Is Watermelon Juice for Babies Apt This Summer?

Can I give watermelon juice to my baby?

Can watermelon juice cause cold or cough to my kid?

How can I give watermelon to my toddler in forms other than the juice or cut pieces?

If you have the same doubts as mentioned above, this article is just for you.

Peak summer is yet to start and we can already feel heat in the air. This is the time to get ourselves ready for hot summer by keeping our bodies well hydrated.

More than us, the babies need to be taken care of well as their body easily gets affected with even minor changes in climate. Hence, it is very important to see that babies drink adequate amounts of fluids so that dehydration condition can be prevented.

You have many varieties of fluids or liquid options like buttermilk, fruit juices etc available to cool and hydrate your baby. Still it is better to give seasonal fruit juice at least once in a day to your baby.

As we all know, watermelon is the fruit which is easily available during summers. So I write here about watermelon juice for babies. Scroll down to read more about the topic.

Can watermelon for babies be given?

I came to know that watermelon or tarbooj is one of the best juices to start for 10+ months old when I started digging in searching available fluid options for my baby (as she doesn't drink much water).

The water content in watermelon is about 93%. That makes it an ideal summer fruit for babies. You can also read whether your baby's water intake is enough.

It's only a few days I have started giving watermelon juice for my daughter and she loves the drink, thanks to its sweet taste. Most of the babies like sweet food items and hence I am sure your babies would love watermelon juice too.

Also your baby would be eager to get new tastes and textures. So this would be a great time to move away from regular fruits to newer fruits.

So, read on to get answers to your queries like when you can introduce watermelon, how to select right watermelon, how to prepare watermelon juice etc.

When can I give watermelon juice to babies?

Generally, fruit juices can be introduced to babies after 6 months of age.

Juices should be given in diluted form for a few days initially. Slowly after some days you may reduce the amount of water in juice and increase fruit concentration.

You can read more about introducing juices for babies.

Concentrated watermelon juice can be introduced to babies somewhere between 8 to 10 months. You can also give vertically cut watermelon pieces to babies as finger food.

However, there are a few things you need to take care while serving watermelon juice to your baby for the first time as it tends to trigger allergic reactions.

Nutritional value of watermelon

Let us have a look at nutritional values of watermelon before jumping into its benefits.

The compound called Lycopene present in the watermelon gives it the bright red color.

The dark red fleshy fruit is rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, niacin and minerals like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, iron, copper and zinc.

Watermelon seeds are also equally nutritious as the fruit.

Watermelon seeds are also rich in protein, fiber and minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous etc.

However, watermelon seeds should be removed when you prepare juice for babies to avoid choking hazards.

Health benefits of watermelon juice for babies and adults:

Watermelon contains anti-oxidants, phyto chemicals, vitamins and minerals which provides many benefits to our body.

So it is not only the readily available fruit in summer but packed with many benefits.

Read further to know the watermelon juice benefits which would give you enough reasons to serve it to your baby.

#1. Helps to stay hydrated

It is one of the top concerns of the parents (including me) to keep their baby well hydrated. So here comes watermelon to our rescue mommies!!

These properties make watermelon ideal fruit to be given to your babies especially during crucial summer times.

#2. Fights cancer

The content of the anti-oxidant lycopene increases as the fruit ripens.

• Combats cancer causing free radicals in the body and prevents cancer.
• Prevents prostate cancer.

#3. Promotes heart health

Lycopene is also very effective at protecting cells from damage and thus it lowers the risks of cardio vascular diseases.

• Improves heart health due to the presence of phytonutrients like citrulline and arginine.
• Improves overall cardiovascular circulation in the body.
• Reduces excess fat accumulation in the body
• Reduces the risks of hypertension.

So, give watermelon juice to your babies for their healthy heart now and in future too.

#4. Boosts immunity

Many parents are worried about their babies falling sick frequently. This may be due to weak immunity of your baby.

Give a boost to your baby's immune power by feeding him/ her watermelon juice.

Watermelon is rich in vitamin C which,

• Helps to fight infections in body
• Increases white blood cells count and strengthens your baby's immunity.

#5. Increases hemoglobin naturally

Vitamin C content in watermelon juice,

#6. Healthy body

Watermelon also contains high amounts of vitamin A which is required for,

• Healthy and glowing skin of your baby
• Healthy teeth
• Improving your little one's vision
• Developing soft tissue and mucous membrane

#7. Healthy and strong bones

Watermelon also contains calcium and magnesium which help in the development of your child's bones. These two are very important elements to strengthen the bones and also for other important functions in baby's body.

• Calcium is needed for hormone secretion in body as well.
• Magnesium is also needed for muscle building and nerve function in babies.

