Swiss chard

Swiss chard can be offered once your baby seems ready for solids, usually at 6 months. It belongs to the same plant family as beet and spinach. Its leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals.

In American English, the word Swiss is said to have been added to tell it apart from spinach. But the plant did not come from Switzerland. It comes from the sandy soils of Mediterranean coasts. It is called acelga in Spanish, bettes in French, mangold in German and silverbeet in Australian English.

Nutrition

Vitamin K, needed for bones and blood, is plentiful. Vitamin A supports vision and vitamin E supports immunity. It gives iron, fiber, and B and C vitamins. It also holds calcium, magnesium and potassium. Plant compounds protect cells from damage.

Raw leafy greens carry a greater E. coli risk. Wash chard before cooking or serving.

Every baby develops at their own pace. These tips are general guidance.

At 6 months, mix cooked, finely chopped chard into omelet strips, grain porridge, vegetable purée or yogurt. If you like, give a whole stalk with the leaf removed and cooked until soft, to gnaw like a teether. If your baby breaks off a piece of stalk, keep your fingers out of their mouth. Give a moment to chew and swallow or spit it out. A hand on the back and a gentle forward lean brings the piece to the front of the mouth.

At 9 months, offer soft-cooked chopped pieces or small ribbons. Leaf bits may stick in the mouth and cause harmless gagging.

After 24 months, if you trust your child's chewing, try larger cooked or raw pieces. Raw stalk is a riskier piece than leaf.

Chard leaves are not a major choking hazard. The stalk is firm and tough to chew, so the risk goes up. Prepare it to suit your baby's age. Flecks of raw or cooked leaf can stick to the tongue or palate. This causes harmless gagging. Stay within arm's reach during meals.

Chard allergy is rare but reported. People with grass or mugwort pollen allergy may get oral allergy syndrome. It brings a short itch or burn in the mouth and is not expected to be dangerous. Cooking can ease the reaction.

Start with a small amount for the first servings. If there is no reaction, increase it slowly.

Nitrate

Leafy vegetables like chard naturally hold nitrate. In large amounts it can affect blood oxygen. Babies under three months and those with health problems are more sensitive. Pediatric and food safety bodies in the US and Europe (AAP, EFSA) do not treat vegetable nitrate as a problem for most healthy children. The benefit of a varied diet outweighs the risk.