Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that is essential for your baby's growth and development. Vitamin C helps build blood vessels, tendons, ligaments and strong bones. It is also needed to make norepinephrin and carnitine, a molecule that helps turn fat into energy. As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects your body from damage caused by free radicals as well as strengthens your immune system. While not naturally produced by the body, vitamin C can be obtained through the consumption of certain types of foods. It is vital to include foods rich in vitamin C in your baby's daily diet.
Intake and Deficiency
The amount of vitamin C your baby needs is dependent on her age. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, infants younger than 6 months old need 40 mg of vitamin C per day; infants 7 to 12 months old need 50 mg; and children 1 to 3 years old need 15 mg. It is important to feed your child the recommended daily dose to prevent vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C deficiency can cause bleeding gums, poor wound healing, dry skin, increased risk of infections and painful joints and bones. Severe vitamin C deficiency may lead to scurvy. Although rare, scurvy is a fatal disease caused by a vitamin C-restricted diet.
Fruits
Fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C. Your baby can get between 50 mg and 60 mg of vitamin C by eating a 1/4 cup of peaches, a 1/2 cup of strawberries, or 1 cup of cantaloupe, or by drinking a 1/2 cup of raw orange juice, 4 oz. of pineapple-grapefruit or cranberry juice, or 8 oz. of pineapple-orange juice. Serve these vitamin C-rich foods to your baby in a homemade fruit puree by mixing fresh fruits and juice together in a blender. If your baby can eat solid foods, slice up small pieces of fruit and serve alongside a cup of low-sugar fruit juice.
Vegetables
Vegetables are also excellent sources of vitamin C. Add around 50 mg of vitamin C to your baby's diet by incorporating a 1/4 cup of sweet red peppers, a 1/2 cup of sweet green peppers, or 1 cup of peas, sweet potatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower. Steam the vegetables until soft, then puree them with a little water. Cool before serving. Additionally, you can add cooked meat to make a delicious and nutritious meal for your baby.
Prepared Food
Many commercially prepared baby foods are fortified with vitamin C. However, the vitamin content can differ extensively across food brands, therefore it is important to check the vitamin C content listed on the food labels before purchasing. In addition, vitamin C may be destroyed or compromised during the cooking process, according to the Colorado State University Extension. High heat and extensive cooking can cause leaching, when the water soluble vitamin dissolves into the cooking water. To avoid cooking away vitamin C, quickly steam your baby food as opposed to boiling or heating at high temperatures.
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