Are dads, moms, grandparents still arguing about what they can feed their babies and children? The latest U.S. nutrition guidelines have been released, and the rules are incredibly strict.
U.S. scientists have released the latest child version of their nutrition guide, detailing what babies can drink in their first year of life. The result is the most stringent recommendation ever.
Babies can only drink breast milk or formula. Babies can only drink water after six months, and formula drinkers can start drinking cow’s milk after about 12 months. Until the age of 5, most infants are best served with water and milk.
Flavored milk is also a no-no. The guidelines state that children under age 5 should not be given any sugary drinks or other sweets, including low-calorie or artificially sweetened beverages, chocolate milk, or other flavored milk or caffeinated beverages.
Plant-based beverages, such as almond, rice milk or oat milk, should also be avoided. As for soy milk, if parents want to give their baby an alternative to cow’s milk, they can try it.
What about fruit juice? The committee of scientists who published the guidelines said that it is best not to drink it! But if you really want to give it to your baby, you should not consume more than one glass of juice a day.
This recommendation will be quite credible and influential, because the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and other experts were involved in the preparation of this guide, the largest in history.
Megan Lot, deputy director of the research program, said, “This recommendation simplifies the parental feeding guidelines so that the infant can consume about 100 percent of water, milk and a limited amount of juice.”
In fact, if children can eat fruit, then they don’t even need juice. Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, says, “People get empty calorie, that is, calories with no other nutritional value, from sugary drinks like soda. We have to say that fruit juice is also a source of calories, and the nutritional value is not good.”
As for plant-based drinks like almond milk, oat milk, etc., artificial sweeteners and flavors are too often added, and the nutritional value is not as good as cow’s milk. A cup of cow’s milk contains 8 grams of protein and calcium.
With the exception of soy milk, plant-based beverages are not rich in protein. Although plant-based beverages often claim to have added nutrients, such as calcium, scientists are not sure if the body can effectively absorb them.
Roth said there is no rigorous research data to suggest that the volume of artificial sweeteners consumed by children falls within the safe range, but infants who drink too much may become sugar addicted.
Besser said parents can actually do their best to cultivate a taste for healthy foods in their children, and while an occasional glass of 100 percent fruit juice won’t hurt, it’s important that you let your child use water as the primary beverage in adulthood, rather than sugary drinks.
The new nutrition guidelines break down the beverages your baby can consume at different stages.
Birth to 6 months: Infants should drink only breast milk and infant formula. Infants should not drink plant-based beverages or non-dairy milk, and should not drink caffeinated beverages (soda, coffee, tea, energy drinks) or sugary drinks (soda, fruit juice, juice flavored drinks, sports drinks, sugary water, sweetened coffee or tea drinks).
6 to 12 months: Your baby should still rely on breast milk or formula. Once you start eating solid foods, you can start drinking water. This is still the time to avoid fruit juices, flavored milk, transition formulas, low-calorie sweetened beverages, plant-based milk, non-dairy milk, caffeinated beverages, and sugary drinks.
12 to 24 months: At this age, infants should be drinking one to four glasses of water a day and can begin drinking whole milk. The 100 percent juice intake should not exceed 4 ounces a day, and the juice can be watered down. As for other beverages, such as flavored milk, sugary drinks, plant-based beverages, and caffeinated beverages should be avoided.
Ages 2 to 3: At this age, children should drink one to four glasses of water a day, and they can start drinking skim or low-fat milk. Fruit juices should be limited and other beverages should be avoided.es 4 to 5: Children should drink 1.5 to 5 cups of water, low-fat or nonfat milk, and 4 to 5 ounces of juice a day. Avoid other beverages.
Recommended reading:
You need to have a healthy diet to have a strong immune system
