Five Reasons to Limit Juice

July 06, 2008

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Five Reasons to Limit Juice

by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

From boxes to bottles, from ice blue to neon yellow, there is a virtual smorgasbord of juices on store shelves, tempting your child with their bright packaging and clever names. In fact, juice has come to be seen by some moms and dads as an integral part of childhood. And while many juices are tasty, thirst-quenching, and contain helpful substances called phytochemicals, there are several compelling reasons to limit your child's juice intake:

Juice fills kids up, causing decreased appetites at mealtime, when they're presented with healthier foods.

It usually only provides one or two nutrients (usually Vitamin C), while milk and other foods provide many more.

Some studies show that kids who drink too much juice (more than 12 ounces a day) either don't gain enough weight or gain too much weight. That is, some children will have their hunger satiated by the natural sugar in juice and will eat less than they otherwise would (resulting in insufficient weight gain), while others will drink the calorie-laden juice and happily consume their regular meals (resulting in excessive weight gain).

Drinking too much can lead to loose stools.

Drinking juice in a bottle can lead to tooth decay because of its high natural sugar content.

No wonder that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that juice be limited to 4 to 6 ounces a day for 1- to 6-years old and to 8 to 12 ounces a day for 7- to 18-year-olds.


RELATED INFORMATION

			Fluid Needs of Babies
			Healthy Eating

Created March 17, 2001
Reviewed August 26, 2004

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