Education around hidden sugars is increasing, however there is still a lot of uncertainty about what constitutes a healthy drink choice. We all know soft drinks contain 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 can contain just as much sugar as soft drink! This can be up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per 200ml. While other sports drinks and vitamin waters can contain anything above 6 teaspoons of sugar per 500ml!
The Australian Dietary Guidelines does not recommend the consumption of these drinks. This is because, 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 children’s intake of these drinks include:
- Better sleep
- Memory improvement
- Increased energy
- Longer concentration
- Mood improvement
It’s important to encourage children to drink plenty of water. Because water 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. Which means 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)
