Becoming a new parent means a new journey awaits in the future. This moment is considered to be the most exciting time in a person’s life. You often start this new journey with great hopes and expectations about what life will be like as you raise your children. And of course, milk is the drink of choice for your children, especially for newborn babies.
However, the question of how healthy milk really becomes a common question when you have a dairy allergy in your family or you concerned about the health issue. Thus, many parents consider almond milk as a substitute. But, is it the best solution? What age your child can consume almond milk?
Baby and Almond Milk
Baby can be used to refer to any child from newborn to the age of 4 years old. But, for the infant which are considered children anywhere from newborn to 12 months. Infant needs all the nutrients from breast milk or formula, so regular milk is not an appropriate substitute. However, it is possible to replace too many of those calories with another kind of milk if your baby weans from a diet of all breast milk or formula. Milk should be just a supplement after your child age 1 but not the main meal. Excessive milk consumption can lead your child to get too much fat and not enough iron, were your child at risk of anemia.Â
So, is almond milk harmful to your child? I know you still feel doubtful to give your child almond milk. In my opinion, almond milk is the best alternative if your child has a dairy allergy or intolerance. Most significantly, your child’s age must more than age 1 to consume fortified almond milk as supplementary. Plus, almond milk is lower in calories compared to cow milk. Hence, it can be a good source of hydration for your child.
