Introduced sippy, is all juice bad?

[pedi08]

DS is using a sippy now, I usually put water or bone broth in it. THe other day I found an organic apple juice that looked good and was wondering if this is a bad thing to give him (a splash in his water). I did the other day and he really liked it but I don't want to continue if its a bad habit. I have no idea what is healthy for liquid intake, can anyone tell me? He still BFs but I'm trying to wean him. He eats 3 meals a day of solids (all whole foods) and I give him the sippy thruout the day. he prob drinks 2 oz total of whatever is in the sippy and BFs the rest.

[dogmom327]

Personally we skipped juice altogether until recently when I started making fresh veggie juice (with a bit of apple) each morning. I think fruit juice just really doesn't have enough nutritional value to be worth it. Bone broth is a much better choice and plan water sets your LO up to like water (without flavoring) in the future.

[mamakelly]

I don't think juice is "bad" perse, but empty calories definitely. I gave DS watered down apple juice in his sippy when first introducing it. He was much more likely to drink that than plain water and I worried about him drinking enough. Now, we have an apple juice addict on our hands and he explains "I will drink water at (the babysitter's) house, but I drink apple juice at home". It's become kind of a pain. I plan to give DD (only 11 weeks) water only.

[fruitfulmomma]

I think whole fruit juices are much better than the pasteurized, filtered stuff in the store, but I don't think any 100% juice is wholly bad.

The problem with it is, that is maximizes sugar content and allows you to ingest a huge amount of it in a very short amount of time. Imagine your child eating 2-3 apples in the time he drank a cup of juice.

I think you are fine to give some watered down juice once in a while and when he is older he could have more for a treat.

[2xy]

I think juice is unnecessary, and it's actually harder on your pancreas than soda is.

If I could turn back time, I would not have given my kids juice. I think it sets them up for having a sweet tooth. Better to let them eat their fruit and drink water.

[pedi08]

I would love to give him juiced up stuff like veggies and fruits, can you point me in the direction of some ideas to do that? Do I just blend up the fruits/veggies he's had thus far to make "drinks?"

[katiesk]

you could do that and strain them, or get a juicer and juice them.

we skip juice for the most part.

[YesandNo]

If he's peeing OK, he's probably getting enough liquid between water and milk.

I put watered down juice in DD's cup, she does not eat fruit much and that's my way of sneaking it in. If you can get away without juice, more power to you.

Since you're weaning him, I'd also work on getting milk (your own, cow's, goat's, whatever) in the sippy at times. It can be a struggle to get a baby who is used to the breast or warmed milk in a bottle to have cold milk in a sippy. The recommendation is to be on a sippy only, no bottle, by 15-18 months.

[WuWei]

I am evangelical about Green Juice! :

I used to "need" an animal protein first thing in the morning or else I'd graze on carbs all day long. I didn't realize that green juice has all the amino acids to make a complete protein, AND all the essential amino acids!!

"Greens are one of the most nutritious whole food we can eat but we rarely eat enough of them. They are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids (protein). The truth is, you can get more nutrients in a pint of green smoothie than most people get in a full day of "normal" eating!' http://forum.gotgreensrevolution.com....php?topic=8.0

Just water (preferably mineral water), plus fruit, plus baby greens in a standard blender! Or use a juicer to extract the juice from dark, leafy greens (optimal). OMGosh, I feel better with green juice for breakfast. It has vitamin K, A, C, E, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, B2, calcium, potassium, B6, tryptophan, etc. http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

This is a useful post about the purpose of individual vitamins and minerals: http://www.bodybuilding-tips.net/s21/t7060.html


I like the site "Got Greens?" for smoothie ideas. Smoothies are easiest, if you have a blender. If you have a juicer, just juice any vegetables. We use greens, beets, celery, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, spinach, Romaine lettuce, etc. I've subsequently read that it is best to have fruit juice separately from the vegetable juice, due to the acidity. So, we just do vegetable juice in the morning. And fruit whole or juiced later in the day, separately.

Juice/smoothie recipes: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ighlight=juice


ETA: if you haven't purchased a juicer yet, check Craig's list! My friend found a nearly new one for $25, retail $100. I bought a used one for $16 at a consignment store, retail $90! Works perfectly. Often, people will buy them, not use them, store them and then sell them, practically new!!


HTH, Pat

[Aeress]

Juice once and awhile isn't a big deal to me. My girls eat tons of fresh fruit and most fresh veggies, so I really don't worry about juice now and then.

