In a nutshell: Age 8 is when most people said they'd let their child have fizzy drinks (we polled 1,427 parents). Fizzy drinks have had some pretty bad press in the last few years - they've been blamed for everything from obesity to tooth decay.
Consuming too much added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, can increase a child's risk for obesity, tooth decay and many other health-related problems. If kids drink these types of drinks a lot, especially soda and energy drinks, it can also impact bone health.
According to the AND, the AAPD, the AAP, and the American Heart Association, children under 5 should not have beverages containing added sugar, caffeine, or artificial sweeteners. Be sure that any carbonated drinks they have do not contain those ingredients.
It's best to wait until your baby is at least 2 years old to give them sparkling water or mineral water. Even then, plain water or milk are the best drinks for toddlers. Babies younger than 6 months old should only drink breast milk or formula, which have all the water babies need, even in hot weather.
* Soda robs calcium from growing bones.
Phosphate leaches calcium out of the child's growing bones, which need all the calcium they can get. It is estimated that a child can lose as much as 100 milligrams of calcium — more than ten percent of their daily needs — from one 12-ounce bottle of a fizzy drink.
Sugar-sweetened drinks (such as soda, pop, soft drinks, flavored milks, sports drinks, flavored water with sugar, and juice drinks) contain added sugars. These drinks are different than 100% juice. Children younger than 24 months old should avoid added sugars.
It's best to avoid these drinks if you can. Fizzy drinks, fruit squashes and flavoured milks are not healthy choices for your baby. Most fizzy drinks and fruit squashes are sugary and acidic, so they can damage your baby's emerging teeth.
Carbonated soft drinks or sodas are not perishable, and are safe past the date stamped on the container. Eventually flavor and carbonation will decrease.
While giving baby lemon juice in the form of lemonade might have them lapping up its tart flavor, lemonade contains more sugar than is good for your little one. In fact, the AAP says babies under 12 months shouldn't drink juice at all, and toddlers ages 1 to 3 should limit juice to 4 ounces per day.
The short and sweet answer is yes, you can give your kids sparkling water! The research on the topic indicates that there are no known health effects of drinking sparkling water. One concern I get from parents is about how sparkling water impacts their child's dental health. Specifically, the erosion of the enamel.
Say No to Soda
Soft drinks are commonly served to kids, but they have no nutritional value and are high in sugar. Drinking soda and other sugared drinks can cause tooth decay. Colas and other sodas often contain caffeine, which kids don't need.
Although The Food and Drug Administration believe the levels of benzene found in soda have been tested and should not be a cause for alarm, many companies may not devote the time and effort to monitor the levels. Therefore, most strict recommendations indicate that you should not drink more than one can of soda a week.
Who's consuming sugary drinks and how much are they drinking? Sugary drinks are the top source6 of added sugar in kids' diets. Nearly two thirds7 (61%) of U.S. children and youth consume sugary drinks each day; among children ages 2 to 4, nearly half8 (46%) do.
Try to make sure your child drinks almost no sugary beverages—no more than two servings per week.
The American Heart Association recommended in a study last year that children should consume no more than about 6 teaspoons, or 100 calories, of added sugar a day. The study, published in the journal Circulation, recommended that children should limit their intake of sugary drinks to 8 ounces weekly.
In a word — no.
When can babies eat lemon? Lemons can be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months old. Lemons are acidic, so start slow as acidic foods can be hard on little tummies and can also cause or worsen diaper rash.
Your growing child needs vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and calcium to build strong bones. Pasteurized, whole cow's milk and soy beverages that have been fortified with vitamin D are good sources of vitamin D and calcium.
The daily fluid intake for children 0 – 12 months old should be around 150ml/kg. After 6 months, a portion of this fluid is provided by solids and it is normal for fluid intake to decrease. Children 1 – 5 years old should drink at least one litre each day. This includes water, milk on cereal and juice.
Adolescents and young adults are the heaviest consumers of sugary drinks. Even young infants and toddlers drink a lot of sugary drinks, primarily fruit drinks. Consumption has gone down in all age groups, with largest declines in 2-5 year olds and 12-19 year olds.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, sports drinks or other products for children under the age of 12, while adolescents between the ages of age 12 and 18 should limit their intake to less than 100 milligrams per day – about the size of an old-fashioned cup of coffee.
While switching to diet drinks can help cut calories and promote weight loss, experts advise against regular consumption of beverages with artificial sweeteners during childhood.
Squash, fizzy drinks and flavoured milk contain lots of sugar even if they are diluted and can cause tooth decay. Diet or reduced-sugar drinks are not recommended for babies and toddlers either. For older babies and toddlers, these drinks can fill your child up so they're not hungry for healthier food.
Because sparkling water doesn't have any real nutrients, it's not recommended for growing bodies. Minerals. Those minerals that are added to some sparkling waters can cause harm to your toddler's kidneys. Sodium is the main concern with sparkling water.
Encourage kids to drink from regular cups
The AAP recommends teaching children to start drinking from regular cups between 12 and 15 months. Once children master this, you might want to use regular cups at meals and straw cups for water on the go. 6.