Time to dump out those juice cups, toddlers

Recommendations for kids are ever-evolving territory

In many homes, starting the day off with a glass of juice is part of the morning routine.

But if your child is under the age of one, stick to milk. That’s the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which notes that drinking juice has been linked to tooth decay, malnutrition and inappropriate weight gain in children.

In fact, the organization notes that fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits to those under 1.

After age 1, the American Academy of Pediatrics says consumption should be limited to 4 ounces a day, at least through the age of 3. Between ages 4-6, kids can have 4-6 ounces of juice a day, and between the ages of 7-18? Just 8 ounces per day — or one cup.

The AAP notes that historically, pediatricians recommended fruit juice as a source of vitamin C and to hydrate children. It was also recommended to help with constipation, too.

However, research has shown that the negatives in fruit juice outweigh the positives.

Consuming actual fruit, packed with fiber and other nutrients, is actually much healthier for children.

Dietary recommendations are always changing, as scientists and researchers get a better understanding of the variety of issues that can impact consumers, regardless of age.

It can be hard to stay on top of the latest information and recommendations. Many older parents and grandparents likely remember the recommendations to give kids prune juice when constipated, or to mix rice cereal along with the formula in the bottle to help babies sleep better.

We’ve all witnessed the evolution of how babies should sleep to prevent SIDS, which experts now say should be on the child’s back, on a firm surface, with nothing else in the crib.

The point is, as science and research evolves, so too do the recommendations for how to best care for infants.

Since it can be hard to know what’s right and what’s not, talk to your pediatrician, and find out what works best for your family.