The Benefits of Watering Down Juice for Toddlers and Preschoolers

When infants begin drinking occasional juice, doctors often advise that the juice be watered down. As my infant moved into toddlerhood and is now a three-year-old preschooler I kept watering down his juice. Here are three solid reasons why you should continue to water down your preschooler's juice.

Reduced Sugar Intake. Juice is full of sugar. Even if the juice is 100% real fruit juice, and sugar is all natural, it is still sugar. Most 8 ounce servings of juice have around 30 grams of sugar. To reduce the sugar your child is consuming, just water down his juice. Just watering down your toddler or preschooler's juice by 1/3 will make a huge difference in his sugar consumption of time.

Curbing The Sweet Tooth. If you continue to water down your toddler or preschooler's juice each time he drinks it, he will grow accustomed to the slightly less-sweet taste. This reduction in sweetness will be a taste that your child is simply used to and full strength juice will taste overly sweet to him. To keep your child from craving the super sweetness of 100% juice, just water down the juice a bit each time so that she is completely used to that level of sweetness.

Reduction in Cost. Watering down your child's juice is also a great way to save a little money. 100% real fruit juices can be quite pricey, particularly if you look to more nutrient filled juices such as cranberry, pomegranate, and grape. By watering down your child's juice each time he drinks it, you cut your costs by 1/3 or more. When your child's juice intake is limited, and you water down your child's juice, a single 64 ounce bottle will last a couple weeks for just one child.

Increased Water. A final reason to continue watering down your toddler or preschooler's juice is to increase his water intake. As children move from being babies to really being kids, they need water in their bodies. By watering down your child's juice with some pure water, you increase the amount of water they get each day. This water truly hydrates the body keeping all functions working properly.

Many parents start out watering down their baby's juice, but decide to start giving full strength juice in the toddler or preschool years. Don't stop after your child is no longer a baby! These reasons show that watering down your child's juice can be a great habit to reduce sugar intake, curb the sweet tooth, reduce costs, and increase water consumption.