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Are black-eye peas healthy for babies?
Yes! Black-eyed peas are one of the most nutritious plant foods you can offer your baby. They have a ton of calcium and protein, folate (for healthy blood), vitamin A (for eye, immune, and skin health), and zinc, which supports the immune system. But their true superpower: these little legumes are packed with iron, an essential nutrient that helps transport oxygen in the body.
Babies need increasing amounts of iron starting at around 6 months, when their reserves from being in the womb become depleted. This is why, for example, iron-fortified rice cereal for babies is sometimes recommended by pediatricians. But bland, textureless rice cereal need not be baby’s first food. There are plenty of whole foods that are naturally high in iron—like black-eyed peas—that can easily be worked into your baby’s diet. Tip: Serve iron-rich foods like black-eyed peas alongside fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, which boosts your baby’s ability to absorb the critical nutrient. We offer this in our line of baby purees!!!
How to prepare black-eye peas for your baby!
Every baby develops on their own timeline. The preparation suggestions below are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional, nutritionist or dietitian, or expert in pediatric feeding and eating. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.
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6 to 9 months old: At this age, the easiest way to serve black-eyed peas is to puree or make a mash.
9 to 12 months old: This is a good age to start offering whole, cooked beans on their own to encourage your baby to practice the pincer grasp. You may, of course, also continue with mashed beans on thin rice cakes or on their own.
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12 to 24 months old: Use black-eyed peas widely in your cooking! Encourage your baby to use age-appropriate utensils and explore a variety of sauces and presentations.
It's a fact!
Despite their name, black-eyed peas are beans, and they are among the most nutritious plant-based foods you can offer your child. There are hundreds of varieties that vary in size and color, but the California Blackeye is the most popular. Black-eyed peas were a favored crop on farms in the American South and Caribbean islands, where black eyed peas traveled along with enslave ed people from West Africa, the bean’s native land. Upon arrival of those early Africans to the New World, black-eyed peas quickly became a staple food -- used in soups, fritters and more. It would reasonably follow that if the food was introduced to the New World by Africans, the tradition surrounding the food was also developed by those same Africans. This would include the tradition that black-eyed peas consumed on New Year’s Day will bring prosperity in the new year.