Frequently Asked Questions

Added Sugar/Sugary Drinks | Juice/fruit drinks | Milk | Sports/energy drinks | Caffeine/vitamin drinks/artificial sweeteners

Added Sugar and Sugary Drinks

How do I know if a drink is loaded with sugar?

Turn that drink around and check the Nutrition Facts. The “Includes Added Sugars” line tells the truth. Pick drinks that say 0 grams of Added Sugars.

Also, check the serving size because a can or bottle of a sugary drink may have more than one serving. Find more tips on how to find the added sugars here.

Choosing drinks without added sugars and serving water or plain milk to children when they are little can help them grow up healthy and strong.

What are added sugars?

Added sugars are sugars that are added during food processing, not sugars that occur naturally in foods like whole fruits or milk.

Sugar goes by many names. Common names found on the Nutrition Facts Ingredients list are high- fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, malt syrup or any mention of sugar such as palm sugar or evaporated sweetener.

Why should I care about sugary drinks and added sugars?

Sugary drinks and added sugar can add up to serious health problems such as cavities, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and unhealthy weight. Sugary drinks are the largest source of added sugar — even more than desserts and sweet snacks — for most Americans. That is because it is easy to gulp down drinks sweetened with a large amount of sugar.

One small, kid-sized fruit drink can have up to 8 teaspoons of added sugar. That might not seem like much, but one drink every day for a week is about 1 cup of sugar. One drink every day for a year can give your child a lot of sugar — more than six, 4-pound bags of sugar.

The sugar in one 12-ounce can of soda every day would be the same as eating more than 30 pounds of sugar during the year.

What is a Sugary Drink?

Sugary drinks are beverages that contain added sugars or sweeteners. Common sugary drinks include soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit or powdered drinks, vitamin-enhanced water drinks, toddler milks with added sweeteners, and sweetened tea and coffee drinks. Chocolate milk and some milk alternatives also contain added sugar. The additional sugar in these drinks adds calories, but little or no nutrients.

Can a small fruit drink really have as much sugar as 8 doughnuts?

Yes, a small fruit drink can have the same amount of sugar as 8 mini doughnuts. That’s more sugar than we’d want our children to eat, so why let them drink it? Just one of these fruit drinks has more sugar than a child should have in one day.

How much added sugar is too much for children?

New national dietary guidelines recommend infants and children under 2 avoid sugary drinks and foods. Young children eat small quantities of food, so every bite matters. Establishing healthy eating habits between birth and age 2 supports brain development and growth in young children. Healthy eating means offering many different types of foods rich in vitamins and minerals and delaying sweet foods and drinks.

For everyone over age 2, the dietary guidelines continue to recommend limiting foods and drinks with added sugars to
less than 10% of calories each day. However, to meet the recommendation for healthy nutrition, the amount of added sugars consumed by young children should be far less. The general calorie levels for a very active 3-year-old girl and a moderately active 6-year-old girl are similar, and both should limit added sugar to under 22 grams a day, or 5 ½ teaspoons each day. Healthy nutrition includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean meats and dairy, and a small amount of healthy fats in amounts that provide nutrients for good health and calories to maintain a healthy weight. Meeting those food group recommendations requires most of a person’s daily calorie needs, leaving few calories for extras like added sugars and fats. Learn more about healthy eating here.

Does it matter what we serve kids when they are young?

It matters what we serve kids during the early years. The flavors and variety of foods given to young children can influence the type of foods they’ll choose and enjoy later in life. Research shows that increasing the number of times you serve unsweetened, unsalted foods and drinks can decrease children’s preference for sweet and salty options as they grow up. Reducing added sugar also lowers their chances for developing serious health problems later, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Will my soda or sugary drink habit affect my children?

Your kids are watching: Choose healthy drinks for you, and for them. Children want what their parents are eating and drinking. If a parent reaches for a soda or a sports drink, their child will likely want the same.

So, if a parent chooses a bottle of water instead of a bottle of a sweetened vitamin drink, their child will be more likely to want that healthy option, too.

This video features an Alaska family who chooses healthy drinks for their two young children.

What’s wrong with letting kids consume sugary drinks?

