# Why is salt bad for babies?



## Ex Libris (Jan 31, 2004)

I've heard that babies aren't supposed to eat much salt. Why is that? I would like to give my 9 month old some of what I'm eating sometimes, but it's often been salted (for example, he loves the refried beans I make, but I do add salt to them b/c otherwise they taste too bland). Should I not give him any of my food?


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## djinneyah (Sep 4, 2004)

i've always put a dash of sea salt on ds's veggies. not a lot, but it's there. i do it for 2 reasons: 1) veggies rock, but ya gotta admit, some things are a little bland, and a little salt makes it taste just that much better. 2) i have a friend whose mother never gave her salt when she was little. if there was salt already in the food, fine, but she never added any table salt. now, whenever my friend eats something salty, she blows up like a balloon. her fingers swell, her face swells a little, and she is generally uncomfortable.

so no, i don't think adding a little salt will hurt.


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## melissa17s (Aug 3, 2004)

I think can either damage kidneys or the liver of babies if they consume too much... hard to measure how much is acceptable, so better to just avoid it. Young children prefer "bland" food compared to adults because their taste buds are much more sensitive. A taste of your food probably won't hurt, but when preparing food for your dc, you do not need to add salt because the flavors are all there.


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## lactationlady (Feb 16, 2004)

While some sodium is necessary, too much salt can put stress on a babies kidneys. The recommended levels of soduim for infants and young children is:

Up to 6 months old - less than 1 g a day
7 to 12 months - 1 g a day
1 to 3 years - 2 g a day
4 to 6 years - 3 g a day
7 to 10 years - 5 g a day

From the age of 11, children should be having no more than about 6 g a day. This is the same level that is recommended for adults.

Just because something tastes bland to grown-up taste buds accustomed to added salt doesn't mean it tastes bland to babies and young children.


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## Ex Libris (Jan 31, 2004)

"can put stress on a babies kidneys"--Oh, that's not good. I'll just try to put aside a little food for ds before adding the salt and just give a little taste of stuff that already has some in it. Thanks for the info!


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