(NaturalPath) According to a study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health and published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found that introducing peanut-containing foods during infancy as a peanut allergy prevention strategy does not compromise the duration of breastfeeding or affect children’s growth and nutritional intakes.
The researchers found that introducing peanut products into the diets of infants deemed at high risk for peanut allergy led to an 81 percent relative reduction in subsequent development of the allergy compared to avoiding peanut altogether.
“The striking finding that early inclusion of peanut products in the diet reduces later development of allergy already is beginning to transform how clinicians approach peanut allergy prevention,” said the NIAID Director. “The new results provide reassurance that early-life peanut consumption has no negative effect on children’s growth and nutrition.”
The study included 640 infants aged four to 11 months of age that were living in the United Kingdom whose parents were told to either give the children at least two grams of peanut protein three times per week or to avoid peanut entirely. This was continued until the children were 5 years old. The researchers monitored the diets and compared the growth, nutrition and diets. They did not observe any differences in height, weight or body mass index between the peanut consumers and avoiders at any point during the study. This held up between those who ate the most peanut protein and those who avoided it. Interestingly, the peanut consumers ate fewer chips and savory snacks. Both groups had similar total energy intakes from food and comparable protein intakes, although the peanut consumers had higher fat intakes and avoiders had higher carbohydrate intakes.
So consider early introduction of peanut protein if your child is at risk for a peanut allergy. It won’t affect their nutrition.
Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.