- Cost: No cost involved
- In plain terms: Never give honey to babies under 1 year of age. This includes honey water, honey mixed into baby food, and any baked goods containing honey. Honey can contain bacteria that cause botulism. An adult’s gut microbiome is able to keep these bacteria in check, but a baby’s cannot. The same rule applies to homemade pickled foods and fermented products.
- Benefit: According to the Chinese CDC, “Do not feed honey to children under 1 year of age” because “honey may contain bacteria that cause botulism.” An adult’s gut microbiome can suppress these bacterial spores — the dormant form of the bacteria — while a baby’s cannot.
- Evidence grade: A
- Sources:US CDC. Preventing Botulism. https://www.cdc.gov/botulism/prevention/index.html
- Notes: Foods and drinks to avoid include honey water, honey mixed into baby food, and any pastries containing honey. Likewise, homemade pickled foods and fermented products should not be given to infants.
Do not feed honey to children under 1 year old
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HowToLiveBetter — eternity4719 & contributors · CC BY 4.0
Reorganized here with reference translations; no endorsement by the original authors is implied.
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