How to introduce cereals in baby's diet?

At what age can we introduce cereals to the baby?

Early cereals are generally the first food for food diversification. They can be placed in baby's bottle from the age of 4 months. These preparations for toddlers do not contain gluten, wheat, rye or barley, but are instead made from rice, corn, millet or sometimes quinoa. Their starch has been specially hydrolyzed to facilitate its digestion. " In the context of dietary diversification, we now speak of a window of opportunity to start all foods between 4 and 6 months, even foods deemed to be very allergenic. On the other hand, before the age of 4 months, studies have shown that it is harmful for babies who have specific needs (intake of calories, calcium, iron and essential fatty acids in particular), and whose kidneys are still immature. . But above all, they risk developing allergic reactions », Explains Dr Alain Bocquet. On the other hand, it is now estimated that a baby to whom potentially allergenic foods (peanuts, fish, exotic fruits, etc.) are introduced between 4 and 6 months would be less likely to develop allergies to these foods later.

What are cereals used for?

Grains are part of the complex carbohydrate group (formerly called slow sugars), as opposed to simple carbohydrates (formerly called fast sugars) which are small molecules: lactose made up of glucose and galactose and sucrose made up of glucose and fructose. Conversely, complex carbohydrates are made up primarily of starches which are very large molecules made up of several chains of hundreds of different glucose associations. They are divided into two main families: starches and cereals, which are very different in terms of amino acid composition. " In the family of cereals, we find in particular wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, corn and pseudo-cereals such as buckwheat (buckwheat), and quinoa; in the group of starchy foods we find potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), chestnuts and pulses (lentils, split peas, chickpeas, dried beans, broad beans ", illustrates the pediatrician.

Complex carbohydrates are extremely important in our diet. They should even represent 50% of our energy intake. In our Western diet, however, we consume too much protein and too many simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are however the best fuel for our body and do not make you fat, unless of course their consumption is totally unreasonable. They provide long-term energy, both for the brain and for the muscles, even away from meals, unlike simple carbohydrates which are digested and absorbed at full speed, causing an insulin discharge which results in a storage as fat in tissues.

" Currently, many parents are afraid of complex carbohydrates. But it is important to let them know that these are healthy foods that are necessary to provide their child with energy over a long period of time. », Insists the nutrition specialist. The ideal is to prefer whole grains offering an even more gradual digestion. For older children, we will choose semi-wholemeal bread (wholemeal bread is still too high in fiber), or even wholemeal rice or wholemeal pasta (if the child does not like it, do not hesitate to make a mix between white rice and brown rice).

Is there a difference between breastfed babies and bottle-fed babies?

Unless the mother is pumping, a breastfed baby will not be able to receive cereal in his bottle. When the child is bottle-fed, the parents or the nanny can give him cookies or small pieces of bread that are rich in crust. " Some will be able to use it from the age of 6 or 7 months, and others rather from 8 months », Says the pediatrician. May breastfeeding mothers be reassured if their baby does not consume cereals between 4 and 6 months: " we have noticed that breastfed babies have fewer allergies than others, especially because they indirectly receive food from their mother through certain molecules that pass into the milk », Reassures Dr Alain Bocquet. In addition, complex carbohydrates are provided through the midday vegetable puree which must be composed of 30% starches or cereals.

Cerals, yes, but in what quantity?

In terms of quantity, parents can start with a teaspoon of 1st age cereals in the morning and / or evening bottles, then gradually increase to arrive at approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons, morning and / or evening, per day. 9 months old. We switch to 2nd age cereals at the same time as we switch to 2nd age milk, around 6 months old. " From 6 months, we recommend offering complex carbohydrates at all meals », Says the pediatrician.

Concretely, this can give:
-A bottle of milk with cereals in the morning,
– A vegetable puree at noon, composed of 30% of complex carbohydrates (starchy foods such as potatoes, dried beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, tapioca, etc.),
-A dairy product accompanied by a snack cookie (to be placed in the baby's hand from around 8 months of age),
-A preparation of tapioca or semolina based on infant milk or cereals in the bottle of milk in the evening.

The question of chocolate cereals

From the age of 6 months, you can start cereals with cocoa flavor. " It used to be to start chocolate after 9 months, but there is no scientific data to prevent starting as early as 6 months. However, a 2019 ANSES recommendation recommends limiting chocolate in children due to excessive nickel intake. But the chocolate content is minimal in baby cereals and safe for the health of infants »Reassures Dr Bocquet.

What about gluten?

Gluten is found in wheat, spelled (ancient wheat), rye and barley. Several studies have been carried out on this subject, including a large-scale European scientific study showing that there was no more risk of developing celiac disease (gluten intolerance) depending on whether gluten was introduced at 4 months or at 12, at least this had the effect of simply delaying the onset of the disease (beware, we are talking here about celiac disease, a real disease due to gluten intolerance, different from gluten sensitivity very fashionable nowadays, editor's note) . " In the end, where all the studies agree, it is on the fact that we should not start to introduce gluten in a massive way but very gradually in the baby's diet », Says the doctor.

The arsenic controversy

There have also been articles written around the presence of arsenic in rice, which could therefore end up in infant cereals. " Arsenic is a metalloid classified as a heavy metal, naturally present in the soil, and which some plants draw on during their growth. But some soils contain less and some species of rice absorb less. In the end, the selection of rice for the manufacture of cereals intended for babies, which are very controlled, makes it possible to comply with the regulatory limit dose of arsenic (0.10 mg / kg), which is twice as low as for rice for consumption. current. On the other hand, if you are making rice yourself, it is advisable to wash it before cooking, and to cook it in 4 to 6 volumes of water for one volume of rice. to limit the arsenic content », Advises the pediatrician.

One rule: vary the pleasures

There is no one brand that is better than another. All food products intended for children under 3 meet very strict specifications, whether the cereals are organic or not. For example, in comparison with common foods, the regulations totally prohibit preservatives, colors, sweeteners, artificial flavors, and hormones; it only allows a very limited number of additives (53 vs 400); the quantity of contaminants is very controlled for pesticides (500 times less) nitrates (10 times less), mycotoxins, metals, etc. and there is monitoring of microbiological contaminants after sterilization or pasteurization (10 controls instead of one for listeria for example).

What can be interesting is to vary the proposals in terms of baby tastes, but also textures. Indeed, manufacturers offer cereals in many forms (the famous Blédine de Bledina, semolina and cocoa cream from Babybio, Modilac organic multi-cereals, the 1st Nestlé P'tit biscuit, Good Goût cereal cookies or Hipp vanilla cereals …). Let baby discover as many flavors as possible! You can also make your own semolina for your child, or even a millet porridge to further broaden their range of flavors.