6 to 9 months old Babies can be introduced to Arbi for babies with Baby-Led weaning.
Arbi also known as Taro root or colocasia is a starchy vegetable with nutty flavour can be introduced as Finger to Baby at 6 to month for Baby Led Weaning.
Arbi is gluten-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium too. Taro is very high in Vitamin A, also contains Vitamin C, B and minerals like copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium, calcium, iron, selenium, potassium, beta-carotene and cryptoxanthin. All these vitamins and minerals are good antioxidants that are useful to protect against diseases. Vitamin C in taro is useful in regenerative functions and helps to boost the immunity of the body.
Arbi also contains Vitamin E & Magnesium, 17 different amino acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils. The magnesium in Taro is vital for muscle, bone and nerve health. Arbi root contains a good amount of fiber which is useful for the digestive process.
Can I give Arbi to 6month+ baby?
Yes. Colocasia /Arbi can be introduced as finger foods for Babies if they are ready for the solid food. Babies enjoy the taste. To know whether the Baby is ready for Solid foods read this blog on BLW-how to be prepared before your child turns 6 months.
Arbi is a very healthy vegetable and by preparing it properly it doesn’t cause itchiness nor it would be sticky.
How do I introduce Arbi to my baby?
Arbi is very easy to prepare for Babies.
Wash and scrub Arbi. Place in a medium size saucepan and cover with water and add a pinch of tamarind in water. Tamarind helps to remove the itchiness.
Place on the stove, cover, and bring to a boil. Do not add salt since doctors recommend that salt should not be given for Babies upto 1 year of age. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the taro. But, let it not become mushy.
Peel the Skin and shallow fry for 5 min in 3 drops of Home made Ghee.
How to serve Arbi to Baby?
Cut the slightly roasted Arbi length-wise and place it for Babies to pick and eat. Make sure to pick longer/ larger sizes that your baby can pick up.
To enhance flavor you can roll them in powdered coconut.
When we introduced Arbi to S, he was initially not attracted to the colour and stared at it before picking it up. However, he liked the taste and kept going for more. The only problem was we weren’t able to get too many long cuts with the batch we had. So he got frustrated a bit since he wanted to eat more but couldn’t eat the smaller pieces on his own. Planning to reintroduce once his pincer grasp develops. You can also try cutting it lengthwise for better grip.