Which Dal is Good for Babies? Health Benefits & Recipes - 24 Mantra Organic

Are you planning to begin with a substantial meal course for your little one? Well, the first step towards commencing a meal plan for your baby is to know which food contains the most nutrition and would be beneficial for your child’s health. One of the healthiest meals for babies is none other than lentils, popularly known as dal.

The best way to provide necessary nutrition to your baby is by cooking organic food, which contains no pesticides or harmful chemicals. It is rich in antioxidants and has better taste than packaged or canned food. It’s always better to opt for the healthiest option to keep your body safe.

Moong dal is exceptionally healthy for every child, and hence remains the top preference for most parents. Moreover, it is easy to cook and contains a high percentage of nutrition needed for a baby. It will be confusing to decide which dal is best for babies; however, we focus on the facts, which you should know as a parent.

Can Babies Eat Dal?

Dal contains a high protein and fiber level, which might become a problem for babies to digest quickly. However, it is recommended to introduce a few healthy dal recipes once the baby turns nine months old because of its nutritional value.

Furthermore, it would be best if you refrain from adding any other solid food along with lentils. Also, make sure to check how your child’s body is responding to the new food item.

Dal: Nutritional Facts

Multiple lentils can be added into the meal plan to make the food nutritious for your baby. It is also highly recommended to purchase organic lentils for your baby, and here are a few reasons behind it:

• Consumption of organic food would protect your baby from pesticides, which often lead to cancer.
• In organic farming, there is no involvement of chemical pollutants. Hence, using organic food would prevent water contamination.

The table below indicates the amount of nutrition present in a half bowl of dal.

Dal: Health Benefits

Dal is one of the most healthy food which would help your baby grow physically, and there are multiple health benefits attached to the consumption of lentils, such as:

Proper Physical Growth

Dal aids in proper physical development and provides folate. It is always recommended to include folate in a meal as it supports cells’ growth and develops the body’s neurological system.

Development of Immunity

To prevent your baby from falling ill frequently, feeding lentils would help develop the immunity system. It provides strength to the body, and your baby would be free from the clutches of any harmful disease or infections.

Increase of Energy

As dal contains nutrients like iron, it helps in the baby’s growth, and the huge calorie count gives him an immense amount of energy every day. Hence, once you add lentils to your baby’s meal, you would see more increase in his energy level, and he would become more active during the day.

Which dal is good for babies?

As mentioned earlier, there are multiple kinds of lentils available in the market. Therefore, it might become a little confusing as to which dal is best for babies. However, here is a detailed list that would help you understand which dal is good for babies.

• Masoor Dal: If you plan to make a healthy soup for your baby, you can use red masoor lentils. It has a low level of fiber and hence, can be easily digested by the child. Also, preparing soups are much quicker than other food dishes.
• Green Moong Dal: For any other food preparation, you can go for green moong bean lentils. It would help your baby get more nutrition; however, it is recommended only for older than 11 months.

Hence, now you have a proper idea as to which dal is good for babies. Now, let’s see how you can understand which dal is best for babies while buying them in the market.

How to Select which dal is best for babies?

If you are in the market and see various types of lentils, it is natural to get confused about which dal is good for babies. Hence, you have to check each one of them before purchasing and see if it has any stones in them. It can be hard to find them, but you have to notice carefully.
After you return home, make sure to clean the dal properly in water.

Dal: Healthy Recipes

To provide a healthy meal to your child, here are a few delicious recipes which are easy to make and incredibly nutritious:

1. Dal Khichdi/ Lentil Puree

One of the healthiest meal for your baby, which is extremely easy to cook, is dal khichdi or lentil puree.

Ingredients:

• One cup of broth of vegetables
• One onion, chopped
• One tomato, chopped
• One tablespoon of oil
• One cup of cooked dal
• One sweet potato, chopped
• One cup of peas, boiled

Preparation:

1. Take a container or pan.
2. Pour one tablespoon of oil and wait a few seconds to make it hot.
3. Add one chopped onion to the pan.
4. Add one chopped tomato to the pan, and mix them well.
5. Now, pour one cup of broth to the pan.
6. Close the pan with a cover.
7. Keep the flame low and wait for 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Now, open the lid and add one cup of boiled peas to the pan.
9. Add one chopped sweet potato to the pan.
10. Directly, pour one cup of cooked dal into the pan and start mixing them all.
11. Once the entire mixture is cooked well, switch off the gas.
12. Now, use a blender.
13. Pour the whole mixture in the blender and mix it until the khichdi is appropriately made.

2. Dal Curry

Who isn’t aware of the traditional dal curry, one of India’s staple diets? You can quickly cook a light dal curry for your baby, with the simple steps below.

Ingredients:

• One cup of dal
• One tablespoon of oil
• One tablespoon of garlic paste
• One onion, chopped
• Four or five cloves
• One carrot, chopped
• One tablespoon of turmeric

Preparation:

1. Take an oven or cooker and place it on the gas.
2. Add one cup of dal into the oven and wait for three whistles.
3. Take a pan or container and add one tablespoon of oil.
4. Wait until the pan is hot.
5. Now, add four to five cloves, one tablespoon of garlic paste in the pan. Mix them well.
6. Now, take the cooked lentils out of the cooker and add it in the pan.
7. Add one tablespoon of turmeric in the mixture.
8. Mix appropriately until the dal is made.

Conclusion

Dal is extremely nutritious for your baby, and it is also easy to cook. Make sure to choose organic lentils, cook light, and less amount for your child to digest quickly. With organic food, your baby would get the taste of health and nutrition. Furthermore, you can help small farmers in creating sustainable livelihoods.

Stay in harmony with nature and cook a lovely meal for your little one now!

Try 24 Mantra Organic’s Dal range and Savour the taste of organic goodness.