Buzz
Juice is essentially liquid candy. While it may contain a few more vitamins than a can of Coke, it’s also packed with sugar. The days of convincing ourselves it's a healthy choice are over, as the American Academy of Pediatrics has now officially recommended that we stop giving juice to babies.
Kind of. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now advises against giving juice to infants under 1 year old, emphasizing that it’s best to avoid it completely. Previously, babies under 6 months were not supposed to have juice, and now, the AAP says that even a 1-year-old should have no more than 4 ounces a day, and no more than 8 ounces for children 7 and up—that’s just one small cup.
While these new guidelines may seem harsh, they’re logical. There’s no nutritional benefit in giving kids juice—just sugar and water. If you want to give them fruit, offer the actual fruit, which is rich in fiber and essential nutrients that juice lacks. And for hydration, stick with water or Pedialyte when necessary; parents often turn to juice for kids with diarrhea, but the sugar in juice (and sports drinks) can actually worsen diarrhea.
What about the classic parent hack—watering down juice to reduce its sugar content? While this might make it less of a sugar bomb, the American Academy of Pediatrics points out that kids who sip juice throughout the day often develop cavities, and there’s no evidence that diluting juice prevents this.
Bottom line: if you want to offer your kids something healthy and fruity, give them real fruit. If you're looking for a treat, juice can be that. But we can't keep pretending they’re the same thing anymore.
