From what age can a child consume chocolate?

Children should exclusively breastfeed until they are six months old. From there, it is possible to start introducing other foods, and so many questions arise about what to offer. Thinking about it, see now at what age can a child consume chocolate and other foods like soft drinks and sausages.

Read more: Childhood diabetes: Learn more about this disease that affects more and more children

food introduction

According to Food Guide for Brazilian Children Under 2 Years, formulated by the Ministry of Health, children should start eating other foods in addition to breast milk (or infant formula) from the age of six months, except in some specific situations.

In this sense, the child's first foods should be fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes (beans, chickpeas), cereals (rice, corn, wheat), meat and eggs. Also, although not recommended, salt can also be part of food preparation, but in small amounts.

On the other hand, children should not consume sugar, or foods that have sugar in their composition, until they are two years old. In addition, industrialized food products should also be far from the dietary pattern of small children.

At what age can a child consume chocolate?

Considering that chocolate is a food that has sugar in its composition, the recommendation is that children do not consume it before the age of two. In addition, the most common chocolates on the market are rich in fat, which can favor excessive weight gain and trigger childhood obesity.

Is it forbidden to offer processed foods to children?

The Food Guide recommends that children (as well as the general population) consume fresh and minimally processed foods most of the time. That is, industrialized products, which contain various chemical additives, sodium and fats, should be avoided as much as possible.

Therefore, after two years, children are not prohibited from consuming chocolates, sugary drinks and processed foods. However, the intake of these foods should be restricted to very specific moments.

childhood obesity

Obesity is a chronic health problem that affects more people every year. In this sense, the number of obese and diabetic children (as a result of obesity) is growing at an alarming rate in Brazil.

A diet rich in fatty and sugary foods, together with physical inactivity, is the cause of the emergence of these problems. Therefore, taking care of the diet of the little ones is essential to avoid these diseases and their consequences, which are extremely harmful to health.