Juice for extra hydration? (Diluted)

[emma1325]

My children do drink water, but I noticed that at times when they are more distracted (for example, at school) they do not drink nearly as much water as when they are calmly seated at our table. Their water containers come back nearly full...they probably took 1 or 2 sips.

Whenever I stick a juice box in there or put diluted juice into their cups, they always drain the cups completely.

I use 100% juice and dilute it heavily when I make it myself. When I get juice boxes I use Motts for Tots pre-diluted juice.

Is the extra sugar worth the extra hydration IYO? Currently they get juice with their lunches as a treat about once a week, but I'd love for them to get more hydration since there's so many bugs going around...so I'm wondering if I should start sending diluted juice every day.

Thoughts?

[cristeen]

I don't think it's worth it, personally. I'd rather find something else they'd drink more readily than juice. Unsweetened herbal iced teas or coconut water are the two that come to mind.

And keep in mind that part of the reason they'll drink the juice so readily now is because they don't get it every day.

[treemom2]

I don't think they're dehydrated because they're drinking the whole juice, I think they like the taste of the sugary beverage inside. I send my children with water or unsweetened tea (well, DS because he likes oolong, green, and barley teas) in their thermoses. Some days they drink the entire thing and the teachers have to refill it with water, other days they drink nothing. . .I figure they know what they need.

I almost never give any juice to my kids. When they are sick, I will give them orange juice (made in the US with just orange juice and perhaps water as the ingredients--I'd love to get fresh squeezed but unless I do it myself it isn't available here) just because it's easier to persuade them to drink (especially if I add C to it). We also have a juicer so sometimes I will give them fresh juice. I really hate store bought juices. . .when you read the back they are mostly "from concentrate" and have no vitamins left in them.

[Brigio]

Pasteurized juice is basically sugar water- any vitamins are added back synthetically. DD loooves coconut water and herbal unsweetened tea. We mostly do water and I also try and juice every few days (with a juicer-romaine, cuc, apple, lemon). She sometimes gets un- homogenized chocolate milk (an obsession!) as a treat.

[deditus]

I don't really have a problem with a small amount of juice - say 2-4 oz - a day. We have no packaged or processed food in our diet and our sweets are pretty much fruit based with little honey or maple syrup.

[noobmom]

Personally, I don't think juice is so bad. I know healthcare pros say it's as bad as soda and it's just sugar water. But, I drank tons of juice--mostly OJ--as a kid and have a normal weight, no diabetes, never had cavities, etc. I didn't drink water on a regular basis until I was an adult. Maybe it did some long-term, unseen damage .

I'd send the juice (although I tend to think grape is better than apple juice)!

[JamieCatheryn]

Diluted to 1/3 or less, I'm all for giving juice. My son drinks so little every day of anything, if I can get him to drink more it's worth it.

[mamadelbosque]

I voted other. I think it depends on your kid - are they skinny? My kids skinny and I'm to the point of any extra calories I can get in him I'm ok w/ - so, I add juice plus complete to his milk to get him too drink it and give juice a couple times a day. If he wasn't so skinny though I'm sure I'd be way more limiting of juice...

[treemom2]

Interesting. I'm wondering why so many of you are concerned with how much your children drink. Are they showing signs of dehydration? Are they sick and needing extra liquids? From what I've read, we get a lot of liquid from foods we eat so the whole drinking 8 glasses of water a day is a myth. Also, both my children are thin and I would much rather they eat whole foods than give them juice which fills them up but doesn't give them much to grow on. Also, according to studies giving juice to normal weight or thin children does not help them pack on the pounds. However, when juice is given to overweight children it does end up making them gain weight. Interesting. . .

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15624825/

[Magelet]

I don't know much about juice, but I would say on the count of pasturized juices, not sure about other vitamins, but if there is ANY vitamin C in a pasturized juice, it is a synthetic vitamin added in, as vitamin c is incredibly heat sensitive. (I never knew this before).

In terms of dehydration, I would worry in giving them more diluted juice that they would start to refuse water even at home (sounds like they drink plenty at home) because it isn't sweet.

Honestly, if they are urinating enough and it's regularly pretty clear and mild scented, I think they're good. That's a pretty good benchmark for hydration, imo. If you are dehydrated, your urine gets yellow and smell (essentially more concentrated), if you are well hydrated, its fairly clear and there is lots of it. (of course, you can be recovering from dehydration, drink a lot and have clear urine, but if regularly their urine pale colored, then they are probably fine)

[elmh23]

Not worth is. Your children won't dehydrate in the 8 hours they're at school.

My daugther doesn't always drink anything from her water bottle at school, but it's no biggie. She drinks water when we get home.