Goat cheese encompasses a great many different kinds of cheese, some of which are safer than others.
In general, though, like I said, the important thing is always moderation.
Goat cheese is high in fat, so too much can cause health issues.
Consult your pediatrician if you are at all unsure, since babies can have highly individualized needs.
Let’s look further into this.
Is goat cheese safe for babies?
Yes, it is inherently safe for babies.
There’s nothing in it that is dangerous, toxic, poisonous, or that will do any serious harm in small quantities.
However, there are, of course, many caveats to this point.
Firstly, a baby obviously cannot eat goat cheese immediately.
It will be a while before they can have solid food of any kind, so keep in mind that ‘baby’ describes a child at a lot of different stages of development.
Once the baby is around 6 months old, you can start introducing solid foods.
You’ll start to wean them off breast milk at this time, and small amounts of goat cheese would be a good choice at this point.
So, they can eat goat cheese, but you’ve got to be strict about moderation and at what time you start giving them goat cheese.
With all that said, let’s look at health benefits of goat cheese.
Is goat cheese good for babies?
There certainly are a number of health benefits.
Goat cheese comes in many different kinds, though, so as a good real of thumb, the cheese you choose should be pasteurized, low in sodium, and whole fat.
Soft cheeses are generally better.
It has lots of protein and beneficial fats, which are really good for development.
Babies are actually better, to a degree, at processing lactose products because they still retain the gut enzyme needed for doing so.
Thus, they can break it down better than we can.
Goat cheese is also rich in many health minerals, such as calcium, copper, and iron.
Minerals are essential to a baby’s diet, and calcium especially.
Goat cheese is a great source of healthy calcium.
There are also many health vitamins in there, such as vitamin A, B2 and B6.
These are essential for powering your baby’s growth.
The fact that goat cheese is, in general, lower in salt content means that it’s often a better choice than other kinds of cheese.
So, yes, goat cheese has many benefits for your baby, and it can be a great addition to their diet.
Nonetheless, it’s still quite a complex and nutritious food, meaning that moderation is really important.
Let’s look at the caveats.
Is goat cheese bad for babies?
No, goat cheese is not inherently bad for your baby.
It isn’t toxic, or dangerous, it won’t do them any serious harm.
However, don’t forget that your baby may have allergies.
You should always start by feeding them a very small amount, and checking for any signs of an allergic reaction.
Furthermore, as I’ve said, goat cheese may be lower in sodium than a lot of other cheeses, but it tends to be very high in fat.
You will want to go for soft goat cheese, that is lower in fat, otherwise, it could be bad for your baby’s health.
Finally, the single biggest thing you need to remember is moderation.
Goat cheese has many benefits, yes, but your baby is small.
It only needs a little bit before it will become oversaturated with the nutrients.
In good moderation, goat cheese is not bad for babies.
How do I give my baby cheese?
The other thing to remember is that your baby is going to have a tough time eating goat cheese if you don’t prepare it for them.
The best and easiest way is to shred the cheese.
This is the best way to test it, too—a single piece of grated cheese is a good test amount.
You can also simply cut very thin strips to make it easier to chew, or you can even melt it over other foods.
Properly prepared and made easy for them to eat, cheese will be great for your baby.
This issue of preparation is just as big as any other, though—don’t forget the possibility of it becoming a choking hazard.
There’s to be a certain amount of judgement on your part, then.
Babies are massively varied in needs and attitude, not to mention the fact that ‘baby’ can encompass a child at many different stages of early development.
Those early months and years are really crucial, so knowing when you can start introducing new foods, solid foods, and anything that is new to them is equally crucial.
A small amount of the right type of goat cheese is safe for your baby.