IS APPLE JUICE BAD FOR TODDLERS?

Michelle - posted on 01/24/2011

Juice is a delicious treat, however it should be considered a sweet and not a fruit. It's basically fruit without any of the good stuff left in it, no fibre etc, so it gives you a nice big dose of sugar without filling your belly (and sugar really is bad stuff for teeth and bodies). I occasionally give my son a heavily diluted drink of juice (1/10) if he can see me drinking some and feels like hes missing out ;o) If hes thirsty he'll drink water.

Jenny - posted on 01/23/2011

Both my dentist and doctor said no juice.My three year old hates milk and though I brush his teeth twice a day he already has decay from juice. (and yes I did water it down a lot) Juice is very acidic and my detist bill proves it. My oldest never had these problems but all I ever gave her was milk or water. It just stincks because I would like to give them variety but milk or water it is.

Monique - posted on 01/21/2011

I put 1/2 water 1/2 juice in a sippy cup and its always 100% real apple juice no APPLE DRINK!! its loaded with sugar!!

Agata - posted on 01/20/2011

ive never given my kids full juice - i make it like cordial when they have it so that its just enough to notice that it isnt plain water. my eldest is 3 and he asks me for 'juice and water'. juice does have alot of negative efects on childrens teeth if they drink too much so i think your instincts to limit his consumption are dead on. but why dont you try watering it down bit by bit if you are worried he will notice.

Taylor - posted on 01/20/2011

I learned recently that juice has nearly as much sugar as soda. My doctor said to never give juice to my kids. We do it on special occasions, but I've found that it only makes them ask for more juice! My kids love fruit, so I don't think they really need the juice anyways.

Jennifer - posted on 01/19/2011

It depends on how old he is. Children 2-4 should only have about 4-6 oz of any juice a day. And that is recommended to be cut with water.

Are you sure he just wants juice? My son is almost 23 months old and besides milk everything is called juice (water, juice, and tea). Does he ask for apple juice? Or is it just his way of asking for a drink?

Also if he doesn't want just plain water, try putting something else in it (just not sugar). Oliver's favorite 'water' is a cup of water with a tiny bit of vanilla or an orange slice in it. It gives it a little bit of flavor and makes him think he's getting something special.

Good luck!

Keisha - posted on 01/19/2011

My daughter loves juice. It's not a issue because we only give her the V8 fusion juice which is healthier than other juices. She will also drink cold water but doesn't like milk. So I try and give her other things like cheese and yogurt as well.

Jen - posted on 01/19/2011

I give my son oj in the morning for breakfast. The rest of the day is milk , water and maybe one juice if that per day.

De - posted on 01/17/2011

My son is 22months and he also loves apple juice but I do put water in any juice I give him. I also give him water and milk so I try to make sure he get a balance of everything he drinks.

Carol - posted on 01/16/2011

My son loves jouice, the only problem I have ever had from apple juice is a diaper rash. I do brush my sons teeth which helps alot, the last time he went to the doctor they said his teeth where perfect. :) I don't know how many parents brush there kids teeth, but that was the first thing we mentioned and the doctor seemed surprised.

Camille - posted on 01/13/2011

My son doesnt love juice he drinks alot of milk and water but when he does have juice it is mostly water. When he first started to drink juice i was giving apple juice and did notice horrible dirty diapers and rashes along with it so i will never give him apple juice again.

Brooke - posted on 01/13/2011

We buy the Motts Tots apple juice , its about 40 % less sugar than normal apple juice . We also dilute it by half.

Ruth Anne - posted on 01/12/2011

Our daughter loves her watered-down juice. When we stopped for lunch on the long drive home from my parents' house at Christmas, and forgot to bring a separate cup for her into the restaurant, she got 100% apple juice in a kiddie cup and almost didn't know what to do with it! We also give her watered white grape juice, just to keep her from getting too picky, and occasionally watered orange juice. It's so great that she isn't as sensitive to acid anymore - she used to get the worst diaper rashes from tomatoes and citrus fruits!

Livia - posted on 01/12/2011

MY SON DRIINKS BOTH THE ADAM & EVE AND JUICY JUICE BRAND APPLE JUICE. I GIVE THEM BOTH TO HIM THERE'S NO SUGAR ADDED

Jennifer - posted on 01/11/2011

My little guy likes juice too but we water it down so it's 1 part juice to 10 parts water. That way his water has a bit of flavour without all the added sugar.

Amy - posted on 01/11/2011

Apple juice in particular isnt that great for them...has lot of sugar and can actually rot their teeth (My mom gave me apple juice alot and all my pictures when I was young show my brown teeth:( ) Have you tried watering it down? I mostly give my 22 mth old daughter water, but she gets a glass of milk each day n a glass of 1/2 juice, 1/2 water n still likes it. The V8 juice blends are pretty good, has the lowest sugar I could find n still tastes decent. Even I drink it:)

Meghan - posted on 01/10/2011

We live in Tucson, Arizona- which is very hot and dry. So I always bring a water cup with me for my son every time we leave the house. What I found that he likes is freezing apple juice in an ice cube tray. Then when I fill his cup I put 2 cubes in the cup. It adds a little flavor to it, and it keeps it cold a little longer. He also likes it because the cubes float around and make noise.

Just an idea to try if your kids like the taste, but you don't want to give them too much.

Alicia - posted on 01/10/2011

u should try switching to gatorade when your child is sick it gives them the sweet they want and helps balance there lack of food intake when congested. But i always mix my daughters juice i will buy two of one kind at a time water one in her cup till it is gone and then split it half in each bottle and add water. also try sugar free water enhancers my daughter loves the green tea ones and anything berry

If you choose to give your children fruit juice, choose 100 percent fruit juice instead of sweetened juice or fruit-juice cocktails. While 100 percent fruit juice and sweetened fruit drinks may have similar amounts of calories, your children will get more vitamins and nutrients and fewer additives from 100 percent juice.

