Can Babies Have Mushrooms?

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2020

Mushrooms are not considered to be a threat to the health of your baby, but there are certain aspects you need to think about before feeding it to them.

The type of mushrooms you feed your baby as well as the age you decide to feed them the mushrooms are essential details.

Table of Contents

Can Babies Have Mushrooms?
Mushroom allergy in babies
When can babies eat mushrooms?
Can babies eat morel mushrooms?
Can babies eat wild mushrooms?
How can you prepare the mushrooms for your baby?
What are the high-risk foods for babies?
Key References

Can Babies Have Mushrooms?

Pediatricians recommend parents to introduce mushrooms to the diet of their babies once they turned 10 months or even 1 year old. The main reason for it is the development of the digestive system.

If you introduce mushrooms too soon to their diet, your baby might not be able to process it, and that can cause a variety of digestive issues.

Constipation, gas, bloating, and even heartburn are the main side effects of feeding your baby mushrooms too soon. However, once they are older than ten months, they will be able to eat and assimilate the mushroom benefits.

Mushroom allergy in babies

There are some allergy risks related to eating mushrooms, but these risks are very rare.

To avoid side effects due to a specific allergy to mushrooms, you should feed your baby small quantities at first and observe the effects.
If there are no side effects such as skin rashes or irritations within 4 days, your baby doesn’t have such an allergy.
Mushrooms allergies come from the spores of the fungus. These allergies resemble the ones caused by pollen or even mold, and also, if they appear, they are rarely severe.

When can babies eat mushrooms?

Your baby can munch on mushrooms or eat them as part of a meal starting with 10 months old. Are there any mushroom benefits?

Mushrooms are an excellent source for many minerals and vitamins. So, adding them to your baby’s meals, when they are ready for it, can only work in their benefit.
You will be glad to find out that mushrooms are rich in potassium (some of them have more potassium than bananas) but also iron, selenium, or fiber.
Also, those strains of mushrooms that grow in the light have vitamin D, which is essential for the development of the bones.
These benefits come from all types of mushrooms as long as you use organic ones.

Can babies eat morel mushrooms?

Yes. Your baby can consume wild mushrooms as long as they come from a reliable source.

Some farmers grow mushrooms wild, or that pick them from their natural environment and sell them as organic products.
It is essential to not go on your own to pick up the wild mushrooms unless you know well what you are looking for.
Poisonous mushrooms are growing wild as well, and you don’t want to feed your baby those by mistake.
Purchase your mushrooms from a trusted source like a store or a farmer, and you will take no risks by feeding them to your baby.

Can babies eat wild mushrooms?

Morel mushrooms are a great example of wild mushrooms that your baby can consume.

However, morel mushrooms are not farmed, and they come in various strains.
Morel mushrooms are delicious and they come in the shape of a bulb. You can feed them to your baby boiled or as part of a cream soup.
These mushrooms are perfect as finger food as your little one gets their first teeth.

How can you prepare the mushrooms for your baby?

When it comes to mushrooms, you can cook them or give them to your baby raw.

Raw mushrooms are chewy and soft, so they will love to munch on them as they get their first teeth.
If you cook them, you can mix them with other veggies and butter so that they get a delicious taste.
Blending mushrooms to make a tasty cream soup will be an excellent idea for your baby’s diet as well.
If you decide to feed them, raw mushrooms make sure you wash them good enough until no dirt or residue is left on them.

What are the high-risk foods for babies?

It is essential to check the quality of the mushrooms as well as other foods you feed your baby.

Since mushrooms are a fungus, you should make sure that they are not poisonous, to begin with.
If you purchase them from a certified source, you can be sure to eliminate such a risk.
The same risk goes for raw milk products or uncooked meat.

Mushrooms are excellent foods to add to your baby’s diet as long as you choose them from an organic source. As a matter of fact, all your fruits and veggies that end up on your baby’s plate should be as natural as possible.

Considering how many vitamins and minerals mushrooms have, there is no reason to not spoil your baby with some great meals, including this ingredient.