Why Choosing the Right Health Drink for Kids Matters
Written by Pakhi Rewri | October 1, 2024
Introduction
A healthy diet not only consists of an optimum amount of nutrients, but also proper hydration. There is a critical need for both children and adults to drink at least eight glasses of water every day. This ensures that all lost water during the day is recovered and a healthy electrolyte balance is maintained.
According to the Author Manuscript, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2908954/, a lack of proper hydration may lead to mood swings, poor growth, and decreased concentration among children. A child may remain constantly tired and may be exposed to several health problems. Hence, to incorporate proper hydration into daily life, parents can come up with various hydrating drinks.
Why Choosing the Right Drink for Kids Matters
Choosing the appropriate drink for your kid is not just about what is convenient or what is flavourful. It is about making meaningful choices as it can directly impact one's child's well-being. Some healthy drinks for kids may include fruit smoothies, vegetable juices, detox drinks, and amla sharbat. Here are some of the top reasons why one must be extremely careful while choosing a drink for their kids.
Fulfill Nutritional Needs
Kids can have different nutritional needs as on the age group that they're in. Growing children, specifically those experiencing height spurts, may require additional nutrition to support their bone and muscle development. In such a scenario, choosing drinks enriched with protein and vitamins can be an optimal choice. Such drinks may promote bone density and muscle development, setting a strong foundation for adulthood.
Reduce Related to High Sugar
As per the Porto Biomedical Journal, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8824388/, excessive consumption of sugar can be detrimental to a child's health. Sweetened beverages, especially those that are available in markets, contain high amounts of sugar and other processed ingredients. These can lead to poor dental health, obesity, and other chronic health issues. Regular consumption of such drinks may also lead to blood pressure-related problems. Hence, parents must be cautious while choosing the best source of hydration for their child.
Immunity Related Benefits
Growing kids need strong immunity to stay protected from a wide range of health problems. Adding different types of ingredients that are a good source of antioxidants can help enhance a child's immunity. As per ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380492954_Exploring_Nutritious_Health_Drink_A_Comprehensive_Review, probiotic drinks filled with the goodness of beetroot, cucumbers, carrots, and other such healthy ingredients can be a great choice for kids. Moreover, one may also add various sources of vitamins and minerals to enhance the overall nutritional value of the drink.
Builds Long-Term Habits
By selecting healthy drinks and sources of hydration, parents set a good example for their kids and model their own behavior. According to ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338961616_Healthy_Drinks, the wrong kind of drinks may impact a person's kidney function and liver. On the other hand, if kids are conditioned to choose healthy sources of hydration, it may set their behavior in that way. Moreover, it can also positively impact their health by restoring electrolyte balance.
Meet Specific Requirements
In some cases, a child may be experiencing a specific deficiency or health issue. Keeping that in mind, parents may have to devise a special diet plan for their kid. For example, kids suffering from a vitamin deficiency can drink different types of citrus juices, which are rich in vitamins. As per APHA, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1829363/, for better bone health, parents should incorporate milk-based drinks. In such a scenario, being mindful of one's sources of hydration becomes critical.
Fight Health Risks
Many times, drinking unhealthy drinks may cause diarrhoea or other related problems. It may also trigger dehydration, belly cramps, and even kidney issues. According to Elsevier, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7231580/, sustained problems due to drinking the wrong kind of libations may lead to hindrance in the overall development of a child. To avoid all this, parents may only choose drinks that boost a child's mental and physical development.
Have Natural Ingredients
Multiple brands selling hydrating and nutritious drinks may advertise themselves as organic. However, upon deeper research, one may find that they contain lots of artificial ingredients. As per NLM, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6298598/, many of these artificial ingredients can be harmful to a child and should be avoided at all costs. Keeping this in mind, parents must be extremely careful about choosing drinks that only contain natural ingredients. Moreover, fresh ingredients don't contain any preservatives, which is beneficial for kids.
Conclusion
A healthy diet not only consists of food but also encompasses one's sources of hydration. The choice of one's drink can impact their health, nutrition levels, digestion, and immunity. Drinks like detox water and amla sharbat may serve the dual function of hydration and boosting a child's health. Hence, taking the right call is imperative to support one's health.