What is the healthiest drink for children?

This is the 3123rd article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Infants under six months old

Babies under six months old only need breast milk or infant formula, which contains all the nutrients they need for growth and development.

Infants aged six to twelve months

From six months on, you can give small amounts of room temperature water to both breastfed and formula-fed babies. If your baby drinks anything other than water, breast milk or formula in the first 12 months, it can affect how much essential nutrients he or she gets.

One year old baby

When your baby is 1 year old, you can try to drink pasteurized whole milk without additives. If your child is formula-fed and has a balanced diet, then you don't need formula after 1 year old. However, low-fat milk is not recommended for children under 2 years old, because infants and young children need the nutrients in whole milk to meet their energy, growth and development needs. Of course, breastfeeding can continue after 1 year old, as long as the mother and baby are adapted to continue breastfeeding and the amount of breast milk can still meet the baby's needs.

In addition to breast milk, cow's milk and formula, the healthiest drink for your baby is water. If you want to give your child milk alternatives to replace cow's milk or formula, such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk, it's best to consult your pediatrician first.

Toddlers and Children

For toddlers and children, water and milk are the best drinks.

Drinking enough water throughout the day can help keep the body hydrated. This is especially important in hot weather or when your child is running around and playing a lot. In addition, drinking plenty of water can also help prevent constipation. So encouraging your child to drink plenty of water is an important task at this stage, especially for children who don't like to drink plain water. Here are some tips to encourage your child to drink water:

Make water their primary drink of choice for every member of your family. When children see adults drinking water, they are more likely to do the same.

Always carry a full water bottle with you when you take your child out.

There is always water available on the table at home, especially during snack or meal times.

You can try adding ice cubes, fresh or frozen fruit slices to plain water, which has a natural sweet fruity aroma and is more attractive to children. Let the children participate in the selection and preparation of fruits, such as apples, lemons, sweet oranges, strawberries, pineapples, mint leaves, etc., to increase their interest in drinking water.

What are some unhealthy drinks?

1. Juice

Fruit juice is high in sugar and low in dietary fiber. Children do not need extra sugar in their daily diet, on the contrary, they need dietary fiber. And it is best for children to eat whole fruits and drink plain water or milk. Water is better than fruit juice because it quenches thirst and does not contain any extra sugar.

If your child loves to drink juice, try to limit it to half a cup a day. You can try to limit juice intake by having it drink at specific times or events, such as weekends, dining out, picnics, parties, etc. Alternatively, you can blend the juice with some water or ice, or even sneak in some vegetables. Remember to use a blender instead of a juicer so that the fruit fiber remains in the juice.

2. Soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored milk, flavored mineral water

Soft drinks, juice drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks all contain large amounts of added sugar and few nutrients. These drinks may displace other more nutritious foods and drinks and increase your child's risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.

Some drinks also contain caffeine, which can make your child extremely excited and then exhausted. Caffeine can also affect your child's sleep.

In addition, flavored milk and milk drinks are high in sugar, so it is best to give your child pure milk. Similarly, fruit-flavored mineral water may also contain high sugar content.

3. Coffee and Tea

Tea and coffee contain caffeine, which can affect a child's sleep, behavior, and development. Some herbal teas may contain compounds that are harmful to children's health. If you want to give your child herbal tea, it's best to consult your pediatrician first.

Key Points

Babies under six months old only need breast milk or infant formula.

Water and milk are the best drinks for children over 12 months old (including teenagers).

Unhealthy drinks include soft drinks, fruit drinks, juices, fruit-flavored mineral waters, sports drinks, energy drinks, tea and coffee.

Sweetened drinks increase the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay in children.

Healthy drinks under 6 months

Under six months, babies need only breastmilk or infant formula. Breastmilk and formula contain the nutrients babies need for growth and development.

Healthy drinks at 6-12 months

You can give breastfed and formula-fed babies small amounts of boiled tap water from a cup from six months on. If your baby has drinks other than water, breastmilk or formula in the first 12 months, it can stop your baby from getting enough essential nutrients.

Healthy drinks at 12 months

After 12 months, you can give your baby pasteurised, unflavoured, full-fat cow's milk to if they're eating a balanced diet. If your child has been formula fed and they're eating a balanced diet, your child probably won't need formula after 12 months. 12 months for as long as it suits you and your child.

Your baby can still drink water other than milk or formula. If you're thinking of giving your child dairy alternatives as drinks, such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk, it's best to talk to your paediatrician first.

Healthy drinks for toddlers, preschoolers and older children

For toddlers and older children, water and milk are the best drinks.

Your child can stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This is especially important in hot weather or when your child is running around a lot. Drinking plenty of water can also help your child avoid constipation.

Encouraging your child to drink more water is very important task for this stage, especially for those who does not like water. Here are some tips to encourage your child to drink and enjoy water:

•Get everyone in the family drinking water as their main drink. When your children see you doing it, they're likely to do it too.

•Take filled water bottles when you go out with your child.

•Have water on the table at meals and snack times.

• You could try adding ice cubes or pieces of frozen or fresh fruit to make it more appealing for your child, such as apple, lemon, orange, strawberry, pineapple, even mint leaves.

Unhealthy drinks:

Fruit juice

Fruit juices have high levels of sugar and don't have much fiber. Children don't need extra sugar – but they do need fiber. It's best for children to eat whole fruit and drink plain water or milk. Water is better than fruit juice, because it satisfies thirst and doesn't have any extra sugar.

If your child drinks juice, try to limit it to ½ a cup per day. You could try giving fruit juice at a particular time or activities to help you stick to this limit. For example, weekend, dining out, picnic, parties.

It's a good idea to mix the fruit juice with some water or ice, and even sneak in a few vegetables. Mixing the fruit in a blender instead of a juicer will keep the fruit fiber in the juice.

Soft drinks, cordial, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored milk

Soft drinks, cordial, sports drinks and energy drinks have a lot of added sugar and virtually no nutrients for your child's diet. These drinks can take the place of other more nourishing foods and drinks and can increase your child's risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.

Some of these drinks also contain caffeine, which could make your child extremely excited, then exhausted. Caffeine can also affect your child's sleep.

Flavored milk and milk drinks are high in added sugar, so it's better to offer your children plain milk instead. Flavored mineral waters can also be high in added sugar.

Tea and coffee

Tea and coffee contain caffeine, which can affect your child's sleep, behavior and development. Some herbal teas might contain compounds that can be harmful for children. Check with your paediatrician if you want to offer herbal tea to your child.

Key points

•Under six months, babies need only breastmilk or infant formula.

•Water and cow's milk are the best drinks for children over 12 months, including teenagers.

•Unhealthy drinks include soft drinks, cordials, fruit juices, mineral waters, energy drinks, sports drinks, tea and coffee.

•Sweet drinks can increase children's risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.

Author: Doctor of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia

Pediatrician at ParkwayHealth (China)

Jiang Benran