Education around hidden sugars is increasing, however there is still a lot of uncertainty around what constitutes a healthy drink choice. We all know soft drinks contain excessive and unhealthy amounts of sugar, however did you know that a lot of other drinks which are marketed as ‘health drinks’ including vitamin waters, fruit juices, cordials and sports drinks contain just as much?
Fruit juices more often than not contain just as much sugar as soft drink; which can be up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per 200ml, while other sports drinks and vitamin waters of these sugary drinks can contain anything above 6 teaspoons of sugar per 500ml!
The Australian Dietary Guidelines does not recommend the consumption of these drinks, as they reduce the overall quality of a child’s diet; and have proven to be linked to weight gain and bad oral health.
Some benefits of decreasing your child’s intake of these drinks may include:
- Better sleep
- Improvements to memory
- Increased energy
- Longer periods of concentration
- Improvement in mood
It is important that children are encouraged to drink plenty of water as it contains zero sugar, keeps us hydrated and removes harmful toxins from our bodies. Tap water also includes added fluoride, which assists in improving oral health. (Less trips to the Dentist!)
(Source: Better Health | Soft drinks, juice and sweet drinks: Children https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/soft-drinks-juice-and-sweet-drinks-children)
(Source: Better Health | Soft drinks, juice and sweet drinks: Limit intake https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/soft-drinks-juice-and-sweet-drinks-limit-intake)