I spend a lot of time in airports and on planes- two of the best places to watch people interact. Coming back from a conference in Dallas, I sat across from a young couple who proceeded (continually over the four hour flight) to give their two young daughters juice box after juice box with a side of cookies. In order for the girls to get a new cookie they were told to finish a juice box first. I can only assume the reasoning behind this was “something healthy first, then treat”. Ugh. I respect the parents for trying, but let’s have a closer look at that “something healthy” part.

Seven facts about fruit juice (even organic):

1. Fruit juice is condensed sugar: some fruit juices contain as much sugar per ounce as soda pop does! Coke for breakfast anyone?
2. Most fruit juice is made from the fruit that can’t be sold due to mold, expired shelf life, etc: this is especially true of organic fruit juice because the fruit has less preservatives and chemicals injected or sprayed onto it to make it last longer. Therefore in order to not lose money the rotting fruit is converted to juice. Yummy!
3. Fruit juice lacks the fiber to properly digest: most my patients know that I don’t even recommend eating high amounts of fruit but at least when you eat it you are getting the fiber along with the sugar to support digestion.
4. The number of fruit per serving you would never sit down and eat: there are times when we all over indulge in ripe, seasonal fruit but would you hand your kid three to four apples in the morning every morning?
5. Many juices are loaded with chemicals and fake flavors: often the labels are misleading and “flavor packs” have been added to the fruit juice to bring back the flavor since the juice often sits in massive oxygen-depleted holding tanks for up to a year.
6. The selling point of how much Vitamin C you get is a trick– there are several other vegetables that are higher in Vitamin C then orange juice and have way less sugar.
7. See number one!

So what should your child be drinking once they finish breast-feeding? WATER. That is it. Try these tips below to help make water more enjoyable for kids or to slowly wean them off fruit juice:

• Put a couple cut up pieces of fruit into the child’s water-it’ll add a little flavor and give them a reward for finishing his or her glass
• Add ½ teaspoon of honey to sweeten the water- use local honey to help build the child’s immunity (child should be 12 months or older when introducing honey to his/her diet)!
• Buy crazy fun glasses to put the water in
• Parents: you only drink water too! Little ones are great mimickers and it’ll be better for you as well
• Use the “other end” challenge- basically, if they’re old enough, tell them it’s a competition to pee out only water (clear)- be careful to monitor so they don’t drink too much too quickly

Email me with questions or ask your personal DC or ND for health recommendations for your kiddos!

Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash