Kids are soda and juice fanatics by default. They cherish these drinks because they are sweet and often choose them over other healthy and less sugary alternatives. Based on a study published in Nov 2017, about 61% of kids reported drinking soda daily in a 2013-2014 survey. 

Drinking soda can be detrimental to your child’s health. A study showed that soda is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes. In the worst-case scenario, excessive soda intake can cause death.

Therefore, instead of allowing your kids to consume unhealthy soda and juice, shouldn’t you consider healthier soda alternatives? Can’t decide what these should be? Well, read on to know more:

1.     Healthy Juices

The typical juice is bad for your kid’s health. It contains loads of sugar and fewer nutrients. The juice box you often toss into your kid’s lunchbox is nothing but sugar water! And as you probably know, the sugar and calories in regular fruit juice can result in obesity and inappropriate weight gain in your kid. 

There are a few healthy alternatives to consider rather than allowing your kid to drink something that could harm their health over time. Some of these alternatives are cold pressed juicery or coconut water. Make sure to add these to your child’s diet for the sake of their health. Talk to them about the health risks of taking juices to ensure full compliance even when you aren’t around.

2.  Whole milk

Whole milk is another healthy alternative to soda and juices. Unlike soda, which contains an alarming amount of sugar, whole milk contains protein, potassium, and calcium. It is wise to know that these are essential for fueling your kid’s bodies, developing their bones and regulating their heartbeat. 

Thereby, when shopping for whole milk, try to go for an organic option. Ensure you select the best quality milk, especially those with higher fat content, beneficial for young, growing kids. Strawberry milkshake, corn cereal milkshake, vanilla soy milk, and other types of healthy milk alternatives should be considered. 

If your child isn’t a fan of dairy, consider alternatives like rice or coconut milk that are far more healthier than sugary juices or sodas.

3.   Homemade smoothies 

Children love smoothies, especially those that come in a mixture of the fruits they love. However, health-wise, it isn’t advisable to allow your kids to consume store-bought smoothies as they contain lots of sugar. Instead, it makes sense to make your smoothie.

Homemade smoothies are beneficial for your kids. You can add a variety of healthy fruits to the smoothie to boost its nutrient and make it more enjoyable for your kid. Great fruits to try in your smoothie include:

• Bananas
• Kiwis
• Oranges
• Mangoes
• Blueberries
• Apples

To increase your kid’s overall vegetable consumption, you can also include veggies like zucchini, celery, and carrots in the smoothie. Be creative with your smoothie! Get inspiration on smoothie ingredients from the internet. However, ensure that whatever you are adding is beneficial to your kid’s health. 

4. Homemade soda

If your child is keen on drinking soda, you have no choice but to give them soda. However, instead of serving them a  typical sugary soda, you can make your healthy soda. If you don’t fancy that idea, you can buy carbonated water and add a sweetening agent of some sort ( fresh fruit or a little bit of fruit juice would do).

Of course, your child can still enjoy the taste of juice while sipping the mixture. However, it will be diluted enough that they aren’t chugging a big glass of sugary juice. And the carbonation will make it taste like soda. 

Are they still not satisfied and want to make things more authentic? We suggest purchasing your bottle and bottling it in batches. But, be smart about it, so you don’t get caught! 

Conclusion

A can of soda contains about 11 teaspoons of sugar, while fruit juice contains an average of 24 grams of sugar! 

Consuming such a high amount of sugar can result in several health issues such as obesity, blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. For the sake of your child’s health, consider replacing juice and soda with the healthy alternatives listed above.