Sugary drinks can increase chances of tooth decay, weight gain and obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, even in young kids. Kids who regularly drink soda are seven times as likely to have tooth decay than kids who did not drink soda. Sugary drinks can contribute to weight gain and obesity because kids fill up on them rather than other, healthier foods. Flavored drink mixes, both powdered and liquid concentrate, can have just as much sugar as other sugary beverages, like soda. Turn the drink around and read the Nutrition Facts label. The “Includes Added Sugars” line will tell you how many grams of sugar are in one serving of the drink mix when water is added.

BACK TO TOP

Juice and fruit drinks

Is it OK for children to drink 100% fruit juice?

There’s no added sugar in 100% fruit juice, but national recommendations say to limit it for children. Fruit juice offers no nutritional advantage over whole fruit. In fact, fruit juice lacks the fiber of whole fruit that can help you feel more full. Calorie for calorie, fruit juice can be consumed more quickly than whole fruit. Eating whole fruit – fresh, canned, frozen or dried -, instead of drinking fruit juice, is the best way to get your recommended daily intake of fruits.

How much 100% fruit juice can children have in a day?

Juice is not recommended at all for children under 1 years old. Whole fruit – fresh, canned, frozen or dried - is really the preferred source for daily fruit intake. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the following limits for 100% fruit juice:

• Babies younger than 1 years old: No 100% fruit juice is recommended.
• 1-2 years old: 100% fruit juice is not necessary. If 100% fruit juice is provided, serve less than ½ cup (4 ounces) per day to fit into recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
• Age 3 and older: Focus on serving whole fruit instead of 100% fruit juice. Whole fruit includes fresh, frozen, dried or canned options.

Is a fruit drink the same as fruit juice?

Only 100% fruit juice can be labeled as juice. Fruit drinks may contain little or no juice. Fruits drinks also can contain a lot of added sugar, and they do not have the same nutritional benefits as 100% fruit juice.

Real fruit juice will be labeled 100%, will include natural sugar, but no added sugar so the Nutrition Facts label will say 0 grams on the “Includes Added Sugars” line.

Why do pediatricians say to serve 100% fruit juice from a cup?

If you choose to serve a child 100% fruit juice, pediatricians say to serve it from a cup rather than from a bottle, sippy cup or box. Often, juice in a bottle, sippy cup or box is carried around and sipped on throughout the day. While the sugar in the juice comes naturally from the whole fruit, any type of frequent sugar exposure on the teeth can increases the risk of cavities.

BACK TO TOP

Milk

What type of milk should I serve to children?

Infants should not consume cow’s milk or fortified soy beverages before they turn 12 months old. Cow’s milk does not have the correct amount of nutrients for infants. Its higher protein and mineral content are hard for infants’ kidneys and put them at risk for intestinal bleeding. Plain cow’s milk (whole milk) or fortified unsweetened soy beverages can be offered beginning around 12 months of age to help meet calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein needs. Serve whole milk from 12–24 months of age.

For children ages 2 or older, current Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 1% or less milk (low-fat or skim/fat-free). Reduced-fat milk, also known as 2% milk, is not considered low-fat.

Do toddlers need a drink called toddler milk?

Toddler milks are promoted as formula for children ages 1-3, but toddler milk and infant formula are not the same thing. The ingredients in infant formulas are regulated by the federal government to meet specific standards. Toddler milks do not need to meet the same standards as infant formula. In addition to added sugars, toddler milks typically contain added fats and salt (called sodium on the Nutrition Facts label).

Kids don’t need toddler drinks or toddler formula. Toddler milks offer no nutritional benefit over other healthy drinks and foods. Toddler milks usually contain powdered milk, calorie-containing sweeteners, vegetable oil, and added vitamins and minerals, stated a related fact sheet. They can be higher in sodium but lower in protein than whole cow’s milk.

While toddler milks and toddler drinks are marketed as nutritious, they typically contain added sugars and are expensive. The nutrients young kids need can be obtained from cow’s milk or fortified soy beverages and appropriate solid foods.

Isn’t chocolate milk good for children? It helps them drink more milk.

