The Benefits of Grains and Legumes for Babies

Byline: Jessica D’Argenio Waller, MS, CNS, LDN

When it comes to feeding your baby, you want to make sure you’re giving them everything they need—and nothing they don’t. But it can be tricky to know what’s appropriate and what’s OK to skip, especially in the first year. Once your baby has started solid foods, it’s perfectly healthy to offer them grains and legumes, which are high in fiber along with lots of vitamins and minerals. Plenty of parents and caregivers want to know if babies can digest grains and legumes, and rest assured that the answer is yes. By the time they start solids, around 6 months, babies produce plenty of the enzyme amylase, which is used to break down starches. But which grains and legumes should you serve? And how much? We’ll share more here.

Baby’s nutrition needs in the first year

In the first year of life, your little one is growing rapidly, and their nutrition needs are changing to keep up with this quick growth. During the first 6 months, breast milk and/or formula will suffice, but about halfway through the year, they’ll start to need more calories and nutrients than breast milk or formula alone can provide. That’s why it’s important to start solids around the 6-month mark, and to offer your infant a variety of foods and flavors to taste.

All that growing means they’ll need to take in more calories in the form of the three macronutrients: carbs, fat and protein. Here’s a look at how those macronutrient needs change over the first year.

Birth to 6 months

During this period, infants get all their nutritional needs met through breast milk or formula. Breast milk and formula are both rich in fat, which is crucial for brain development. They also contain the right balance of carbohydrates and proteins for this rapid growth stage.    

6 to 8 months

At this stage, babies start to be introduced to solid foods starting around 6 months, but breast milk or formula still provides most of their nutrition. As solid foods are introduced, babies begin to get more varied sources of carbohydrates. Protein needs increase slightly during this period to support babies’ continued growth and development.

8 to 12 months

By this age, babies are typically eating a wider variety of solid foods. Their diet should include more complex carbohydrates from grains, legumes and vegetables, increased protein from sources like meat, beans and dairy, along with fats like nut butters and olive oil drizzled on veggies. Breast milk or formula still plays an important role but makes up a smaller portion of total calorie intake.

To help meet those additional calorie needs? That’s where grains and legumes come in. Filling and satisfying, both are rich in carbs and protein, and can be a smart choice for any meal or snack.

What to know about grains and legumes for babies

Your little one can chow down on some oatmeal or mashed black beans as soon as they hit the 6-month mark. Grains and legumes offer slow-burning, complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, fiber for digestive health, and lots of vitamins and minerals. These foods support overall growth and brain development—and help establish healthy eating habits.

Grains and legumes provide the following nutrients:

• B vitamins (especially in whole grains) break down carbohydrates and fat so your baby can use them for energy
• Iron (in fortified cereals and legumes) are essential for cognitive development and growth
• Zinc (in whole grains and legumes) are needed for immune function and growth
• Magnesium (in whole grains) is important for bone health
• Fiber (in whole grains and legumes) is key for digestive health and regular bowel movements

Grains vs. whole grains

What’s the difference between grains and whole grains? Whole grains contain all parts of the grain kernel: the bran, germ and endosperm. Refined grains have had the bran and germ removed, which reduces fiber, vitamins and minerals, but can make them easier to digest for infant tummies. Ultimately, whole grains offer more nutritional benefits than refined grains but can be slightly harder to break down. If you’re concerned about digestion, consider offering your baby refined grains between the age of 6 to 8 months at first, then progress to whole grains starting around 8 months. 

Best grains and legumes for babies

Wondering where to start? Here’s a short list of the best grains and legumes for babies starting solids.

• Grains: oats, quinoa, whole wheat, barley, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, wheat berries
• Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, white beans, kidney beans, peas, peanuts (see below)

Grains or legumes to avoid for babies

• Be sure to talk to your pediatrician about the safest ways to introduce peanuts, one of the primary food allergens, to your infant. Current guidance suggests offering small servings of peanut butter or powder early and frequently, but it’s best to work out a plan with your child’s doctor, especially if there’s a history of peanut allergies in your family. Beans are not considered a common allergen.
• Because celiac disease can run in families, you may want to be cautious about offering your baby wheat if you or your partner have the disease. Wheat can also be a common allergen (note that wheat allergy differs from celiac disease), so start by offering a small quantity for the first few servings and watch closely for any signs of an allergic reaction. 
• Be cautious with raw or undercooked beans, which can be hard to digest for little tummies
• Avoid rice cereal, rice and rice-based baby-food products where rice is a primary ingredient, due to high levels of arsenic (see more on this below)

Otherwise, avoid added sugars and salt in packaged grain products, and watch out for honey. Honey may be a primary ingredient in some grain-based cereals or breads, but honey in any form should be avoided for babies under 1 year due to a risk of infant botulism.

