Honey is often considered a healthy and natural treat. It has always attracted young and old alike with its creamy texture and varied flavors. But when it comes to children, certain questions regularly arise: can honey be given to children? From what age? And above all, which types of honey should be favored for them? Here are our tips for choosing the best honeys for children, while respecting a few simple rules.
Can honey be given to children?
Honey is an exceptional food due to its nutritional richness, but it is imperative to respect one essential rule: never give honey to a child under one year old. This precaution is related to the rare but serious risk of infant botulism, an infection caused by bacterial spores that babies' digestive systems are not yet able to neutralize. After this age, this risk disappears, and honey can then become a valuable ally for the nutrition of the youngest.
From the age of twelve months, it is therefore possible to gradually introduce honey into children's diets. It then constitutes an excellent alternative to refined sugars found in many industrial products. Natural, tasty, and rich in nutrients, it can accompany meals and snacks in a balanced way.
Why choose honey for children?
Honey is not just a sweet food. It provides essential elements for the proper functioning of the body, making it a wise choice to complement children's diets. Its content of simple carbohydrates offers a quickly available energy supply, ideal especially during small hunger pangs or before physical activity.
Moreover, honey naturally contains trace elements, enzymes, and antioxidants, beneficial for supporting the body. Some honeys are also recognized for their soothing properties, particularly useful in cases of mild cough or irritated throat.
Incorporating honey into children's diets also helps introduce the youngest to natural flavors, avoiding ultra-processed products. It is a simple and healthy way to teach children to appreciate the true taste of food.
Which honeys should be favored for children?
Not all honeys have the same taste or properties. For children, it is preferable to choose mild honeys, with a delicate taste and pleasant texture. Here are some varieties particularly suitable:
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Acacia honey: very mild and slightly sweet, it charms with its subtle flavor. Its liquid texture makes it easy to incorporate into yogurts, compotes, or warm herbal teas. Its lower glycemic index compared to other honeys is also an advantage.
Discover our Acacia honey from Saône and Loire
- Paris flower honey : versatile and fragrant, it is generally very popular with children. It goes well with both slices of bread and homemade preparations like crepes or cakes.
Discover our Paris flower honey
- Clover honey : slightly more floral, but still mild, it is perfect for varying the pleasures and discovering new flavors.
The important thing is to favor raw, unheated honey from artisanal production. Industrial honeys are often heated and filtered, thus losing part of their nutritional qualities.
How to incorporate honey into children's diets?
Honey can be offered in different ways to vary the pleasures. On a slice of bread, mixed with plain yogurt, added to homemade fruit compote, or even incorporated into pastry preparations, it advantageously replaces white sugar.
In winter, a spoonful of honey added to a warm herbal tea can also help soothe a slight cough or irritated throat. However, care must be taken not to heat the honey too much, in order to preserve its natural properties.
It is important to remember that honey remains a sweet food. Even though it is more interesting than refined sugar, its consumption should remain moderate. One to two teaspoons per day are more than enough to add a gourmet touch to the meals of the youngest.
Which honeys to choose for children?
Honey is a wonderful companion in children's diets, provided it is introduced at the right time and chosen carefully. From the age of one, children can benefit from its nutritional and taste qualities, always preferring mild, natural, and raw honeys.
Choosing a quality honey means offering your children a pure product, harvested with respect, without additives or unnecessary processing. At Miel Factory, we select rare and pure honeys, suitable for the whole family, to introduce both young and old to the true taste of honey.