Can Babies Have Star Anise? Safety and Use

The star-shaped licorice spice. It flavors a slow braise beautifully, with two firm safety rules.

When to introduce: Around 6 months
Common allergen?: No
Flavor: Warm, sweet, licorice
How to use: Simmered whole to flavor, then removed

When can babies have star anise?

Star anise gives a warm, sweet, licorice note to braises, broths, and dishes like pho and slow-cooked fruit. Used to flavor a dish and then removed, it is fine for a baby from around 6 months. It comes with two firm rules, though, so this one is worth reading before you cook.

How to use star anise in baby food

Slow braises and brothSimmer a whole star in a mild broth or braise, then lift it out before serving.

Cooked fruitWarm a star into stewed apple or pear for a gentle licorice note, then remove it.

Rice and lentilsInfuse a pot of rice or lentils with a star, fished out at the end.

Is star anise safe for babies?

The warm licorice flavor star anise leaves in a slow-cooked dish is fine for a baby from around 6 months, with two firm rules. First, always remove the whole star before serving: the hard, pointed pod is a choking hazard. Second, never give a baby star anise tea or any steeped star anise drink. Brewed star anise teas, sometimes used for colic, have caused seizures and other serious reactions in infants, partly because toxic Japanese star anise looks identical to the culinary Chinese kind once dried and has contaminated batches (the FDA has warned against them). Flavor a dish and fish the star out; never steep it into a drink for a baby.

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Goes well with

Pear · Chicken broth · Rice

Storage

Keep whole star anise airtight and away from light, where the pods stay fragrant for a year or more.

Frequently asked questions

Can babies have star anise?

Used to flavor a cooked dish and then removed, yes, from around 6 months. The whole pod is a choking hazard, so it is always taken out before serving.

Is star anise tea safe for babies?

No. Never give a baby star anise tea or any steeped star anise drink. These have caused seizures and other serious reactions in infants, and the FDA has warned against them.

Why is star anise sometimes dangerous?

Culinary Chinese star anise is fine in cooking. The danger is toxic Japanese star anise, which looks identical when dried and has contaminated batches, especially in teas. Cooking amounts you remove are the safe way to use it.

← All baby-safe spices · The full spices & herbs guide

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Last updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.

This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.

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