Fruit Juice: Friend or Foe?

Fruit Juice: Friend or Foe?

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently changed its opinion on when to offer and how much juice is appropriate in your child’s diet.  New recommendations by age group are as follows:

            Younger than 12 months: Do not offer juice since it is of no nutritional benefit at this age.

            1-3 years old: Limit to 4oz. or ½ cup daily, do not allow your toddler to carry a juice box or

                                   sippy cup filled with juice throughout the day.

            4-6 years: Limit to 4-6 oz. per day.

            7-18 years: Limit to 8 oz. or 1 cup per day.

Juice can lead to cavities, weight gain or loss, and diarrhea when children drink too much of it. Juice is not essential to the diet, fruit is. Eating fruit instead of drinking juice will provide vitamin C along with fiber and other nutrients.