Children need to eat fruits instead of drinking them. Most people think that fruit juice is a convenient way to get all the health benefits compared to eating whole fruit. However, fruit juice contains high amounts of sugar and enamel-damaging acid, causing cavities. In comparison, whole fruit offers fibre and other nutrients beneficial for health.
Sometimes, parents also urge their children to drink juice easily found in any store. However, it is advisable to avoid letting your children drink juice and better focus on the benefits of eating fruits. Water is the best choice for rehydrating babies. Moreover, children should avoid electrolyte drinks containing high acid levels and are usually unhelpful for children.
• Mothers should only breastfeed infants whenever possible until they are six months old and continue for a year or more.
• Do not offer the juice in a bottle or toddler cup to children. In addition, don't even allow children to sleep with a bottle or toddler cup containing other forms of liquid but not water. By allowing children unlimited access to juice in cups and bottles, high levels of acid build-up in the mouth will lead to a much higher risk of tooth decay, increasing more significant amounts of decay and the rate at which the decay spreads.
• If you want to include juice in the diet, buy "100% juice" labelled products because beverages that are not marked as 100% juice often contain "drink", "beverage", or "Cocktails" on the label which usually have added sugar and other ingredients.
• Give children pasteurized juices, as unpasteurized juices may contain germs that put babies and toddlers at risk of getting sick.
According to the Indian Academy of Pediatrics:
• Do not give regular fruit juice to babies under 12 months of age as it does not provide any nutritional benefit at this age.
• Restrict fruit juice consumption:
• A maximum of 4 ounces per day, i.e. 1/2 cup for children aged 1-3 years.
• Maximum 4-6 ounces per day, i.e. 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup for children between 4-6 years.
• Eight ounces per day, i.e. 1 cup for 7-18-year-olds.
The World Of Dentistry provides top-quality dental care to people of all age groups. With the help of our highly dedicated team of the best dentist in Gurgaon, we ensure that each dental visit remains a comfortable and painless experience for the kids.
