Juice for toddlers

[kerrysinead]

Hi all

To drink throughout the day I give my 18month old DD water, sometimes milky very weak tea and pure apple juice diluted with loads of water and a bottle of warm milk at night. When people talk of juice being bad for them, are you talking about cordial or pure juices? I never give cordial but do you think a bit of watered down pure juice is a no-no. She has her teeth brushed twice daily and it doesnt make her hyper, I just give it for a bit of variety really. What do other people think or do? Cheers :)

[Refresh]

We don't do juice. Can't see the point in it really. We are a water and milk only household, lol.

My kids would eat fruit all day if they were allowed but we have to limit it, there is no way they need juice. Whole fruit it better as you remove most of the fibre when you juice it.

I would keep watering it down :yes:

[Chunkydunks]

The things with juice is its high in sugar. Yes its fructose and not sucrose but its still sugar. Too much of it is bad for kids....especially their teeth. Also juice doesn't have as many goodies as a piece of fruit would. In saying this I still give DS juice at different times. He doesn't get it all that often and when he does its watered down. I see nothing wrong with it as an occasional thing.

[bubbasmum]

I give ds watered down apple juice every few days but he only ever has half a cup. i don't like him having it too often but I think as you said it gives him a little bit of variety. As long as it isn't the only thing he is drinking it should be fine to give him every now and then.

[JabberJaw]

Juice is BAD, trust me, i feed my kids juice .... because i thought juice was good...it cost me $3500 to have 8 of my DD's teeth removed at 3 years old from juice (and ribena) :o so we are a water family now :D Sometime chamomile tea or other herbal teas, and cordial is a treat that they get at other peoples homes, not here.

[NonnyMouse]

It's not *just* that it's sugary, it's that it's acidic as well.

I read somewhere that a glass of commercially purchased squeezed orange juice, undiluted, contains the "goodness" of up to 6 oranges. It therefore also contains the citric acid (or is it ascorbic acid? One of those anyway) of 6 oranges, and the fruit sugars of 6 oranges. And, since you wouldn't sit down and eat 6 oranges in a sitting, you shouldn't drink 6 oranges in a sitting either.

If you must drink it, you can get low-acid varieties, and water them down like you would cordial.

[Opinionated]

Also, if you let your child drink them limit the time it is in your childs mouth. Give them a small drink and then give them their regular water. Don't give them a bottle of juice to suck on and off for hours, exposing the teeth to the damaging effects of sugar and acid for hours. That is how the bad damage occurs.

[kerrysinead]

Thanks everyone for the replies i think I'll cut it back to every few days instead :goodvibes:

[naiwen]

I give DS watered down fruit juice now and then, his dietician is happy as she wants him to get extra calories any way we can sneak them in and his dentist says he has perfect teeth.

Cordial and those sugary juice type drinks (sunny D etc) are a big no in this house though.

[~Temet Nosce~]

My dd has been having watered down V8 juice every day for awhile because shes gone off her vegies alot. She has about a small cups worth (diluted)

[Mrs Potts]

My DD1 has for ages now usually been "allowed" to have one small cup of 50/50 juice/water, and one cup of 50/50 (made up) cordial/water each day. The rest of the day it's water or milk.

Everything in moderation IMO. I feel it's as important to ensure they are drinking enough fluids generally, and if it's a choice of cordial or juice over nothing at all then I'll go with the former every time.

That being said, if you have a child who is happy to only have water and milk then I wouldn't bother with juice. But when they get a bit older and see adults and older kids drinking cordial, soft drinks, coffee etc I think it's only fair that they should be allowed to have their "special" drinks too.

Oh and personally I think it's far better to allow littlies some juice/cordial than tea - at least it doesn't contain caffeine!

[Myztiks#1Fan]

the only juice i like giving coop is the V8 juice as he just doesnt eat enough veges at times and i would rather him have that than anything else. on the odd occasion he might have apple juice or something but i prefer him not too. very rarely he will have a cordial that is so weak, its like water but he likes it none the less.

[Lillynix]

My kids get no juice, of any description, unless it's from a piece of fruit they are eating :D

There is just absolutey NO health benefits from drinking juice, it's all damaging, it's sugary and acidic, it can cause havoc on their teeth, their guts, it can send some kids into stimulation overdrive. There's just no benefit so I don't do it.

We are a water and milk only household and it will stay that way for a long time to come yet :)