A couple of weeks ago we received an email from a visitor asking which type of apple would be best for her baby… red or green?
The fact is that ALL apples – regardless of colour – are a wonderfully healthy food for baby!
Although there are some differences in nutritional value between the different varieties – with Fuji apples often getting top marks in research into this very subject – the differences are not so pronounced that we would recommend shunning one type of apple in favour of another.
In fact, the main issues to take into account when choosing apples for your baby are their freshness… and their flavour!
In general, sweeter apples are ideal for making baby food
This is because they can be cooked for your little one just as they are, with no additional sweetener needed – an important requirement for foods for your little one!
That being said, not ALL babies demand sweetness in their fruit – some may enjoy, for example, the tartness of apples like Granny Smith.
We particularly like Granny Smith apples for cooking, as they retain their flavour AND texture when other varieties may end up a rather tasteless mush!
Should you peel apples for your baby food recipes?
Sweet or otherwise, the MAIN way to ensure that your baby derives the maximum possible nutrition from the apples you prepare for him is to leave them UNPEELED wherever possible, and to keep cooking times to a minimum.
An amazing two-thirds of the nutrients of apples reside in – or just under – the skin.
By removing the skin from an apple, you are significantly reducing its benefits.
Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT always essential to peel an apple when preparing it for your baby. We’ve even left the skin on when making purees – although the little pieces of peel are visible in the puree (which actually makes it look even MORE appetizing!), they are actually very soft and not large enough to pose a choking hazard.
Of course, leaving the skin on an apple may not always be appropriate, particularly for very young babies. So please do read through the following page, which will help you decide whether or not to peel apples for YOUR little one…
Should I peel fruits and vegetables for my baby?
And for more information about cooking delicious apple dishes for your baby, please visit our…
Melville
Wednesday 24th of January 2018
Hi, what ways exist to effectively clean the skin of apples to remove pesticides & chemicals? TQ!
Christine
Thursday 25th of January 2018
Hi Melville - please see this page for more information about this.