The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended no fruit juice for children under 1 year, and less than previously recommended for older kids. These Juice Guidelines are important to follow!

Fruit juice is marketed as a healthy drink choice, having a natural source of vitamins and sugar. The truth is fruit juice is not a good substitute for fresh fruit and just packs in more sugar and calories, without the benefit of fiber found in natural fruit. It can be useful to think about fruit juice as a treat, as opposed to a health food. We counsel our patients to avoid juice generally, though may recommend watered down juice for constipation. We understand our patients may get dietary advice from family members, daycares, WIC, school nurses, and more, but want our message to be clear. We subscribe to the following, which is a summary of the new recommendations:

1. Human milk or infant formula is sufficient for infants, and low-fat/nonfat milk and water are sufficient for older children.

2. Intake of juice should be limited to, at most, 4 ounces daily for toddlers age 1-3. For children age 4-6, fruit juice should be restricted to 4 to 6 ounces daily; and for children ages 7-18, juice intake should be limited to 8 ounces or 1 cup of the recommended 2 to 2 ½ cups of fruit servings per day.

3. Toddlers should not be given juice from bottles or easily transportable “sippy cups” that allow them to consume juice easily throughout the day. The excessive exposure of the teeth to carbohydrates can lead to tooth decay, as well. Toddlers should not be given juice at bedtime.

4. Children should be encouraged to eat whole fruits and be educated about the benefits of the fruit as compared with juice, which lacks dietary fiber and may contribute to excessive weight gain.

5. Consumption of unpasteurized juice products should be strongly discouraged for children of all ages.

6. Children who take specific forms of medication should not be given grapefruit juice, which can interfere with the medication’s effectiveness. In addition, fruit juice is not appropriate in the treatment of dehydration or management of diarrhea.

As always, please feel free to discuss any questions about your child’s diet with us at your next visit. Remember these are guidelines, and it can be ok to exceed them at times. If your child regularly consumes more than the recommended amount of fruit juice, though, we can help you with strategies to reduce fruit juice intake and promote a healthier diet overall!

Follow our blog for more articles!

Visit our Parent Resources for more information about some other common issues!