Mushrooms for babies can make a healthy addition to the solid food diet. The edible fungi come in various varieties, but only a few are edible. Some species of mushrooms, such as Amanita phalloides (Death cap), are poisonous, while Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric) may cause stomach cramps and vomiting if eaten raw. You must pick the right variety of mushrooms if you wish to include them in your baby’s diet. In this post, we acquaint you with the right age to introduce mushrooms to babies, their benefits, and precautions to observe while feeding them.
Mushrooms And Their Edible Varieties
There are approximately 2,000 different species of edible mushrooms (1). Out of these, the most popular edible species is Agaricus bisporus. It is sold in three different varieties: white button, cremini, and portobello (2). The white button mushroom is the most commonly consumed mushroom in the world, followed by cremini or baby bellas, portobello, shiitake, straw, oyster, chanterelle, morel, porcini, and enoki (1) (3). Most of these varieties can be grown at home. However, there are some wild varieties, which are grown in the wilderness and available in retail stores and farmer’s markets.
Is It Safe For Babies To Eat Mushrooms?
It is safe for babies to eat mushrooms when they are purchased from a retail store. This is important as certain wild varieties of mushrooms can cause discomfort to babies, while some others might be life-threatening.
At What Age Can Babies Have Mushrooms?
There are no clinical or non-clinical recommendations regarding when babies can eat mushrooms. Generally, mushrooms are given to babies once they are six months old. However, some parents might want to wait until 10-12 months of age. It is best to consult a pediatrician or pediatric dietitian before giving mushrooms to a baby. Never feed raw or uncooked mushrooms Raw mushrooms should not be eaten raw by anyone, any age as they might cause discomfort and have an increased risk of poisoning. Mushrooms, when picked right and cooked well, can supplement your baby’s diet with a number of vital nutrients.
Nutritional Value Of Mushrooms
Mushrooms are much valued for their umami (savory) taste and unique nutritional composition. Each variety and sub-type has a unique nutritional profile. Below is a general nutritional profile of mushrooms with the quantities of key nutrients (4) (5).
Water content: 80 – 90% Dietary fiber: 8 – 10% Protein: 12 – 35% Vitamins: C, B1, B2, B3, B9, and Ergosterol (precursor of vitamin D2) Minerals: Potassium, sodium, and phosphorus
Mushrooms are rich in certain bioactive compounds like polysaccharides, tri-terpenoids, low molecular weight proteins, glycoproteins, and immunomodulating compounds. It also contains negligible fat and is considered free of cholesterol.
Health Benefits Of Mushroom For Babies
The wide array of nutrients in mushroom can provide the following health benefits (6)
- Immunity: Mushrooms possess immunity-strengthening properties. These properties are attributed to bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides (beta-glucan), triterpenoids, and minerals present in it (7). These compounds are known to boost innate and acquired immunity by activating different types of immune system cells (5).
- Heart health: The fermentable fiber Beta glucan is a form of soluble dietary fiber that’s been strongly linked to improving cholesterol and boosting heart health and oligosaccharides work as prebiotics (5). Enhanced prebiotic content of the diet stimulates the growth of beneficial microbiota that might help attenuate conditions such as obesity and cancer in the long run (8).
- Antioxidant effects: In vitro studies have shown that mushrooms have potential antioxidant effects when consumed on a regular basis. The polysaccharides present in mushrooms are attributed to its antioxidative effects (9). Besides polysaccharides, mushrooms have various vitamins, minerals, and ergothioneine, which is a sulfur-containing essential amino acid that has antioxidative effects (10).
- Anti-inflammatory: A review paper published in the Journal of Food Chemistry referred to edible mushrooms as “superfoods” and recommended it as a valuable addition to the daily diet (11). The presence of bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, proteoglycans, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, steroids, and lectins are attributed to mushroom’s anti-inflammatory property (12).
- Antimicrobial: A study published in the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research showed that mushrooms have strong antimicrobial activity in vitro (13). Also, mushrooms are considered to have an indirect antiviral effect due to the immunostimulating activity of polysaccharides (14). Mushrooms could also have a potential antifungal activity that could prove useful. However, more research is warranted to understand the mechanism of action.
- Hepatoprotective effects: Various studies show possible hepatoprotective (liver-protecting) effects of mushrooms (15). The studies also validate the use of mushrooms in folk medicine. Thus, the addition of mushroom in the baby’s diet could keep the liver healthy in the long run. Mushrooms have their benefits, but it is also vital to know the potential risks of mushrooms.
Health Risks Of Eating Mushroom For Babies
Consumption of mushrooms can present with the following risks to a baby.
- Allergy: Mushroom allergy can be air-borne, oral, and contact based. Lycoperdonosis is a rare respiratory illness caused by inhalation of spores of the Lycoperdon mushroom (16). Similarly, rare but possible cases of mushroom allergy caused by ingestion have been documented (17). Mushrooms are considered “antigenically-rich,” which means that they can contain more than one allergen (18). Still, mushrooms rarely cause an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction (19).
- Poisoning: Mushroom poisoning most commonly occurs due to the consumption of a wild mushroom. However, it could also happen due to the consumption of raw or undercooked mushrooms. The toxins that cause poisoning in such cases are largely unknown (20). Shiitake dermatitis is an example of a selective rash type that can occur when raw or undercooked shiitake mushrooms are consumed (21). Mushrooms purchased from a reputable farm or retail store can be safely consumed. However, it is always wise to take precautions while selecting, storing, and preparing mushrooms to avoid any adverse effects.
Tips To Select, Store, And Prepare Mushrooms
The following precautions can help mitigate the risks of consuming mushrooms. Mushrooms can be a valuable addition to your baby’s diet. Below are some recipes that you might like to try to complement your baby’s daily meals.
Mushroom Recipes For Babies
Mushrooms can be added in soups, sautéed pieces as finger foods, mushroom curry added to brown rice, or grilled mushroom with dips. Below are a few recipes that you might like to try.
1. Mushroom soup
Mushroom soup can be a warm, comforting meal for your baby at around six months of age. Apart from being pleasing to the gut, it is filled with nutrients that are crucial for baby’s growth and development. You will need:
300 grams shiitake mushroom (freshly chopped) 700 grams oyster mushrooms (freshly chopped) 1/2cup sage leaves (freshly chopped) 3 large shallots (sliced) 4 cloves garlic (chopped) 3tsp thyme (minced) 2 bay leaves 1tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/3tsp turmeric Salt (to taste) Extra-virgin olive oil Water
How to:
2. Stuffed cheese mushrooms
This recipe is a perfect addition to your baby’s finger food choices. It has the goodness of mushrooms and the richness of cheese. This recipe is packed with optimum nutrients for growing babies. You will need:
200 grams white button mushrooms 1 onion (finely chopped) ¼cup cottage cheese 1/2cup mozzarella cheese (grated) 2tbsp bread crumbs 2 green chilies (finely chopped) 1/4cup coriander leaves (chopped) 2tbsp olive oil 1/2tsp tomato sauce 1/2tsp black pepper powder 1/2tsp oregano powder salt to taste
How to: Both these recipes can be included in any of the meals to supplement your baby’s diet in a wholesome manner.
