One study published in the scientific journal Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology calculated the best time to introduce peanuts into a child’s diet. In what the researchers called the “window of opportunity”, babies should be fed, along with breast milk or formula, creamy peanut butter – no whole or broken peanuts – in order to reduce the risk of allergy.
The results of the analysis recommended that infants be fed peanut butter from the time they are able to sit in a chair and hold their head, when they show interest by fixing their attention or reaching for solid foods, and when they can swallow, chew and not spit out food. This ideal time would be at six months of age. Additionally, the study indicates that, for babies with eczema, four months is the recommended age for introducing peanut products.
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This window of opportunity runs out over time. The researchers demonstrated that waiting until the baby was 12 months old to introduce peanut-based products would only lead to a 33% reduction in allergy risk.
The study recommends eating one teaspoon of peanut butter three times a week, which can be diluted in breast milk or formula. Encouraging parents to introduce peanuts into their baby’s diet could be a “simple, safe, low-cost intervention that would have vast benefits for future generations.”
The impact of early introduction of peanut-containing products was greatest when applied as early as possible. This reflects the experience in Israel, a country where peanut products are generally introduced early in children’s diets, and peanut allergy is rare.
A food allergy is an adverse reaction to food that can affect all organs in the body, including the skin, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system and can lead to anaphylaxis. According to the World Allergy Organization, at least 240 million people worldwide may suffer from a food allergy, and there is a growing global concern.
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