Children under one year should not consume fruit juices unless the pediatrician recommends this, CNN writes.
According to a recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, fruit juices consumed at very younger age can contribute to the development of childhood obesity but also harm children’s teeth.
“Fruit juices are not necessary in children under one year of age. Instead, breastfeeding is important in this age group, which plays an essential role in the child’s well-being,” says Dr. Steven Abrams, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Texas Univessity.
Children and adolescents continue to be the main consumers of sweetened fruit juices and carbonated beverages, and increased obesity rates can also be related to this.
Natural juices, apparently healthy, contain a lot of calories and fructose, and children develop an addiction to them, refusing to consume water. Thus, teeth also suffer as a result of acids that attack the tooth enamel and promote the appearance of caries.
On the other hand, children between 1 and 3 years of age are allowed to consume natural fruit juices and are recommended, but with moderation: no more than 120 milliliters!
Here are the recommendations for other age categories as regards the consumption of fruit juices:
- children between 4 and 6 years – between 120 and 180 milliliters of juice
- children between 7 and 18 years – not more than 230 milliliters of juice
Specialists also recommend that parents should not give unpasteurized fruit juice (especially grapes) to children when given with ibuprofen, warfarin, fluvastatin as there is a risk that their effects will be diminished.
“Excessive drinking of fruit juice can lead to dehydration and diarrhea. We encourage the consumption of the fruit as such, not the juice,” says Dr. Abrams.
Fruit fibers are not stored in juice, so these drinks are not hungry, but they greatly stimulate your appetite.
“When we consume juice, we actually bring the body a lot of sugar and calories in liquid form,” says Dr. Sharon Zarabi, nutritionist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
Pediatricians recommend fruit juices, especially plums or apples, only if the little one is constipated.