FirstNom
Herbs & spices
Turmeric for babies
Turmeric is one of the mildest spices there is, which makes it an easy introduction. It will stain the highchair, the bib and briefly your baby.
When can babies have turmeric?
From around 6 months, in cooking. Turmeric is very mild in flavour and is a staple in infant food across South Asia.
How do you serve turmeric to a baby?
The shape is what makes a food safe, and it changes as your baby’s grip and chewing change. Find your baby’s age band.
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6–8 months
A pinch in dal, rice, scrambled egg or a vegetable purée.
-
9–11 months
In cooking.
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12–18 months
As the family uses it.
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18–24 months
As the family uses it.
Prep tip
A pinch of turmeric with a little black pepper and fat in the same dish is the traditional combination — pepper and fat both improve curcumin absorption, if that is what you are after.
Storage
Ground turmeric keeps a year. It stains plastic containers permanently — use glass.
Is turmeric a choking hazard for babies?
Ground turmeric in cooking poses no risk.
Whatever you serve, stay within arm’s reach, keep your baby upright in a supportive seat, and never let them eat in a moving car, buggy or carrier. Gagging is loud and normal. Choking is silent.
Is turmeric a common allergen?
Turmeric is not one of the nine most common food allergens. Any food can trigger a reaction, though, so offer it on its own the first time and watch for hives, vomiting, swelling or a change in breathing over the next two hours.
Is turmeric healthy for babies?
In cooking amounts turmeric is a flavour and a colour rather than a meaningful nutrient source — the curcumin research uses doses far beyond what anyone eats in food. Its value here is variety and the fact that it makes dal, rice and vegetables look and taste more interesting.
| Curcumin | High |
|---|---|
| Iron (non-heme) | Some |
| Manganese | Good source |
| Iron per serving | ~0.3 mg |
Common questions about turmeric
Should I give my baby turmeric supplements?
No. Concentrated curcumin supplements are not appropriate for babies and have not been studied in them. Turmeric as a cooking spice is a different thing entirely.
Will turmeric stain my baby?
Briefly, yes — skin, bibs, plastic bowls and highchair trays. Skin stains wash off in a day; plastic often does not.
Reference material
Guidance on this page follows the sources listed below.
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