#8. Rich in Vitamin B complex

Vitamin B complex is needed in our body for a few functions like enzymatic activities. Watermelon also contains vitamin B complex. They are specifically needed for,

• Formation of red blood cells.
• Development of nervous system
• Increasing immunity
• Protein-carbohydrates metabolism process

#9. Reduce inflammation

Watermelon is considered as one of the "anti inflammatory" foods. This is another reason of why you would give watermelon juice to your little one.

Watermelon contains three compounds which are responsible for keeping inflammation down namely, lycopene, choline and vitamin C.

#10. Aids digestion

In addition to the vitamins and minerals present in watermelon, it also contains good amounts of dietary fibers.

#11. Healthy skin and hair

Skin and hair are made of collagen and elastin cells. Vitamins like A and C help in growth of new cells of these fibers.

So, choose watermelon juice for your babies to smoothen and moisturize their skin and hair. It will also act equally well on your skin and hair too

#12. Soothes muscle pain

Your baby may turn cranky if he/ she develop muscle pain due to his/ her active schedule. Watermelon juice comes to mommies' rescue here too.

Give fresh watermelon juice to your baby to relax their muscles.

Citrulline and arginine present in the watermelon,

So it might be good idea to serve watermelon juice to your bay after play time to rejuvenate her mind and body.

How to make watermelon juice for babies?

Select a firm and sweet watermelon. Cube and deseed.

Blend in a mixie or hand blender. Sieve to get the fresh watermelon juice. Serve it without any added sugar or salt.

Various watermelon preparations:

Other than the plain watermelon juice, here are the variations you can try.

Peel watermelon and cut into cubes. Peel orange and remove the seeds from it.

Blend de-seeded melon and orange. Sieve the juice to get the clear juice. Serve refreshing watermelon- orange combination juice to your baby.

Peel, cut and deseed watermelon. Peel and cut fresh cucumber. Crush melon-cucumber together in a mixer. Sieve the juice. Serve it to your baby.

Take watermelon juice and add fresh yogurt it. Mix well. Fresh watermelon smoothie with yogurt is ready to serve.

In addition to these preparations, watermelon juice also tastes great when combined with peaches, mango, strawberries and apple.

Try and make new variations with watermelon juice and find out which one is your baby's favorite combination. My princess likes it when served it only in plain watermelon juice form

Precautions while giving watermelon juice to babies

• Check the quality of watermelon before you juice the fruit for your baby. Don't use pre- cut fruit pieces to make juice for the babies.
• Always prefer to use fresh cut pieces to make fruit juice for your baby.
• If you store watermelon in refrigerator, ensure that it reaches to normal room temperature otherwise your baby might catch cold.
• Make sure that your baby is 6 to 8 months old when you give watermelon juice to her for the first time.
• Many babies develop allergic reactions like rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose due to acidity in watermelon. If your baby develops any allergic reactions, consult a pediatrician.
• If you are pairing any other food with watermelon juice, make sure that your child has already consumed that food so that you can minimize the risks of developing allergy.
• Remove the seeds of watermelon carefully as there is a risk of choking with watermelon seeds.
• Don't serve watermelon juice to your child more than twice (not more than 100 ml at a time) as it may cause dental carries, lack of interest from solid foods and also diarrhea.

Above all these points, also store watermelon properly to retain its freshness.

Note: Always consult your doctor before giving any food to your baby for the first time. Tips on watermelon storage:

Here are a few tips on watermelon storage which you might find helpful.

Watermelon is a "vitamin fruit". So it is very important to store the fruit properly to retain its vitamins and minerals to get the maximum benefits of the fruit.

I am sure if you follow these tips, you can preserve the melon nutrients in a perfect way.

I understand that you are very eager to give watermelon juice to your baby now. Select a good watermelon the next time you go to market.

Tips to select watermelon for babies:

Wondering how to select nice and juicy watermelon for your baby? Here are a few tips for selecting right kind of watermelon for your little one.

The good news is watermelon is the fruit which is least affected due to pesticides. Here are a few tips which would help you to select a good quality of watermelon.

• Select a watermelon which looks even and dull on the top.
• Give a good thump on melon with your fingers and choose the one which sounds hollow.
• A fully ripened watermelon has yellowish ground spot.
• Properly inspect melon for any cuts, bruises or spots which may be the signs of being rotten melon.

So ladies, do remember these tips to get the best quality of melon for your baby. Serve this to your baby with different preparations. Here are few watermelon preparations for your babies.

Now that you know the benefits and other aspects of watermelon juice for babies, you would surely agree that watermelon is a must give fruit for babies this summer.

I hope you and your baby enjoys the afternoons with refreshing watermelon drink.

Have you given watermelon juice to your baby? Is your kid fond of it? Share with us which combination of watermelon juice your baby liked the most.

Have a happy summer days with your little ones!!