Helen’s Diet Blog

Fruit juice is good for health, but anything too much is really dangerous. A research shows that too much consumption of juice can lead to obesity, diarrhea, cavities or discolored teeth and in some cases gastrointestinal problems too.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that it is good to give 100% pasteurized fruit juice instead of giving fruit drinks. Many fruit drinks contain extra sweeteners, artificial flavor and color.

It is not advisable to give juice for infants under 6 months of age. Feeding juice to infants is risky and may cause stomach problems. You can give fruit juice in small quantities to kids more than 6 months. If your child is younger than 6 years, then give 4 to 6 ounces of fruit juice daily. If he is more than 6 years, then 8 to 12 ounces is recommended. You can encourage your child to eat fruits, instead of fruit juices. Fruit juice in which the pulp is filtered does not contain any fiber.

If you allow your kids to drink fruit juice directly from bottle or container, then it may decay his teeth. It is therefore advisable to give the juice in a cup and not in a bottle. Older kids tend to drink too much of fruit juice if they use sippie cups. Though convenient, sippie cups can increase the risk of developing cavities.

Fruit juice is high in calories and hence too much fruit juice can lead to weight problems in young children. Many parents think that juice is highly nutritious and they do not limit the intake. However, too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing. The rule applies to fruit juice as well. Consuming too much fruit juice can cause intestinal discomfort.

If your child drinks too much fruit juice than the prescribed amount, then he may suffer from chronic abdominal pain or overweight problems. Another problem is that too much fruit juice consumption can suppress the appetite of the child and there could be a decrease in the in-take of other nutritious food..

Fruit juices do not have all the essential vitamins and other nutrients. Though they do contain Vitamin C and calcium, it may not be sufficient for the growth of the child. Again, if your child drinks too much juice, then he may refuse to drink milk. Hence, he cannot get necessary calcium, vitamins etc.