India, Sept. 30 -- It's an exciting period for parents as they introduce solid foods to their babies. But did you know that this early stage of solid food can also help your baby develop a healthy gut and immune system? A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition on September 4 highlighted the value of a fruit when introduced as one of the first solid foods. The researchers named it blueberry.

The researchers, in an experiment, gave infants freeze-dried blueberry powder daily, which is around 2 ounces of fresh blueberries. This powder was either mixed into purees or breast milk. The results revealed that babies who consumed blueberry powder developed a much more diverse range of gut bacteria. It suggests that babies develop a healthier g...