There are numerous foods that children below one year of age should avoid eating for several different reasons. These foods include the following:

Salt

According to experts, babies should not consume more than 0.4 grams of salt a day. A baby’s kidneys are fragile and are unable to process high amounts of added salt. Adding salt to flavor your baby’s food is not just unnecessary, but also even dangerous.

Sugar

Prevent tooth decay by not giving your baby sugary drinks and snacks. If you need to sweeten food, try adding some breastmilk, formula milk, or even a mashed banana instead.

Honey

Adults consider honey to be good for the health. However, studies show honey may contain traces of bacteria that cause infant botulism. Avoid giving honey to a baby below 12 months of age.

Whole Milk

Whole milk should not be used as a replacement for either breastmilk or baby formula until your baby has reached 12 months of age. Cow’s milk has very little amounts of vitamins and potassium, and therefore does not have the nutritional components necessary to sustain a growing infant. Whole milk proteins are also more difficult to digest.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges, pineapples, strawberries, and lemons are acidic in nature, which may cause babies below 12 months of age to experience tummy upsets or suffer from rashes.

Grapes

Grapes may not be a high allergen, but may pose to be a choking hazard for the young. It is strongly advised to only give grapes to babies who are at least 10 months old. Even then, exercise extreme caution when feeding grapes to your baby or toddler.

Shellfish

Shellfish such as oysters, shrimp, lobsters, and crabs can easily trigger allergic reactions in both babies and adults. Doctors recommend only feeding shellfish to babies who are at least a year old. If a history of shellfish allergies runs in the family, avoid giving this to your baby until he or she reaches the age of two.

Certain types of fish

Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin, tilefish and other types of fish with high levels of mercury should be avoided as this may affect the development of a baby’s nervous system. Even adults should avoid eating these foods too often.