A toddler who loves baked beans can eat only five a day due to a rare disorder - as any more could leave him brain damaged or even dead.
Oliver Simpson, 2, has inherited disorder Phenylketonuria, which means he can have only 6g of protein per day.
It means as well as his favourite side dish, other protein-rich food including meat, fish and nuts are off the menu, as are milk, eggs and yoghurt.
And he can't even eat sweets.
On Christmas Day he couldn’t eat turkey, pigs in blankets or stuffing while the rest of his family tucked into their traditional festive roast.
The rare condition also known as PKU - which affects just 50,000 people worldwide - means he is unable to break down phenylalanine - an amino acid found in protein rich food.
As a result it builds up in the blood, a development that can lead to seizures, tumours, brain damage, delayed mental development and ultimately death.
Mum Jade, 27, said: “I have to be really strict with Oliver and his diet.
“He doesn’t understand, as he’s so young, but eating the wrong food could lead to brain damage, or worse.”
Jade is also mum to Angel Rose, six, who doesn’t have the condition.
Oliver was diagnosed with PKU following a heel prick test when he was five days old.
“You’re always curious about what everyone else is eating and want to try it,” she said.
“But the reality is that it could make you really ill.”
Jade, of Kentish Town, north London, won’t let Oliver go to other children’s houses for playdates.
She is worried that he could accidentally eat something that could cause his protein blood levels to dangerously spike.
“It’s a constant worry,” she added.
“He can't have sweets with gelatine in them but lollipops and hard sweets are fine.”
“But I have to be strict to make sure he’s healthy. His diet is the most important thing so I monitor every morsel he eats.”
