A maximum of 150ml of juice daily.
Preferably, no juice at all!
Instead, offer fresh fruit to eat.
Juice offers no additional nutritional advantage.
A child does not need juice, he needs real fruit. 100% pure juice is concentrated with natural sugars and unlike fruit, it contains no fiber. Drinking large quantities of juice can, for many children, reduce both their appetite and the quantity of other nutritious foods they consume (e.g. milk). As a result, their diet can become deficient in some nutrients. Juice contains many calories and, consumed in large quantities, contributes to a rapid increase in weight gain in children, a population who tends to be more and more overweight. It is therefore recommended that the consumption of juice be limited to reduce the risk of abnormal weight gain. It should also be remembered that juice increases the risk of tooth decay and cavities in young children. Milk and water are the preferred liquids for children aged from 6 months to 18 years!Recommendations:
- Preferably, offer fresh fruit instead of juice
- Juice should never be offered before the age of 6 months
- Offer 100% pure juice and not fruit-flavored beverages with labels which include the words cocktail, beverage, nectar, etc
- Juice consumption should be limited to 150 ml each day until the age of 6 years and 300ml daily until the age of 18 years.
- Dilute juice with water to decrease its sugar content
- Offer juice in an open cup, not a bottle or “sippy cup”, because these promote tooth decay and cavities in young children.