Flavored cow’s milk, like chocolate or strawberry, contains the same nutrients as plain white milk, but has added sugar. One 8-ounce carton of chocolate milk can have 2 ½ teaspoons of added sugar. Flavored plant milks also can contain added sugars. One 8-ounce carton of chocolate almond milk can have 4 teaspoons of added sugar and one 8-ounce carton of chocolate soy milk can have 5 teaspoons of added sugar. Avoid those added sugars and serve unflavored milk or fortified soy milk instead.

What about plant “milks”?

Plant milks can be a good source of protein, but not all plant milks are nutritionally equal. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend unsweetened fortified soy milk as the only substitute for cow’s milk. Other plant milks — such as those made from oats, rice or almonds — don’t have the same amount of protein and nutrients as cow’s milk. Unsweetened fortified soy milk can be started at age 1.

Other products sold as “milks” but made from plants (for example, almond, rice, coconut, oat, and hemp “milks”) may contain calcium and be consumed as a source of calcium. They are not, however, a substitute for cow’s milk because their overall nutritional content is not similar to dairy milk and fortified soy beverages.

BACK TO TOP

Sports and energy drinks

What is the difference between sports drinks and energy drinks?

Sports drinks and energy drinks are significantly different beverages, and the terms should not be used interchangeably.

Sports drinks may contain sugar, minerals, electrolytes and flavoring.

Sports drinks contain large amounts of sugar and extra calories that children just don’t need. For most children, drinking water before, during and after being active is best. The American Academy of Pediatrics says “for the average child engaged in routine physical activity, the use of sports drinks in place of water on the sports field or in the school lunchroom is generally unnecessary.”

Is it OK for children to consume energy drinks?

There is no reason for children and teens to consume energy drinks. Energy drink refers to a beverage that contains stimulants, such as caffeine, guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine with claims of energy-boosting or performance-enhancing effects. The best source of energy for children and teens is healthy mix of nutritious foods.

Some of the dangers of energy drinks include the following: dehydration (not enough water in your body); heart complications (such as irregular heartbeat and heart failure); anxiety (feeling nervous and jittery); and inability to sleep. The position of the National Federation of State High School Associations Sports Medicine Advisory Committee says energy drinks should not be used for hydration prior to, during or after physical activity.

The American Academy of Pediatrics wants parents and children to “understand that energy drinks pose potential health risks primarily because of stimulant content; therefore, they are not appropriate for children and adolescents and should never be consumed.”

BACK TO TOP

Caffeine, vitamin drinks, artificial sweeteners

Is it OK for children to drink beverages with caffeine?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, children under age 2 should avoid beverages containing caffeine. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that caffeine intake should be discouraged for all children because of the potentially harmful effects.

Many soda products, energy drinks, sweetened teas, and other sugary drinks contain caffeine. While there is limited research on caffeine and children, research has shown that in some adults, caffeine can increase heart rate, blood pressure and disturbances in sleep.

There is no requirement for companies to list the amount of caffeine on the product label or on the Internet. Therefore, it is difficult for you to know if a drink contains caffeine, and if it does, how much caffeine it has. The best way to avoid serving your child caffeinated drinks is to serve water or plain milk.

Will children get extra nutrients if they consume vitamin drinks?

Most vitamin drinks contain sugar or artificial sweeteners that children do not need. Also, if children consume too much of a vitamin-enhanced drink, they could get more of some nutrients than they need. If you are concerned about your children getting enough nutrients, make sure they are eating a healthy mix of nutritious foods with fruits and vegetables. Talk to your pediatrician to see if a children’s multivitamin is appropriate.

Is it OK for children to consume diet drinks with artificial sweeteners like aspartame, Saccharin, sucralose, or stevia?

Artificial sweeteners have no nutritional value and have no or very few calories. The American Association of Pediatrics policy statement on the use of these sweeteners in children determined that no advice can be provided on the use of these artificial sweeteners among children younger than 2 years old given the absence of research on this age group. The national Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Saccharin (Sweet and Low), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), acesulfame potassium (Sweet One and Sunett), sucralose (Splenda), neotame (Newtame), stevia (Truvia), and advantame. While the FDA has designated these sweeteners as either food additives or as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS), the long-term safety of these sweeteners in childhood has not been assessed.

Additional studies and research need to be done to determine if there are negative effects of artificial sweeteners.

BACK TO TOP

Return to Cutting Back on Sugary Drinks Improves Health.

Updated November 2024