When Can I Give Juice to My Baby?

When can I give juice to my baby? The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend fruit juice for children under six months of age. After six months, a small amount of juice can be given as a supplement to breastfeeding or formula feeding but not in place of either. In addition, the juice should be 100% fruit juice with added vitamin C.

You should not give juice to baby for the first six months. While fruit juice has some nutritional content, the amount of calories consumed is much higher than needed.

Many doctors and nutritionists consider juice an empty food because of the calorie to nutrition ratio. Infants and toddlers do not require many calories per day. Having them drink empty calories deprives their bodies of needed nutrients. Therefore, fruit juice should be limited to no more than four to six ounces a day for toddler and less than that for infants because infants get all of their nutritional needs fulfilled from breast milk or formula.

Another reason to limit fruit juice given to infants and toddler is that the drink can have a laxative effect. Juice is high in sugar. When the body takes in too much sugar, more water is absorbed in the stool, which can cause diarrhea . This is why fruit juices or sugar water can be given to children who might be suffering from constipation.

Fruit Versus Fruit Juice

Whole fruit is a better option for infants who have started on food and for toddlers. Fruit contains fiber and other nutrients that fruit juice lacks. In addition, fruit does not raise blood sugar in the same way that fruit juice does. Finally, consumers must be careful to find juice that is 100% fruit juice to give to children. Many fruit juices on the market are mostly water with very little actual juice, which defeats the purpose of giving the fruit juice in the first place.