Not a few parents who allow their babies to consume fruit juice like adults. He said so that his nutritional needs were met. It's true, a glass of fruit juice contains a myriad of nutrients and freshness. But apparently, this method is actually wrong if given to babies, especially those who have not even a year. According to Dr. Steve Abrams, a chair of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin, giving fruit juice to babies does not provide significant benefits for their growth and development in their first year. Why is that? Here's the full explanation.
This is the reason experts don't recommend fruit juices for babies
Recommendations not to provide fruit juice for infants who are not even a year are based on new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Babies under the age of six months may not consume any food or drink other than breast milk. Because the milk is the best food for newborns up to 6 months. Meanwhile, babies who have entered the age of 6 months also should not be given fruit juice, especially packaged fruit juice.
You might think of fruit juice as a healthy food, but that doesn't mean fruit juice can replace fresh fruit that should be eaten directly. After all, fruit juice actually does not provide significant benefits for child development in its first year. Most packaged fruit juices contain only sugar and high calories. This can cause baby's weight to increase, damage teeth, and tend to cause diarrhea.
Protein and fiber are nutrients needed for baby's growth. These nutrients can be obtained from breast milk or formula milk, not from fruit juice. If the baby is given fruit juice, it can make the protein and fiber needs not met so that the baby is at risk of experiencing changes in body weight that is not appropriate. Therefore, since babies are born until they reach the age of one year, they can only consume plain water, other than breast milk or formula milk.
How many babies and toddlers can consume fruit juice?
According to Dr. Melvin B. Heyman, a director of the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at the University of California, babies under a year do not need fruit juice at all. Whereas for children aged one year and above, fruit juices may be started, provided they are not excessive.
For toddlers aged 1 to 3 years, doctors recommend no more than eight tablespoons of juice containing 100 percent fruit per day. For children aged 4 to 6 years, fruit juices can be given a maximum of three quarters of a cup of juice per day, while for children aged 7 years and over, one cup of juice per day may be allowed.
Before giving your little one a pack of fruit juice, pay attention to the content of the juice that is on the product by reading the food label. The reason is, most packaged fruit juices only rely on artificial fruit flavors.
In addition, avoid giving fruit juice to babies using baby bottles or glasses (sippy cup). This method can damage baby's teeth because a lot of sugar is left in the area of the teeth and mouth. So, it's better to use an ordinary glass and watch your baby when drinking juice so it doesn't choke.
Instead of fruit juice, give a piece of whole fruit so that the baby's nutrition is fulfilled
Basically, the nutritional needs of infants under six months are very sufficient from breast milk or formula milk without any additives. While for babies over six months, you can give it water, low-fat or nonfat milk which is considered sufficient to meet children's nutritional needs.
Instead of giving fruit juice to babies, experts prefer parents to give the baby a piece of whole fruit. This is because whole fruit contains more fiber and naturally, does not contain artificial flavorings or high sugar.
Not only fulfilling nutritional needs, by eating fresh pieces of fruit makes your child know more about the various textures of food, rather than drinking juice in the form of liquid. This will be good in shaping your child's eating.