Off the Juice!

I have always had a problem with giving my kids juice to drink. I am not a big fan of it myself, its too sugary for my taste.  Most people feel that it is a necessity; a dietary staple for our children to receive the vitamins they need. To me, this is ridiculous! Juice is simply not the equivalent to an actual piece of fruit. Fruit (and veggies, of course!) is a vital part of our daily diets. It contains vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that keep our bodies healthy, growing, and going.


Let's consider apple juice for a moment, every kids favorite. Apples are an amazing fruit that naturally contains fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and even a little calcium.  But, it is 100% juice, so is it just like eating an apple? Not really, most juice, even though it says "contains 100% juice" on the label, is still from concentrate. Now take that same apple and strip away the peel and the flesh, along with all of the nutrients, leaving nothing but the sugary juice that was inside. Concentrate it (filter and remove all water from it), then reconstitute it, and "fortify" it with man-made "vitamins". How healthy does that sound? Yet, we are pumping it into our kids nonstop. Even going as far as making convenient individual juice containers that a bottle nipple can screw right on the top of!

Sometimes, I think it can be a great beverage to have with their breakfast; their version of a cup of coffee in the morning (which I cannot live without!). However, guzzling cup after cup all day; I just don't think that is very good for them. I delayed giving both of my girls juice until they had progressed to drinking from sippy cups, but even then, I always diluted it to half water-half juice. I still didn't feel right about it. They wanted it all of the time, and would simply refuse water. I had to have juice at the house at all times, or have to face a melt down. (Plus, my plastics recycling bin was filling up way too quickly!)


As a child that had a long hard struggle with obesity, I am a firm believer that instead of trying to fool our kids into eating healthy, we need to begin to teach them from an early age what kinds of foods they need to eat to keep their little bodies healthy. We should instill healthy eating habits that will continue on into their adulthood. I think the best way to do this, is to lead by example. Eat healthy meals and snacks with your kids, and maybe trade in that soda for a glass of water. How about instead of animal cookies and apple juice, we offer apple slices for a snack, maybe with a little peanut butter to dip (a favorite for me and my girlies). Or orange slices with breakfast instead of a cup of orange juice. It's easier than you may think!


So last week, I made a promise to myself. A promise to just fight the battle head on and not buy anymore juice (or soda for me)! It has been so much easier than I thought it would be. I began making home-made fruit infused water for the girls to drink instead, and they love it! (I also love it when I am craving a soda. The hint of flavor totally satisfies my craving.) It's super easy to make, simply add a fruit of your choice to a pitcher of water and chill. The natural flavors of the fruit give your water a hint of sweetness and yummy flavor to enjoy!
Some favorites of mine...

Mixed berry water I made at home

• Strawberry
• Blueberry
• Mango
• Peach
• Lemon
• Lime
• and even Cucumber

Since I made the switch, I have noticed that my girls aren't as whiny and are more willing to try new foods. Now, I can feel good that my girlies are drinking WATER all day! How wonderful! Give it a try and see if you can feel a difference too! Remember, small changes over time can revolutionize your health and your life!