Whether your child is dripping with sweat from playing tag in the hot sun or from playing basketball in the gym, hydration is critical.
“What you give your child will significantly impact their daily calories and overall weight,” says Cleveland Clinic registered dietitian Sara Seither, MS, RD, CSP, LD. She weighs in on popular beverage choices for kids below.
Thumbs up:
Water. Plain old water is the best way to go. “It provides hydration and quenches thirst without adding any calories, fat or sugar,” she says.
Milk. “Milk is an important part of any diet,” Seither says. It provides protein, vitamin D and calcium. Aim for 24 ounces of fat-free milk daily. It provides optimal nutrition without the saturated fat.
Thumbs down:
Flavored milk. “Bottom line: This sugary beverage provides added calories that are simply not needed,” Seither says. One carton of chocolate or other flavored milk adds 4 teaspoons of sugar to your child’s diet which translates to eight teaspoons of sugar per 16-ounce glass.
Fruit drinks. Drinks like fruit punch, Kool-Aid, lemonade and Capri-Sun are plain and simple sugar water. “Do not be fooled by nutrition claims that each serving contains 100 percent vitamin C,” she says. If your child is eating five cups of fruits and vegetables every day, he or she is getting plenty of Vitamin C.
Soft drinks. Soft drinks, soda, pop, however you label them, are sugar-laden beverages which offer zero nutritional benefit. “Soft drinks are linked to poor dental health, excessive calorie intake, weight gain and type 2 diabetes,” Seither says. They often contain caffeine, which children should avoid.
Sports drinks. These drinks promise the “ultimate hydration,” she says, but the average child rarely needs it or the nearly eight teaspoons of sugar that each 20-ounce bottle contains.
One up, one down:
100% Fruit juice. Experts agree that limiting your child to less than four ounces of 100 percent fruit juice each day is important for a healthy weight. “Yes, real fruit juice contains only natural sugars but those natural sugars can add a lot of extra calories quickly,” Seither says.
How to Make a Healthy Thirst-Quencher
Sweeten it up. Instead of doling out a soft drink, hand over a tall glass of cool water with a tablespoon of fresh raspberries or blueberries in it.
Make it zesty. Instead of grabbing a sports drink, reach for a lemon or orange wedge to add to that glass of water for a cool, tangy treat.
Lighten it up. Instead of Kool-Aid, consider beverages with artificial sweeteners such as sugar-free Kool-Aid or Crystal Light. Or try agave nectar as a natural sweetener. It has the same number of calories as sugar, but it is sweeter and people tend to use less of it.
Related Content
Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Support
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/childrens-hospital/services-locations/specialties/gastroenterology.aspx
