Most kids drink very little fluids. The body needs a large amount of fluid to be able to function properly. A child of five or six years of age should drink at least a liter of fluid per day. But not artificially sweetened beverages.
Water is vital.
The human body is composed from 50 to 80% of water depends on the age. The loss of only 2% of water can lead to fatigue and inattention, slowed reactions and lack of strength. Loss of water from 3% can lead to headaches or constipation.
And when this happens, the body signals the reduced amount of water in the form of thirst. But too often we are so busy that we simply overlook that warning. This especially happens to children. It is important to regularly remind them to drink water.
Research Institute for food for children recommends children aged five to six years should drink minimum 800 milliliters of fluid, and school children about 1 liter. The teenager needs at least 1,5 liter. On hot days, if they are are practicing some sports, they need to drink twice as much fluid than usual.
List of drinks.
- – Perfect drink for quenching thirst is water, whether mineral or plain. Herbal and fruit teas are also recommended.
- Tasty, but contain a lot of calories: clear fruit juices contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and fruit sugar too who contains calories. For this reason, you should dilute fruit juice with water in 1:1 ratio.
- – For children its not recommended drinks which are containing artificial sweeteners, ACE juices, coffee, black and green tea, Coca-Cola, ice tea and energy drinks.
- Fruit juices are manufactured from 100% fruit contain vitamins and minerals that depend on the variety and 10% of fruit sugar.
- – Fruit nectar has 25 to 50% fruit, less vitamins and minerals and 12% sugar.
- – Diluted fruit juice contains 30% fruit, sugar and the rest is water. Such juices often contain artificial colors and artificial sweeteners.
- Packed lemonade contains 15% fruit, 12% sugar, artificial color, artificial flavor and artificial sweetener.
Tip:
Artificial flavor or artificial color are not healthy for children. If you want to avoid them read at the ingredients on the bottle.
Should children drink only water?
Water is the healthiest liquid that can quench the thirst for both children and adults. What is true for eating, same goes for drinking: you should not eat or drink only healthy but tasty too. Adults sometimes allow themselves an occasional glass of wine, cocktail or Coca-Cola, so sometimes children need to drink something sweet.
For example, for the sunday lunch, a birthday or going out in restaurant you should mix half the amount of fruit juice and half water for perfect drink for kids. The drink that makes children especially happy is water with rubber candies. Put a red, green and yellow rubber candy in a glass of water. It is very interesting for them!
Source: secretly healthy