When Can I Start Giving My Baby Juice?

Introducing your baby and toddler to new foods is fun, but what about introducing new drinks like juice? Watching their response and finding new things they love is fulfilling; however, certain juices can expose your little one to unnecessary sugars and unhealthy habits if you aren’t careful. 

Alongside breast milk, formula, and milk, juice had been a widely accepted drink for babies and toddlers. In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new information and details on when your baby can drink juice. Due to the low nutritional  content and higher levels of sugar in fruit juice (apple, prune, orange, pineapple, etc), it is best to follow the guidelines outlined by the AAP.

When Can I Give My Baby Juice?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests waiting until after your baby is 1 year old before giving them juice. Talking with your pediatrician is also suggested as they might recommend offering juice earlier for managing constipation. The previous recommendation of 6 months, that most families are familiar with, was adjusted after increased concerns about obesity rates and tooth decay.

Why is Juice Considered Bad? 

Fruit juice and drinks are stripped down equivalents to the actual food they come from. When juice is made, the pulp and most nutritious parts of the fruit is thrown away, leaving juice behind for us to drink. That juice consists of not much more than sugar and water. Consider this the next time you go to pick up a bottle of apple juice, orange juice, or even prune juice.

You are better off purchasing the whole fruit and cutting it up for your baby. Whole fruit is full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. When you introduce solids to your baby, pureed and mashed fruit should be a regular part of their diet.

What are Tips for Introducing Juice?

1. Dilute the juice with water. No one ever said when you introduce juice that it has to be pure. Diluting it down to ½ water and ½ juice still gives your little one the flavor while reducing the amount of sugar they consume.

2. Set a specific time for juice time that won’t have them drinking juice right before laying down to nap. This will prevent excess sugars from sitting on your little ones teeth and can reduce the risk of tooth decay. 

3. Consider juice to be a treat like a cookie or small piece of candy. This approach will prevent you from offering up juice multiple times and/or at meals as we shouldn’t eat sweets like that throughout the day on a regular basis.

What Else Can Babies Drink?

Babies should only have breast milk or formula for the first 6 months of their life. After you do wean, formula and water are the preferred drinks, until after your baby’s first birthday. If you do want to introduce something new, consider trying alternatives like this tea made with Little T organic tea. You can also offer other non-caffeinated teas safely knowing that you aren’t adding in extra sugars to your little ones diet.

How Much Juice Should My Toddler Drink?

As mentioned above, juice should be viewed as a special treat and not offered up as a daily drink option. After 1 year of age, pure 100% juice is OK,  but when you do give juice, AAP recommends you stay under the following daily limits:

• 4 oz. a day for 1 to 3-year-olds
• 4-6 oz. a day for 4 to 6-year-olds

And don’t forget there are plenty of alternates to keep your little one hydrated.