Can babies eat too much fruit?

[MazzzaG]

Hello,
I have a 1 year old and he loves fruit and I was just wondering if you can give a baby too much fruit? My partner said I should only give him 5 pieces of fruit and veg a day, but surely they can have more? He has a half banana in the morning, sometimes a pear or tangerine (maybe 2) at lunch and apple or nectarine in the evening. So 3-5 pieces a day is this too much? He will also have 2-3 portions of veg with each meal too. My partner also said fruit can rot their teeth but I thought surely only 3-5 pieces would be fine??? Any answers would be great thanks.

I don't know the official line but I know the 5 a day, should actually be 8, but 5 sounded more snappier and more realistic to most.

I can say that I give DD more fruit than you, but she always has it after her meals.

I think as long you practice good oral health (I love that phrase) you're OK.

5-a day is a minimum surely. My understanding is the main concern with fruit being they get too accustomed to the sweetness (but bananas and pears are less sweet). As for veg, we try to make sure that this is half the meal and as far as we're concerned it's limitless amount.

(ps shouldn't this be in the weaning forum)

Teeth won't rot if they are cleaned - that's daft.

There can be too much - fruit contains vitamin C which in excess causes diarrhea. You will know if it gets to that point, it is unlikely.

Btw, with the 5 a day (which should be 8 as Penguin says) it means 5 different types of fruit and veg. So an orange, and a glass of orange juice would only count as 1.

Nice one that your child loves fruit and veg - mine do too. They get as much as they like.

Yes& no in that theres no realharm in giving as much as they'll eat, so long as its varied & balanced with other food groups, especially stuff that will counteract the roughage effect that eating a lot of fruits will definitely have.

In other words,if your DC has a lot of very loose stools, then you either cut down, or make sure he balances it with bulking foods, such as white bread, white pasta, rice etc...

your partner is right to a degree, as fruit contains sugars, but then so does milk, so where do you draw the line, both contain good stuff, & are less harmful than ssweets etc, so long as his teeth are brushed properly, its unlikely tobe a real problem
hope that helps:)

I always ate lots of juicy plums through childhood at the Christian orphanage through to adulthood. Never did me harm.

earwicga, an orange and a glass of orange juice counts as 2 pieces of fruit - fruit juice can only be counted once regardless of how much you have. whole fruits do count - it is advised to have a mix but you dont have to.

I would cut down if it is affecting your lo's digestive system plus if it is affecting his eating of other foods that are more calorie/fat/protein dense.

That's interesting Seona. I just checked with the 5 a day website and it does say that fruit juice only counts once, but not that duplicating it with a piece of the same fruit does count. Eating 5 oranges a day wouldn't count.

I never knew that potatoes aren't counted though!

5 a day is a MINIMUM not max.

We have to give LO loads of fruit because otherwise she gets bunged up easily. I asked my dentist about it because of concerns on the sugar content and he said as long as the fruit was consumed at mealtimes with other food and teeth appropriately brushed it wouldn't be a problem. He then went on a rant about the bigger issue being kids walking around supermarkets with a bottle of ribena upended in their mouth...

Thank you for all your replies very helpful and interesting and needed.