Alternate post title: Milk + Yolk
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When a baby is starting solids Mother’s Milk offers us implicit wisdom and can be used as a guideline to help us define the nutrients they truly need. Breastmilk, is inherently nature’s ideal food for infants. Also to be considered are the nutrients that provide protection + growth within the first year of life.
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With that in mind, egg yolks are one of my favourite first foods for babies since their nutrient profile is amazingly similar to mother’s milk. The yolk contains easy to absorb iron (heme), B vitamins, fat soluble vitamins A + D, and if pasture-raised will contain the healthy fat DHA which directly nourishes baby’s growing brain. They are indeed, a nutritional powerhouse!
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Egg whites on the contrary can be highly allergenic so I typically recommend waiting until baby is approximately 8+ months old before introducing these.
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When introducing baby to egg yolks, choose the best quality eggs you can find – ideally from chickens raised on pasture. Keep in mind for healthful eggs, you need healthy chickens eating a healthy diet.
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Below is a recipe from one of my favourite baby food books, Nourished Beginnings by Renee Kohley which reads like the perfect balance between ancestral foods + modern nutrition.
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Soft Boiled Pastured Egg Yolk
- Fill small pot with water + bring to boil.
- Lower egg into boiling water with spoon, then cover with lid.
- Boil for 5 minutes
- Remove egg then place in bowl of cold water.
- Once egg is cool to touch, crack the top peeling away the shell AND white.
- Pour or scoop out yolk into small bowl or cup.
- Add pinch of sea salt (not table salt).
- Serve warm to baby.
Other Ways to Include Egg Yolk
- Soft or hard boil, then add to favourite Puree or into a Baby Smoothie.
* Although yolks are not (as commonly) known to be allergenic, some babies do react strongly + benefit from only small amounts to begin with.
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Holistic Food Introductions eBook Collection
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Against the Grain, Rice Cereal for Babies
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Hi,
Do you serve the whole portion for one day?
I was wondering if it is too much to serve two eggyolks per day, ti a seven month baby ?
Hi! Great question. If it is your baby’s first time eating egg yolks this may be too much for them – although, they will be the best guide for how much they can eat in a serving. Nutritionally two egg yolks are not too much, however some babies do react and will therefore benefit from much smaller amounts to begin with. It is difficult to make this recipe with less yolks, so if your baby only eats a small amount, the rest is yours or save for tomorrow 🙂 Good luck and let me know how it goes~
Lisa