Can a two-year-old baby eat yogurt?

There are many kinds of milk on sale in supermarkets now, including yogurt, pure milk, lactic acid bacteria products, etc. Many adults like to drink some yogurt after meals, which not only promotes digestion but also has the effect of weight loss. Can a two-year-old baby eat yogurt? Many new parents do not know what foods a two-year-old baby can eat. Sometimes, accidentally feeding the baby some food may cause harm to the baby's body. Let’s learn more about it~

1. How old can babies drink yogurt?

Yogurt contains less calcium, and babies are growing and developing and need a lot of calcium. In addition, the antibiotics produced by lactic acid bacteria in yogurt can inhibit and eliminate many pathogenic microorganisms, but they also destroy the growth conditions of bacteria that are beneficial to the human body. It also affects normal digestive function, especially for babies with gastroenteritis and premature babies.

Babies over one year old can drink a small amount of yogurt. However, it is best for babies under three years old to feed mainly with formula milk, which has a more comprehensive and scientific nutritional component and can meet the baby's growth and development needs.

The acid in yogurt can increase the acidity of stomach contents, promote the action of digestive enzymes, and inhibit the growth of E. coli. Therefore, it is suitable for children with weak digestive ability and infant diarrhea. The nutrients it contains are the same as fresh milk and are easier to digest than fresh milk. Therefore, it can be used as a milk substitute. However, after yogurt is prepared, it cannot be cooked again, so it can only be drunk cold or warmed in the bottle in warm water before drinking. Babies over six months old can drink yogurt with less calcium. Newborns are growing and developing and need a lot of calcium. In addition, the antibiotics produced by lactic acid bacteria in yogurt can inhibit and eliminate many pathogenic microorganisms, but at the same time they also destroy the growth conditions of beneficial bacteria to the human body. It also affects normal digestive function, especially for infants with gastroenteritis and premature babies. Moreover, giving babies yogurt too early will also develop their preference for sweets.

2. Benefits of drinking yogurt for babies

Yogurt has high nutrient and energy density, containing more than 20 kinds of nutrients. In particular, a cup of yogurt (150 ml) can provide infants and young children with 30% of energy and calcium and about 10% of protein. Simply put, if your child (1-3 years old) drinks 150 ml of yogurt every day, it is equivalent to meeting 1/3 of the energy and calcium he needs for growth and development throughout the day. Yogurt is very similar to human milk and is easy to digest, making it especially suitable for infants and young children with immature digestive systems.

Yogurt can promote brain development. Yogurt contains galactose, which is a component of cerebrosides in the brain and nervous system, and is closely related to the rapid growth of the baby's brain after birth. Before the age of two is a critical period for brain development. Ensuring adequate supply of energy and galactose at this time has a good effect on promoting the growth and development of infants and young children.

Yogurt may prevent diarrhea. Diarrhea is the most common disease in infancy and childhood. Yogurt contains sufficient lactic acid bacteria and has appropriate acidity. Drinking yogurt regularly can effectively inhibit the production of harmful bacteria and enhance immunity. Therefore, it can prevent diarrhea or shorten the duration of chronic diarrhea and reduce the incidence of acute diarrhea. Some scholars believe that drinking 0.5-0.75 kg of yogurt every day can treat diarrhea. Yogurt is a better treatment for diarrhea than antibiotics because consuming yogurt can reduce the development of antibiotic resistance. Yogurt can increase the sensitivity of antibiotics to pathogenic bacteria, so it is very beneficial to the health of infants and young children.