Nutritional Drinks for Kids

Kids are active and, like the rest of us, they need to quench their thirst. They also need good nutrition so their bodies will continue to grow. While it is easy to reach for soda and other sugary drinks, there are more nutritious options.

Milk

• Milk provides calcium, protein and Vitamin D to help build bones and provide energy. An 8-oz. glass of low-fat milk has 100 calories, 300 mg of calcium and 11 g of sugar. Toddlers should have 500 g of calcium daily. Kids ages 4 to 8 should have 800 mg and kids ages 9 to 18 should have 1,300 mg daily.

Soy Milk

• Parents who are vegans or whose children are lactose intolerant often use soy milk as an alternative. Soy milk provides calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A and protein. It also eases constipation, lowers high cholesterol and may even decrease risk of breast cancer later in life, according to the Soy Foods Association of North America. The association says soy milk has nearly 50 fewer calories than whole milk.

Fruit Juice

• Orange, apple, grape and other fruit juices provide Vitamin C and other vitamins found in the fruit from which they are derived. However, they do not provide the fiber of the whole fruit and there is some concern about children ingesting too much sugar, thus contributing to obesity and tooth decay.

  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies up to six months old should have no fruit juice, except to relieve constipation. Babies from six months to one year may have up to 4 oz. daily, served in a cup rather than a bottle to avoid tooth decay from sugar. Kids from 1 to 6 years old may have up to 6 oz. daily and those older than 7 years old may have up to 12 oz. per day.

Vitamin-Enriched Water

• Many brands of bottled water now offer varieties that are enhanced with vitamins and fiber. Some nutritionists warn against them because they contain high-fructose corn syrup, a form of sugar. However at least one brand, Energy Multi-Vitamin Enhanced Water Co., has a version for kids that reportedly contains no artificial colors, flavors or added stimulants, such as caffeine. The company says each 20-oz. bottle provides 125 percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin C and 40 percent for Vitamins A, E, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. Ten flavors are available.

Plain Water

• While plain water contains no vitamins, water from city water supplies is often fluoridated to strengthen teeth and prevent tooth decay. It is also filling, so kids and others may not be as tempted to snack on junk foods. Water is essential to good hydration and overall good health.

Commercially Prepared Nutritional Drinks

• Several companies offer drinks designed to supply protein, vitamins and other nutrients kids may be missing from their diets. They may be used by kids who have no other food supply, by picky eaters, by active kids and by those who must be fed by naso-gastric tubes. These are similar to milk shakes and come in a variety of flavors, including chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. An 8-oz. can has about 237 calories.