Serving sizes of grains and legumes for babies

Wondering how much you should offer your baby when it comes to grains and legumes? Because these foods can be considered good sources of carbohydrates and protein, they can become a regular part of your child’s diet. Here’s a general rule of thumb on what to serve.

6 to 8 months

Babies at this age should have 2 servings of grains per day and 2 servings of protein per day, one of which (or both!) could be mashed beans or other legumes.

One serving of grains is equal to:

1 to 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, barley, or multigrain cereal

1/8 to 1/4 slice of bread

One serving of legumes is equal to:

1 to 2 tablespoons of mashed beans. lentils or peas

9 to 12 months

At this age, your baby is likely taking a bigger interest in food—and may even begin feeding themselves (so fun!). Still aim for 2 servings of grains per day and 2 servings of protein (one of which can be legumes or beans), but you’ll see that the serving sizes are slightly increased.

One serving of grains is equal to:

2 to 4 tablespoons of oatmeal, barley, or multigrain cereal

1/4 to 1/2 slice of bread

One serving of legumes is equal to:

2 to 3 tablespoons of beans, lentils or peas

The benefits of high-fiber foods for babies

Fiber is a highly underestimated nutrient with far-reaching benefits. Whole grains, beans and legumes are excellent sources of fiber, which helps with digestion, prevents constipation and promotes a healthy gut microbiome in babies. High-fiber foods can help babies feel full and satisfied, potentially reducing the likelihood of overfeeding. Signs your baby might be full? Turning away from the spoon or closing their lips, or babies may spit out food or hold it in their mouths without swallowing. Your bub will let you know!

Babies between 6 and 12 months should work their way up to 5 grams of fiber per day. For context, 1 cup of oatmeal has 4 grams, and 1 slice of whole wheat bread has about 2 to 3 grams. A 1/2 cup of lentils has about 8 grams. After age 1, toddlers’ fiber needs jump up to about 19 grams per day, which is why it’s a good idea to start introducing fiber-rich foods early on.

What to know about rice and heavy metals

There have been concerns about high arsenic levels in rice, particularly for infants, for whom even small doses of heavy metals can be harmful. Unfortunately, heavy metals such as arsenic are commonly found in the environment—and can’t be removed from food. In high amounts, they can harm brain development and have been linked to learning and behavior problems, the AAP states, and there is no known safe level of exposure.

Rice cereal traditionally was a first food offered to infants, but the growing concern over heavy metal exposure means that other grain-based alternatives such as oatmeal, buckwheat or barley are now recommended in place of rice cereal.

If you do choose to incorporate some rice into your family’s diet, follow the steps below:

• Offer a variety of grains, not just rice (and serve rice no more than once per week)
• Know that white rice tends to contain lower amounts of arsenic than brown rice
• Rinse rice in running water for a full two minutes before cooking, and parboil rice following the PBA rice cooking method, rinsing midway through the cooking process to remove some of the arsenic while conserving nutrients
• Know that buying organic rice will help avoid pesticide exposure but won’t reduce arsenic exposure

The bottom line? Aim for a diverse range of grains and legumes in your baby’s diet to ensure a broad spectrum of nutrients—and to minimize any potential risks associated with any single food source.

Nurturing healthy eating habits

Your growing babe is changing so much—and so are their nutritional needs. Offering regular servings of different types of grains and legumes can help cover any nutrient gaps and provide plenty of energy and protein for their healthy development during their busy first year. But remember also that a diverse diet helps lay the foundation for healthy eating habits later in life. Exposure to different tastes, textures, and colors not only provides balanced nutrition, but also encourages curiosity about food. Be sure to encourage lots of food exploration for your little one – especially through play! And be patient: Your bub may not love everything on the first taste but keep trying. It may take multiple exposures to a certain food before they finally learn to like it – or hey, even love it. Bon Appetit!