Grow Up Well Nourished -- Provide Beneficial Beverages
What your children drink does way more than just quench their thirst. Beverages replace the fluids lost through activity and normal body function and, when chosen wisely, can also provide a nutritional boost.
Make Sure Beverages Count
Steer your child toward water, milk, or 100% fruit juice and away from sugar- or caffeine-filled beverages. Doing so will help her maintain a healthy weight and healthy smile for years to come.
Try mixing fruit juice with sparkling water as a bubbly substitute for soda and flavored fruit beverages, which have been linked to the dramatic increase in childhood obesity. In fact, a recent study revealed that for every glass of sugar-sweetened drink a child consumed each day, his or her risk of becoming obese increased by 60%.
In addition, sodas -- even those that are sugar-free -- are destructive to teeth because the acidity destroys the protective enamel and the sugar promotes decay. Also, if your kids regularly choose soda over milk, they put their bone development and healthy growth in jeopardy.
Drink your vegetables
Sipping 100% juice is one way kids can get some of the nutrients they need. It's a great source of vitamin C and is often fortified with calcium. And because it's on the sweet side, even the pickiest of children enjoy it. What's more, several products are now available that contain both fruit and vegetable juice, including Vruit, Odwalla, V8 V.Fusion, and Juice Plus. But the key with juice is to sip, not guzzle.