To ensure your children aren't drinking too much juice, follow these limits from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

* Birth to 6 months: No fruit juice, unless it's used to relieve constipation
* 6 months to 12 months: Up to 4 ounces (118 milliliters) a day, served in a cup (not a bottle) to avoid tooth decay
* 1 year to 6 years: Up to 6 ounces (177 milliliters) a day
* 7 years and older: Up to 12 ounces (355 milliliters) a day

Four ounces (118 milliliters) of 100 percent fruit juice equals one serving of fruit. Juice lacks the fiber of whole fruit, however. Although a reasonable amount of fruit juice each day is fine for most children, remember that whole fruit is an even better option.

Rachel - posted on 01/10/2011

My daughter is the same and i spoke to my doctor about it. Some kids just ask for juice because it is an easier word to say than drink or milk (accordning to th doctor) which i found is true, she calls milk juice sometimes, any fluid in her juice cup. To solve te problem since there is alot of sugar (docotar said its not actually the sugar u need to be worried about, but the acid in the apple juice specfically) you would be best to water it down severly and switch flavours of juice or buy natural types. My daughter now drinks strawberry kiwi mized half & half at least with water, sometimes 3 parts water and 1 part juice. Fluids r very important and my doctor said if diaper rash etc become a problem as well as when your child is sick, that apple juice can be one of the worst juices! too acidic! Try other flavours and lots of water, even a little juice in water makes it flavoured and can help reduce the juice intake (my daughter drinks over 12 cups of fluid a day! every single day!! and sometimes more) so ive had a lot of research done, opinions taken and general personal experience ith this lol *hope this helps you*

Tiffany - posted on 01/09/2011

i actually as a young child had my front teeth removed because all i would drink was apple juice. so now with my children if i do give them any apple juice which is hardly ever i usualy water it down, becuase not only did it rot my teeth but it also has givin both my girls really bad diaper rashes. hope that helps you!! coming from someone who had her teeth sergically removed from apple juice ;)

Nikki - posted on 01/08/2011

i know from personal experience with both of mine as well as what my mom said about me as a toddler that apple juice contains ALOT of citric acid. the biggest probem you are going to find id that apple juice can cause a very nasty diaper rash because when some kids break it down in the bodies it turns more acidic and they wll pee acid in their diaper and cause a rash. i would dilute it half and half and if he has a problem dilute it in the pitcher or bottle so you can show im that thats how it comes. i couldnt give my daughter straight apple juice til she was out of diapers and i tried to with my sone but when he started getting the same rash i knew what it was and started diluting it again. no other juice has done this to my kids except apple as for sugar i think it might be a bit much but if he has been drinking it for a while and drinks other stuff i would just ask his dr but i dont see a problem

Ashleigh - posted on 01/08/2011

I give my daughter Kayleigh jiuce, kool-aid, milk, water, and sometimes soda (Sierra Mist or Sprite). I dont think it's a real issue unless you give them a lot of it. Just make sure its the 100% juice stuff and you'll be fine.

Meghan - posted on 01/08/2011

It depends. Are giving him 100% juice, or a juice blend that is artificial? Also, does he get the recommended amount of milk as well? My son isn't a big drinker, usually just a meals. He starts his day with milk, but that one cup can last all morning. Some times he asks for juice, and I give him a cup that is half juice half water, and if he finishes that, then I give him just water. The other thing is, my son also likes the juice meddleys that have vegies in them, or orange juice. I try to give him a variety. I don't know if that's any better then just giving apple juice, but he seems to enjoy the change.

Catharine - posted on 01/07/2011

I think you're probably right to limit his juice. At one of Samuel's appointments his doctor asked how many ounces a day of juice he was getting and he was glad to hear that he didn't get juice on a daily bases--maybe a glass a week. He said some kids were getting up to 24 ounces of juice a day and that was way too much, which would be about 3 glasses depending on their size.

Do you think he wants juice a lot because he just really craves the sugar, or gets it frequently so he's developed a habit, or because he perceives it's off limits to him? What do you generally drink? Does he see you drinking things he knows are sweet and want some too?

One option is to split the juice with water--I have always cut it half and half. He may not want it as often if it's not as sweet, plus he's not getting as much sugar each time he drinks some. Samuel will almost always want more of something sweet that he tries, so I wonder if he doesn't ask for juice more because it's never super sweet to him since I split it with water. Or, it could be that he's just not used to it--we don't have it in the house on a regular basis--weeks will go by without anything but milk and water in the house to drink. I don't know that, though--he may just really like milk.

Is it possible that he's trying to fill hunger cravings with sweets because it's easier to drink juice than to eat? I've been suspicious of this with Samuel with milk, so try to wait to give him his milk until he's eaten at least half of his meal.

Samuel also wants to drink what we're drinking and he knows what we're drinking because I've always let him have sips from my glass. Does your son do this? Is it possible he wants juice because he knows you're drinking something sweet that he wants? Or because he perceives that juice is off limits and it's turned into a regular battle? In these cases, cutting it with water may be a solution as well. You could give him one quarter juice and three quarters water, or if he rejects this, start with half and half and work up to that. Maybe he just needs to think he's getting juice to be satisfied. He may begin to crave it less because it's not as sweet, or because it's no longer perceived as off limits.

Carisa - posted on 01/07/2011

I don't give juice except for very special occasions. It has a lot of sugar and nutritionist really don't like you to count it as a fruit serving. I stick to milk and water.