The name "avocado" originates from its rich buttery taste.

As a member of the "superfoods" category, avocados, like chia seeds, quinoa, olive oil, coconut oil, and okra, come with legendary status.

With titles like "forest butter," "nature's mayonnaise," and "plant-based cheese," avocados are often hailed as essential for children's growth, despite their high price. But are avocados truly that miraculous? Is it necessary to insist on providing them to children?

From a nutritional standpoint, compared to commonly eaten fruits like apples, avocados do indeed boast impressive credentials. Whether it's energy, protein, fat, carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, or other elements, avocados excel.

Moreover, avocados are not only nutritious but also have a soft texture, making them suitable as complementary food. But can children eat them every day or frequently?

Looking at the nutritional composition, avocados have high energy and fat content. With nearly 170kcal of energy and almost 15 grams of fat per 100g, even a small avocado, half of it, contains 50 to 75 grams.

If a child consumes half an avocado daily, they would intake 85~170kcal of energy and 8~15g of fat. Considering the energy and fat requirements for complementary feeding:

According to the "Guidelines for the Nutritional Supplementation of Infants and Young Children," for example, a 6-month-old boy weighing 9kg requires an average of 700kcal of energy per day from complementary foods. At this stage, fat accounts for about 40% of the total energy requirement. So, a 9kg baby needs around 31g of fat per day.

If a baby eats half a large avocado a day, they would consume 15g of fat. Adding this to the fat from milk (about 25g from 700 to 800ml), the total fat intake from avocado and milk combined would be about 40g.

Considering the fat content in complementary foods like rice cereal, egg yolk, mashed meat, and fish, it's evident that excessive avocado consumption might lead to rapid weight gain in babies, which may not be beneficial for their long-term health.

Therefore, whether to give avocados to children frequently depends on their dietary habits and developmental stage. It's important to strike a balance and not blindly believe in the miraculous "effects" of avocados.

If a child enjoys eating avocados, provide them in moderate amounts, preferably in small slices rather than half or whole avocados. If a child doesn't like them, there's no need to insist. There are plenty of other nutritious foods to meet their growth needs.

At what age can babies eat avocados? From 6 months onwards.

Parents should be reminded that when introducing complementary foods, whether vegetables or fruits, it's best to start with those commonly consumed at home. This helps reduce the risk of allergies. Don't follow trends blindly.

In conclusion, while avocados offer a myriad of nutritional benefits, their high energy and fat content necessitate moderation, especially in children's diets. Balancing diverse foods is key to supporting healthy growth. So, whether it's avocados or other nutritious options, let's approach feeding our children with mindfulness and variety.