Juice, Soda, Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks

     Human beings evolved eating a diet high in protein and low in sugar. Although we need simple sugar – glucose - to create energy for all our cells, plant sugar – fructose - is not metabolized well in our bodies and converts easily into fat. Unfortunately, fructose is now universally used as a sweetener in beverages that children and adolescents routinely consume.

      A study in the September issue of Pediatrics done by researchers at the University of Virginia looked at the effect sugar-sweetened beverages have on rates of obesity in children aged 2 to 5 years. They studied children who consumed a variety of “soda pops” such as Coke, Pepsi and Mountain Dew. They also looked at children who drink sports drinks like Gatorade and less-than 100% fruit drinks such as Sunny Delight and Hi-C.  It was no surprise that children who drank these beverages routinely had higher rates of obesity. All of these sugar-sweetened drinks provide unnecessary calories and get the child into the habit of always wanting “something sweet” going into their mouth.

     Sales of sports drinks and energy drinks are rapidly increasing. Whereas it is true that water, carbohydrate and electrolytes are lost during exercise, most of the exercise that adolescents engage in only needs water as a replacement drink. The excessive marketing of sports drinks like Gatorade give the false impression that anytime one is involved in exercise, they should be drinking something “more” than water. For anything other than prolonged, vigorous sports activities, drinking water and eating a good diet is sufficient to replace losses. Once again, the extra calories in sports drinks only result in excessive weight gain.

     Finally, energy drinks are mainly a supply of caffeine. They are not sports drinks and have no place in an adolescent’s diet. There have been multiple reports of adolescents having symptoms from excess caffeine and also withdrawal symptoms after consuming these caffeine-heavy “energy” drinks .

     After infants begin drinking things other than breast milk or formula, parents teach them what to eat and drink. It is easy to give milk with meals and water in a bottle or cup between meals. If an infant or toddler isn’t given juice or other sugar-sweetened beverages, the child won’t ask for them. We mistakenly think we are doing something good for our kids by giving them juice rather than water. All we are really doing is giving extra calories and enforcing the need for sweets.  Don’t give your toddler apple juice – give him an apple.