Can sauerkraut be given to children: an expert's answer. Exclusive

Right now, housewives are actively cooking sauerkraut, because in the autumn and winter, the body needs vitamins, which this product is rich in, more than ever. That's why they usually make a lot of it, enough for the whole family. But when it comes to the consumption of such a product by young children, there are a number of peculiarities.

In an exclusive commentary for OBOZREVATEL, Victoria Stelmakh, founder of the largest Ukrainian-language Facebook group on feeding, an expert on baby food, told whether sauerkraut is good for children.

Sauerkraut is a fermented, nutritious, healthy product. Its biggest advantage is that it accelerates the absorption of non-heme iron. However, it is not recommended for young children because of the sodium (salt), sugar, and the process of its production. Salt is not recommended for children under one year of age, after one year the recommended daily intake is no more than 2 g, and sugar is not recommended for children under 2 years of age. Moreover, in 2019, the WHO revised its position, and in the European edition, it recommends limiting sugar consumption for children under 3 years of age.

Features of the cooking process

During cooking, sauerkraut is kept warm for a certain time (if it is a homemade product), and during this period, if safety conditions are not met, any bacteria, including pathogens, can get into it. Toxic compounds are produced, the most famous of which are biogenic amines and aflatoxins. In some cases, metabolic actions lead to the release of toxic substances for both adults and children.

Not only does this food have probiotic properties, but it also allows the child to become familiar with and get used to sour tastes. This, of course, has a positive effect on the taste buds and carries the main thing – a variety of flavors and textures.

The text was checked by MedOboz project manager Viktor Litvinenko