The beverages we drink are important for our hydration and health.
That’s why experts have made recommendations for health drink choices for children ages 5 to 18 based on evidence from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association.
Healthy Eating Research (HER) has published these main recommendations:
Beverages to drink: Plain drinking water and plain pasteurized milk.
Beverages to limit: 100% juice, plant-based milk alternatives, and sweetened flavored milk.
Beverages to avoid: Sugary drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and caffeinated beverages.
Let’s dive deeper into these recommendations and how they can impact your family.
Hydration and Healthy Drink Recommendations
Staying hydrated is important for kids for several health-related reasons like supporting digestion and nutrient absorption and maintaining body temperature.
“Hydration is one of the cornerstones of health, particularly for growing children. As parents and caregivers, it’s essential to understand the significance of proper hydration and how it affects various aspects of a child’s development,” according to Central Oregon Pediatric Associates.
When it comes to daily intake, kids need to drink the following amounts per day to avoid dehydration:
- Kids ages 5-8 need to drink about 40 fluid ounces per day
- Those ages 9-13 need to drink about 54-61 fluid ounces per day
- Those ages 14-18 need to drink about 61-88 fluid ounces per day
“Research suggests that regular hydration improves children’s energy level, focus and thinking,” according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Know What to Drink
While it’s clear that hydration is important, it’s also crucial to know the types of drinks that will help children stay healthy and hydrated, including water.
Unsweetened, unflavored, and fluoridated water is best, according to the HER recommendations.
The recommended water amounts for kids are:
- 40 fl oz per day for ages 5-8
- 61 fl oz per day for ages 9-13
- 88 fl oz per day for ages 14-18
“The amount of water each child needs varies day-to-day based on how active they are, the weather, and how much fluid they get from other beverages like milk,” HER states.
With this in mind, unsweetened, plain, pasteurized milk is also recommended for kids ages 5-18.
Milk recommendations for kids are:
- Up to 20 fl oz per day for ages 5-8
- Up to 24 fl oz per day for ages 9-13
- Up to 24 fl oz per day for ages 14-18
“Milk is primarily recommended because it is a good source of nutrients that kids are often lacking (protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin D). If your child does not drink milk they can also get these nutrients by eating dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese,” according to HER.
Know What Drinks to Limit
While water and milk are great ways to keep children hydrated, it’s important to know what drinks to limit.
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100% juice can be a tasty choice for many children, especially since 100% juice comes from a fruit or vegetable with no added sugars or artificial ingredients.
Recommended juice amounts are:
- No more than 4-6 fl oz per day for ages 5-8
- No more than 6-8 fl oz per day for ages 9-13
- No more than 8 fl oz per day for ages 14-18
Similarly, plant-based milk alternatives and flavored milk should also be limited.
“With the exception of soy milk, plant-based milk alternatives are not recommended as a nutritional substitute for cow’s milk, as even fortified varieties do not contain the key nutrients that kids and teens need to grow up healthy,” according to HER.
For children that are allergic to dairy proteins, cannot drink milk for other medical reasons, or is vegan, plant-based milk alternatives may be an appropriate substitute.
“Experts recommend talking to your family doctor or a registered dietitian in these cases to find the plant-based milk alternative that is best suited to meet your child’s nutritional needs,” HER states.
Flavored milk like chocolate and strawberry should also be limited due to the amounts of added sugars.
Know What Drinks to Avoid
There are drinks that should also be avoided when it comes to children’s hydration.
Sugary drinks (also called sugar-sweetened beverages) include:
- sports drinks
- soft drinks/sodas
- energy drinks
- fruit drinks
- fruit-flavored drinks
- lemonade
- aguas frescas
- sweetened waters
- horchata
- sweetened coffee and tea drinks
“Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages leads to negative health impacts, such as tooth decay and cavities, overweight and obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes,” according to HER.
For younger athletes and children who play sports, sports drinks aren’t always necessary.
HER highlights that water is the best option for the average child or adolescent engaging in routine physical activity for less than 3 hours, or high intensity activity lasting up to one hour in normal weather conditions.
“Sports drinks are only appropriate for athletes or people engaging in prolonged, vigorous physical activity, or for when activities are performed in high temperatures and humidity,” according to HER.
Additionally, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners like “diet” or “light” and beverages with caffeine and other stimulants should be avoided.
“Compared to adults, there is less certainty about the safe level of caffeine intake in children and adolescents. Negative health effects, such as poor sleep patterns and high blood pressure have been reported among adolescents,” HER states.
Go here for a complete list of drink recommendations.
Exploring the Health of Your Community
Ensuring the health of your children and families is crucial, but what about the health of your community?
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The post The Good, The Bad, and The Artificially Sweetened: Drink Recommendations for Children appeared first on Salud America.