Can my baby eat Spinach

Is spinach healthy for children?

Spinach is a leafy green that is high in fiber, which promotes the gut health of your baby and is packed with vitamins (mainly A, B9, C and K). It's also a good source of iron and calcium. On top of that, spinach is also rich in health promoting plant compounds. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Spinach also contains nitrates, which have been associated with negatively impacting oxygen levels in the blood when consumed in excess. However, the European Food Safety Authority has concluded there is generally no risk in eating nitrate rich vegetables for healthy children so feel free to serve spinach to your children, even the youngest ones.

How to serve spinach

You can serve spinach both raw and cooked. Avoid serving raw spinach the first year, since it's very fibrous. Cook the spinach in a pan with some olive oil on medium heat. You will see that it reduces a lot in size so you always need a bit more than you think. You can then serve it as a puree or, for older children, just chop it finely and incorporate it in the rest of your dish. You can use spinach in pasta dishes or even incorporate it into vegetarian patties.