to be totally confussed about juice/squash!

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

What is better for teeth and health? Watered down fresh fruit juice? NFC/FC?? or Squash?? No added sugar/sugar/high juice????

Come on MNers you solved my Yoghurt worries lets move on to drinks!!

[taffetacat]

oooh will watch this with interest its a bleedin minefield

I'm sure the milk/water only brigade will be out in force

I personally prefer watered down fresh juice as its a more natural product. But only with meals, natch.

No added sugar normally means sweeteners which are the Devil's work apparently

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

ooooo that Devil has all the fun!

[MilaMae]

If you're worried about teeth it's water only apparently so I've been told by several dentists. Milk is good but you have to be careful and clean teeth.

I only buy Rock's organic squash as a treat,more so in the summer when I want them to drink more but I'm careful when they have it,only 1 a day and quite weak. Don't want my 3 to develop a sweet tooth and get used to it.

Mine have a cup of non concentrated juice a day 1st thing with breakfast(as it's a fruit portion and makes me think 1 down iykwim). They then clean teeth just before school.

I wouldn't touch sugar free squash with a barge pole as I'd rather mine had sugar than chemicals.

No idea if this is the "right" thing it's just what I do.

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

Fruit juice helps with iron levels doesn't it?

[ooojimaflip]

If you are knowledgeable and interested enough to ask the question then your practice is almost certainly adequate overall. There are more important things to worry about!

[FranSanDisco]

Its a minefield. Have a look at The Dental Health Organisation website. It says 'no added sugar' squash is OK but I don't like the false sugars. What's OK for teeth and OK for body seems to contradict. Water is OK though .

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

true ooojimaflip (love the name btw!)....I'm also confussed about bread!

[MilaMae]

Bread!!!!!

Errr don't think you need to worry about bread.

[taffetacat]

Bread has all manner of oddities added to it I think, including some with high levels of salt and folic acid etc.

Only solution is to make your own of everything. Sadly, if you did this, you would have no time left to look after your DC.

[MilaMae]

Surely if they don't have a lot of salt high processed food a couple of slices of bread is ok.

Get organic if you're worried about nasties,most supermarkets sell one that is ok in price,it's not fancy but my kids are happy with it.

[Tidey]

How bad for teeth is fruit flavoured water? My DD has it sometimes because she gets bored of plain water but I suspect it's probably just as bad as squash

[MilaMae]

A lot of the bottles of fruit flavoured waters have a of artificial sweeteners and crap in(1 ingredient list I read looked as bad as diet coke) however I've noticed little cartons of "juicy water" just seem to be watered down juice.

Tesco and Sainsbury's sell them in the fruit juice carton section. Just bought some in Sainsbury's today actually. £1 for 3.

[MilaMae]

A lot of the bottles of fruit flavoured waters have a of artificial sweeteners and crap in(1 ingredient list I read looked as bad as diet coke) however I've noticed little cartons of "juicy water" just seem to be watered down juice.

Tesco and Sainsbury's sell them in the fruit juice carton section. Just bought some in Sainsbury's today actually. £1 for 3.

[Crazycatlady]

No idea if YABU, but freshly squeezed juice is a whole lot nicer than squash and more nutritious so on that basis I'd go with the juice, in moderation.

[tryingtobemarrypoppins2]

Isn't the problem with squash the aspartame??

[taffetacat]

The juicy water cartons really piss me off. I know its ease of use but it really rankles that they are charging extra for watering it down!

[yummytummy]

the best things for teeth are milk and water. but if given with meals no added sugar squash made very dilute (1 part squash 10 parts water) is better than fresh fruit juice. if its that dilute sweetener etc levels are negligible. you should avoid fresh juice where possible. its incredibly acidic. the amount of childrens teeth extracted under anaesthetic is rising all the time. we routinely see 20 kids a week who each need between 4-12 teeth out mainly due to poor diet including drinks. ok rant over. as you were

[poppyknot]

NB - Hereabouts juice is fizzy and comes in a can!

[mumbar]

well ds has white hovis when he'll eat bread which is not often and only with jam!!! Lets not go there! Drinks robinsons barley squash-once or twice a day and only because I prefer it or he'd get the cheap stuff!! 1 carton of pure juice in his lunchbox (1of5 aday), Mainly drinks water and a glass of milk after dinner. Oh yeah and I small glass of fizzy at the weekend.( can hear the gasps now!) Probably got it totally wrong but I was the mother who admitted to giving him value petit filous!!! MN ers you converted me to the idea of greek yoghurt sundaes so I'm watching this thread with interest!!

Oh yeah dispite all this DS nearly 6 still has all his baby teeth and they are in perfect condition.

[chiccadee]

yummytummy - fresh juice is important though for iron levels, especially if your DC is vegetarian. In that case, dilute juice with meals is recommended, I believe.

[Cadelaide]

Surely anyone who's bored with plain water isn't actually thirsty?

[piscesmoon]

It's good to drink before you are thirsty-if you wait until you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated.
I have never been happy in giving DCs fruit juice, even watered down, in large quantities. I think that , good quality, squash is much better because you can get away with a tiny, tiny amount-basically water.

[Supercherry]

Glad to hear that Mumbar. I am constantly feeling guilty about DS's teeth, he's only 2 but he drinks ALOT of milk and I sometimes use sweets as bribery. It is a real struggle to get his teeth brushed properly too

[Floopy21]

Lots of squash has nasty things in it such as aspartame, etc in.

Confused has one 's'.