Probiotics: As nutrient needs go, offering your baby (and yourself) probiotic-rich foods is one of the best things you can do for their health. If your baby is consuming breast milk they are receiving healthy fats & bacteria, babies require both to thrive. However, the foods that are typically fed to babies lack both. I see fermented foods playing a vital role in nutrition, as they support the microbiome and gut health. Huh? What does that mean? Well, latest research shows that the amount of diversity in a baby’s gut can impact the strength of their digestive system and overall well-being. Fermented foods aid in pre-digesting food, which allows for easier digestion for your baby. They also increase immunity through added probiotics, increase the bioavailability of other vitamins & minerals in the food, and help restore healthy bacteria in the intestine, the list could go on...clearly we are a fan! Probiotics can be a great option if your family does not consume fermented foods, just be mindful that the strains are limited, so your baby is only receiving those exact strains of bacteria. Probiotics can be beneficial for babies who have been given antibiotics, are formula fed, who suffer from gas/acid reflux/constipation/colic. If there is a concern, it’s always best to speak with your pediatrician. From six months on is a great time to slowly introduce fermented foods into your baby’s diet. Remember at this age they are not consuming a lot of food in general, so start slow! Starting this young introduces your baby to “sour” as a flavor, which broadens their palate, another HUGE perk! It’s much easier to lay the foundation of unique flavor profiles when babies are young, as many of us know once they start getting cautious...the battle begins! Not to say you can’t get those cautious eaters to learn to love fermented foods, it’s just more effort on your part. Has your little one tried fermented foods? Yay or nay? #peachgrove #ohbabycertified #ohbabynutrition