Some may think that kids are safe drinking brands that say 100% juice on the label but even those do have a lot of sugar. Fructose is the sugar that is in fruit and even though it is natural and probably better for you than Sucrose it is still considered sugar and is high in calories.
A serving size of juice for a child should be between 4oz and 6oz. If you read the labels on most all of the juice boxes being sold today you will see that they are too big for kids.
Why is juice so bad for children?
Most all of the commercially marketed juices are clear because all of the skins of the fruits have been filtered away so you are left with the pure clear (sugary) juice. The flesh and skin of the fruits is where most of the nutrients are found. The only reason a juice company does this is because it looks prettier on the shelves.
These juice companies are all competing with each other for your business, they want you to choose there product. Since most people shop visually which ever juice looks the nicest and is cheapest, that product will get the sale.
They can try to entice you by labeling their juices as low calorie or no sugar added but don't be fooled. This usually means that they are substituting the natural sugar with an artificial sweetener.
Did you know that artificial sweeteners are not good for you or your child to consume? There have been many studies to how much they can negatively affect a person's health.
Why Should you eat your fruit instead of drink it?
Ever heard someone say "You should eat your fruit not drink it"? If you eat your fruit you will be getting all of the nutrias and fiber found in the flesh and skins. It takes 3-4 oranges to make one 8oz glass of juice? One orange is considered a serving not 4.
When A Child Is Sick, Should They Drink Juice?
My daughter Lily's first birthday was last weeks and I have been giving her water ever since she could use a straw. I usually don't give her juice but I make sure that she eats plenty of fresh fruits throughout her day.
However she ran a fever for the first time last month. I was concerned because she didn't have an appetite that day and I wanted to make sure she was getting the calories she needed to get better. So I went out and bought some 100% organic juice boxes for her. She loved them but I wanted to find a way to give her juice that had more nutritious in it.
Kids can also love seeing their juice being made for them instead of just being poured. Even better, get them to be the chefs. Let them choose what they would like to add and let them be the chef. This is a great way to get your children more involved in what they are eating and drinking. It can also help with preventing and fighting childhood obesity!
I have created a site to help parents find fun ways to prevent and beat childhood obesity. This is a deadly epidemic that we all need to fight! ChildhoodObesityInAmerica.com
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