Rice will be the first choice of every parent while introducing solid food to the baby. It is a good idea to start with rice water before you introduce solid rice to your baby which sometimes may have allergic effects. You will come to know more about rice water in this article.
Rice water is the best replacement for breast milk or formula milk. It is readily available in every kitchen. It is one of the well known traditional foods given to babies.
This article discusses the benefits of rice water for babies. It presents the tips and precautions to be followed while introducing rice water to babies.
When to Start Rice Water for Babies?
It is better to give your baby breastmilk until the age of 6 months. It is a good choice to introduce rice water to your baby as soon as your baby is ready to welcome solid food into their diet.
Consult your pediatrician before introducing any new food to your baby.
How to Prepare Rice Water for Babies?
Rice water is the suspension of starch which is obtained after draining the boiled rice. It has been used in the treatment of skin and hair.
The preparation of rice water is very simple. Let us look into the preparation of soothing rice water for babies.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon rice
- 1 cup water
How to Prepare:
- Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in water for about half an hour
- Now transfer the rice with water into a saucepan and allow it boil on a low flame until you see the rice becomes smooth and puffy with the layer of starch floating over it.
- Strain the rice and collect the starchy rice water
Nutritional Value of Rice water:
Rice the traditional food which is believed to have been grown for about 5000 years. It is the staple food used by almost half of the world’s population, particularly people living in southern and eastern Asia.
This traditional food is becoming more popular in western countries because of its nutritional benefits.
Let us look into the nutritional values of rice. Here is the list of nutritional facts in one cup of cooked rice without salt or fat:
- Calories: 242
- Fat: 0.4g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Carbohydrates: 53.2g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Sugars: 0g
- Protein: 4.4 g
It is a zero fat food if cooked without oil or butter. Different varieties of rice are available in the market these days, they are classified based on their size, color, and processing techniques used.
Health Benefits of Rice Water for Babies:
Here are a few benefits of Rice Water for babies:
1. Great Source of Energy:
As the rice water is rich in carbohydrates, it’s regular intake will help to energize your baby instantly.
It can be digested very easily and low allergic food. Rice is the very first food to be introduced to the babies after breast or formula milk. Rice water is the very first food that is introduced to the baby even before the introduction of rice. It is considered as a healthy drink for babies. It can be prepared easily in less economy.
2. Helps to Wean the Baby:
Rice water is the best way to wean the baby from the breastmilk. Rice water makes the baby’s stomach ready for solid foods. It is not considered as a replacement for breastmilk as it lacks all the essential nutrients contained in the breastmilk.
3. Helps to Build Strong and Healthy Bones:
Proteins in the rice will help the baby to build strong bones. High protein intake will help in maintaining the mineral density of the bones.
4. Stomach Friendly Food for Babies:
The most common problem that babies usually experience is gas. The gas causes pressure and stomach pain. This problem often makes the baby have sleepless nights.
Rice water is the most effective diet to keep the babies away from the gas. It is very effective to treat the conditions of constipation and diarrhea in children. A pinch of saltwater to rice water will help in recovering the sodium levels which are lost at the times of dehydration. Rice water contains more calories and helps in giving instant energy to your baby.
5. Improves the Skin Texture of Your Baby:
In recent days, rice water is gaining popularity in the treatment of skin. It helps in soothing and adding tone to the skin.
Rice water helps in reducing the dark patches on the skin. A lot of beauty products contain rice water in them. Rice water is effective in treating allergic skin conditions like Eczema, acne, rashes, and inflammation. Chemicals contained in the rice water are known to protect the skin from the damaging effects of sun rays.
It is the best remedy to be used for the smooth and sensitive skin of your baby. You can use boiled rice water, soaking rice water, and fermented rice water to treat tour baby’s skin.
6. Rich in Essential Vitamins and Proteins:
Rice water is a rich source of vitamins like Vitamin B6, Thiamin, and Riboflavin. These vitamins will help in the physical and mental development of your baby. Proteins play a vital role in the healthy development of your baby’s bones.
7. Treats Diarrhoea:
It is one of the effective and natural remedies to treat diarrhea. It provides hydration to your baby’s body and reduces the duration of diarrhea. It will have binding effects in the digestive tract and helps to produce normal stools.
8. Rice Water for Constipation in Babies:
Rice water is very effective in dealing with constipation in your child. The fiber content in the rice helps in normalizing the bowel movements. Fiber levels help in controlling cholesterol levels and achieving a healthy weight.
9. Rice Water for the Babies With Colic:
It helps to soothe baby during the times of colic. When the baby has colic they try to move their legs and arms more. Rice water is effective in removing the gastritis condition in babies.
10. Helps to Bring Down the Temperature:
When the babies have a fever, rice water helps them in giving energy and bringing down the body temperature.
Tips & Precautions While Introducing Rice Water For Babies:
Here are the few tips and precautions to follow while introducing rice water for babies:
- Consult your pediatrician to safely include rice water in the diet of your baby.
- Check for any allergies. Apply a little amount of rice water on your baby’s skin and check for any external allergies.
- Start with the small amounts of rice water and check for side effects like vomitings, breathing difficulty, etc.
- Do not combine soy milk with the rice water as it may produce allergic effects.
- Be cautious while using brown rice. Although it is rich in nutritious values when compared to white rice, its fibrous layer needs to be strained effectively which can be difficult for the baby to digest.
- Pick the brand of rice wisely
- Don’t feed any new food to your baby other than breast milk or formula milk before the age of 6 months
Drawbacks of Introducing Rice Water in Your Baby’s Diet:
Rice water consumption does not produce any side effects in your child. But here are a few disadvantages of using rice water in your baby’s diet:
1. May Retard the Consumption of Breast Milk:
The addition of any other side foods may make your breastfed baby feel full. They might satisfy the thirst of your baby. Additional foods make your baby consume low amounts of breastmilk.
2. Your Child May Lack Inadequate Nutrients:
Nutritional values of rice water are low when compared to the whole rice. Rice water contain only dissolved nutrients of whole rice. It lacks sodium and potassium which plays a vital role in the development of your baby.
3. May Cause Certain Allergies:
Rice is less likely to have allergic effects on child. But still, it is very important to check for allergies before introducing rice water to babies. If your baby has any allergic skin conditions it is very essential to check for both external and internal allergies.
4. May Contain Inorganic Arsenic:
Rice is more likely to contain the arsenic when compared to other foods. The rice plant its self is more readily absorbs the arsenic when compared to other foods. FDA presented the risk assessment report (R)
about the arsenic in rice. Arsenic in the food is associated with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Rice water is a simple and safe food that can be introduced when your baby is ready to consume solid food. Be cautious while introducing any new food in your baby’s diet.
