According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is best to wait for 1 year after your baby is born to offer them juices unless your doctor suggests you earlier to manage constipation. The increased rates of obesity and tooth decay drove this change from what was recommended to babies of 6 months old.

The early introduction of sugar addiction is actually a bad idea such as giving them apple juices.  Fruit juices and fruit drinks are an equivalent of food but in reality, the pulp of the fruit (the most nutritious part) is thrown away and just leaves the juice which is only sugar and water. Your baby can do much better without juice intake especially in the early days.

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If Juice Is Out, What To Give Babies?

For 6 months old babies, they should only have breast milk or formula milk (breast milk is preferred for one full year as per suggested by the pediatrics). But after earning, cow’s milk and water are the preferred drinks for the baby until he is one year old. You can also give non-caffeinated mint or chamomile sunshine tea. They are naturally sweet and kids will love them. Just put the tea bags in the pitcher of room temperature and let it sit for an hour and let it self-brew. 

Also, find out the top super food for toddlers and kids.

How much juice intake should toddlers have? 

After the age of 1, it is okay to give babies pure 100% juice as a special treat. Also, you can introduce different types of sippy cups and non-spill cups for the babies to make the drinking time fun.  Don’t make it a daily habit by including it in the baby everyday food routine. As per the pediatrics suggestions, you must follow the following limits when giving juices to your babies:

• 1 to 3-year-olds: 4oz per day
• 4 to 6-year-olds: 4-6 oz per day
• 7-year-olds & up: 8 oz per day 

Never confuse fruit juices with the fruit itself- whole fruits are full of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. When you introduce solid foods to your baby, mashed fruits and purees should be an important part of their meal plan.