yogurt, omelet or veggie patties. Leftover parsley can be blitzed with some olive oil and frozen in ice cube trays.
Spitting is normal
The leaf texture is hard for a baby, so spitting is common. It is not a problem. It fades as chewing skills grow.
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 stir into foodmash
Chop fresh parsley very finely or crumble dried parsley. Stir it into soft, scoopable foods, sauces, large soft meatballs or fritters. You can also serve parsley blended into a sauce such as chimichurri. Make sure your baby has already eaten any allergens in the sauce.
9 months
9 months · How to prepare finely choppedcube
Cut: Finely chopped
Mince fresh parsley and mix it into dishes, raw or cooked, or put a little out on its own so your child can taste it. Bits of leaf may cling inside the mouth and cause gagging or coughing. If that happens, offer a few sips of water. Expect a lot of spitting while your baby learns the leaf's texture. Around 18 months, once the molars come in and chewing improves, spitting drops.
12 months
12 months · How to use in salads and saucescube
Keep chopping parsley into dishes, salad dressing and sauces such as chimichurri. Once your child can bite and tear larger pieces, around 24 months, you can try a whole raw leaf or dishes with big parsley pieces.
Is parsley a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: low
The risk is low. Leaf bits can stick in the mouth and cause gagging. Chop finely and offer a little water.
Parsley carries a low choking risk. Even so, any food can cause choking.
Leaf bits can stick in the mouth and cause gagging. Chop finely to suit your baby's age and stir into food. Stay close while your baby eats and keep them upright.
Is parsley a common allergen?
Parsley is not a common allergen. Allergy to parsley is uncommon, but there are reports of contact dermatitis and of serious allergic reactions. People allergic to mugwort or birch pollen, or with oral allergy syndrome, may be sensitive to parsley. The mouth may itch, tingle or sting for a short while, which is not dangerous.
Parsley can cause phytophotodermatitis. This is not an allergy. Skin that touched parsley develops a rash after sun exposure. After you chop or handle raw parsley, wash your hands and forearms thoroughly.
Give a small amount the first few times. If there is no reaction, increase the portion.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about parsley
Can babies have raw parsley?
Yes. From 9 months, finely chopped parsley, raw or cooked, can be mixed into food. If the leaf sticks in the mouth, offer a little water.
Is parsley healthy for babies?
Yes. Even a small amount adds fiber, folate, minerals like calcium, potassium, and zinc, and the vitamins K, C, and A.
Why did my skin redden after chopping parsley?
Parsley can cause phytophotodermatitis, a non-allergic sun-related rash. Wash your hands and forearms after working with raw parsley.
Sources for this page
- Nielsen SE, Young JF, Daneshvar B, Lauridsen ST, Knuthsen P, Sandström B, et al. (1999). Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) intake on urinary apigenin excretion, blood antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers for oxidative stress in human subjects. British Journal of Nutrition. doi:10.1017/S000711459900080X
- Arslan S, Ucar R, Caliskaner A. (2014). A Cases of Near-fatal Anaphylaxis: Parsley “Over-use” as an Herbal Remedy. Medical Archives. doi:10.5455/medarh.2014.68.426-427
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
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