fufu for a 6 month old?

[pinkposey]

Hiya all - I live in DR Congo, and everyone local around here wants to feed my son fufu which is the staple meal of this place. He's 6 and a half months old. He started food at 6 months, and so far, he's had vegetables and fruit pureed, and with his hands. Fufu comes as a powder, and you mix it wiht water to make it into a starch like stuff. I understand you need to be careful with wheat etc, but I'm not sure whether he's ok to eat fufu. Are there any African mothers or anyone who has traveled much in Africa who might be able to give me advice on whether fufu at this stage is ok or whether we should wait a while?? Thank you!

[KittieCat]

I am certainly no expert but didn't want your post to go unanswered. As far as I am aware, fufu is starch from starchy veg like yam and plantain, isn't it? If I'm right then wheat/gluten isn't an issue.

Also wheat can be given from six months for children with no family history of allergy. That said, I would think fufu would be rather filling for a baby and not offer much nutritionally, so, while it might not be harmful it might not add much in terms of nutrition either. As I say, I'm no expert though!

Department of Health allergy advice is here:
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Babies-weaning/Pages/Recommendations.aspx

All the best,
K

[TanteRose]

Here in Japan, they use cornstarch to thicken soups/sauces etc. when making home-made babyfood - so other types of starch should be OK

[bruffin]

"Also wheat can be given from six months for children with no family history of allergy."

I think you will find that wheat should be introduced by 6 months not from 6 months

"http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/117/6/2175.full study on introduction of wheat" Different coutries have different guidelines and most are going away from 6 months +

[bruffin]

sorry link

[pinkposey]

Thanks ! Yes, I'm sure there's little to no nutritional value, but it seems it'll be very good for international relations if he can eat a little portion. Thank you !

[KittieCat]

Hi bruffin, in the UK the advice is to start solids from around six months, this is also true of WHO guidance so by dint of that advice wheat shouldn't be introduced earlier as it is recommended the baby is fed only bm or formula. See page three here:
www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_084164.pdf

Clearly everyone is free to make their own choices but this is advice based on the best available evidence.

That said, it's an academic point as OPs baby us over six months anyway.