[Carley]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

I don't think any 100% juice is wholly bad.

I don't think doughnuts are wholly bad either :

OP why not just give him water in the sippy? He's already used to it, there is no reason to introduce him to the "wonder" of juice. He should definitely be having milk with meals and snacks.

The problem with juice is not only how the sugars and carbs effect the body, but also how those same sugars rest in your baby's mouth and forming gums and teeth. Juice is sugar and sugar is no good for teeth. Consider pairing juice (& fruit) with aged cheese or raw milk. The enzymes help break down the sugar/bacteria action in the mouth.

When you do give juice have him rinse his mouth afterwards to wash out the liquid sugars. Around here juice is a "treat" - I give her a "Shot" of OJ in the morning (read: a shot glass) to mask her tsp if orange flavored CLO Then we have breakfast, brush teeth & do flouride.

Carbs from any food are the food of the nasty cavity causing bacteria. Sticky foods are especially bad news... raisins/dry fruit, nut butters - bad! My kid loves her peanutbutter, so we always brush after that. We try to at least rinse after every meal & when we're out of the house I give her daughter Xylitol gum after she eats.

Also, try to encourage a regular cup. Sippy's are convenient for the car or running errands, but at meal times or when you're at home let him use a cup. It can be maddening at times, but it's good for development.

[mamadelbosque]

We try to keep juice to a minimum and something of a treat, but I don't think its awful. Mostly DS gets it this time of year frozen as a popsicle or else a sip here and there, only rarely a full cup of juice (and thats usually half water!!)

[CrunchyChristianMama]

The problem with juice as opposed to just eating the fruit is that you are getting all the fructose without the fiber. There is no nutritional need for juice, so if you want to use it as a special treat every now and again it's not that big of a deal, but I would certainly not get a child into the habit of wanting juice daily.

[dawncayden]

I'd keep it to a minimum. Like once a week. Some kids start to reject water if they are given juice too much.
Try giving her smoothie if you are wanting something different for her.

[Savoir Faire]

I'd personally steer clear of juice at an early age. You're doing good adding it to water....but really, it is just another sweet not needed this young.

[tankgirl73]

Also, try to encourage a regular cup. Sippy's are convenient for the car or running errands, but at meal times or when you're at home let him use a cup. It can be maddening at times, but it's good for development.

:

DD is 2.5 now and has never used a sippy. We introduced a regular cup at about 7mo and never looked back. She can now even pour herself a glass of (whatever).

She gets juice once in awhile, and (ack!) even pop. Bad me, bad me heh... But it's the exception. Even drinking milk is an exception -- we have almond milk and whole cow's milk. Oh, and iced tea (usually homemade) is a favourite in our house.

It sounds like a lot, but really, we treat all non-water drinks as "treats". None of them are wholly bad. The problem becomes when MOST of your drinking is juices and milks rather than plain water. The problem with introducing juice too young is that they risk developing a preference for it and won't like plain water.

If they're already used to drinking lots of water, then IMO some juice (or whatever) once in awhile, as a treat, is not horrible, just as potato chips or chocolate bars or cookies or cake isn't going to ruin you once in awhile. A steady diet of potato chips and chocolate bars, that's a different story lol...

We do have to be careful with DD. She's got quite the sweet tooth. Even though we waited to introduce juice etc, she loves it and DEMANDS it if there's any in the house. Even root beer and cola... criminy... I waited to introduce pop to DS the same way. When he did try it, he didn't like it -- too fizzy. Only recently at age TEN, did he start to like pop at ALL. I was so pleased with my "technique" of developing healthy approach to soda drinks... then when DD came along, her first taste of pop was like "holy cow, mom, why were you keeping this stuff away from me! This is the nectar of the gods! Give me more, more more!!!"

So we try not to keep it in the house too much heh... we have to keep it as just a 'treat', lest her sweet tooth (my genes, I'm afraid) betray her...

[pedi08]

Thanks good info! He gets plenty of fruits so no need for juice I guess. I do like the smoothie ideas and because he isn't able to have cows milk, I need to supplement...

[pedi08]

What are some good brands of juicers?

[WuWei]

We just bought the Jack La Lane at consignment.


Pat

[Carley]

I just don't get the whole juice thing. Why? Smoothies make perfect sense, but for some reason I'm just not on the "juice seperated from the goodness from whence it came" bandwagon... explain?

I have greens for breakfast almost every morning. They're a delicious vehicle for runny eggs... mmmm :