Introducing Juice to a Baby's Diet: When, How, and How Much?
Introducing Juice to a Baby's Diet: When, How, and How Much?
Juices are often considered a natural source of vitamins and minerals. However, modern experts strongly criticize the old approaches, recommending waiting at least until the baby is six, or even twelve, months old before introducing juices. So, at what age should you introduce your baby to juices, and what are the dangers of introducing them too early?
First Introduction of Juice to an Infant
Contemporary pediatricians recommend giving juice to a baby only after introducing other solid foods. A mother should ensure that introducing juice does not affect the amount of breast milk or formula the baby consumes. Therefore, this should happen no earlier than six months.
However, considering that even at this age, juice does not provide significant benefits, it is better to postpone its introduction until the baby is one year old. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that fruit juices play no role in a balanced diet for children under twelve months.
Moreover, consuming juice at an early age can have negative consequences:
• Increased risk of tooth decay;
• Digestive issues due to the immature gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea, bloating, flatulence);
• Increased likelihood of obesity in the future.
Introducing Fruit Puree Instead of Juice
If we talk about fruits in general, it is much more beneficial to introduce them into a child's diet in the form of purees rather than juices. Purees contain plant fibers that aid digestion and help better assimilate fruit acids. Fruit purees can be introduced at 6–7 months as the second or third complementary food.
