Star fruit (carambola)

Star fruit can be offered once baby is ready for solids, around 6 months. Because of its oxalate content, ask a doctor first if there is a kidney problem or any medicine use.

Where it comes from

Star fruit comes from Southeast Asia and grows on trees in tropical climates worldwide. It goes by names such as balimbing, kamaranga, kamrakh, and ma fen. Cut across, the slices look like stars, which gave it its name. It can be eaten raw or cooked in dishes like fresh chutney and pickle, fish soup, vegetable stew, cold drinks, and salads dusted with salt and spice.

Nutrition

It provides carbohydrate, fiber, and fluid. It holds potassium, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. These support energy for play, digestion, fluid and electrolyte balance, skin, immunity, and iron absorption. The antioxidants may help ease inflammation.

Star fruit is ready when most of the skin has turned from green to yellow and it smells sweet. Choose ripe fruit.

Sweet star fruit is large and holds much less oxalate. Sour star fruit is smaller and has more oxalate.

You can serve it raw or soft cooked. Cooked fruit mashes well.

Star fruit, especially when underripe, is firm and slippery. These traits raise the choking risk.

Pick ripe fruit, take off the skin and seeds, and serve it in a way that suits the age. Set up a safe eating space and stay beside your baby.

Star fruit is not a common allergen. In theory, a person can be allergic to any food.

Though not often reported, some people get oral allergy syndrome (pollen-food allergy syndrome) from it. That means short-lived itching in the mouth, with no dangerous reaction expected.

When introducing

As with any new food, give a small amount for the first few meals. Raise it slowly if there is no reaction.