06/28/2013 // Concord, CA, USA // LifeCare123 // Eva Hvingelby // (press release)
A simple way to reduce the number of unhealthy calories your child consumes is to improve their drink choices throughout the day. Researchers found that kids tend to reach for sweet beverages with little or no nutritional value during after school activities, and especially once they get home. This can add over 200 calories to the diet on a daily basis. A review of the research from 2001 to 2011 suggests that children under the age of 6 who consume sugar sweetened beverages such as fruit drinks, soda, lemonade and sweetened iced tea, may have a greater risk of becoming overweight or obese later in childhood. While these sugar sweetened drinks can give your child a quick boost of energy, they are not filling and can also lead to cavities.
Healthy beverage alternatives include low-fat or non-fat milk, water, and unsweetened iced tea. Be creative when you transition your child to more nutritious drink choices. For example, make sun-tea! Take a large glass container and fill it with water, then add a few herbal tea bags in flavors your child likes and place it in the sun. You can watch it brew and enjoy the taste together when it’s ready. It’s also fun to use a small cookie cutter and create shapes out of melon slices, which can be added to a glass of water for flavor. Lemon, lime or cucumber wedges are also delicious, especially on a hot day. Keep unhealthy drinks out of the house and role model good beverage choices for your child. They will follow your example.
Briefel, R., Wilson, A., Cabili, C. & Hedley Dodd, A.(2013) Reducing calories and added sugars by improving children’s beverage choices. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 113:269-275.
Pérez-Morales, E., Bacardí-Gascón, M. and Jiménez-Cruz, A. (2013) Sugar-sweetened beverage intake before 6 years of age and weight or BMI status among older children; systematic review of prospective studies. Nutricion Hospitilaria. 28(l):47-51
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