We asked five experts: should I let my kids drink juice?

Most parents will tell you their kids love juice. It tastes good, often comes in convenient and child-friendly packaging, and seems much healthier than soft drinks, sports drinks or other sweet beverages. It comes from fruit, after all. But we also know it’s high in sugar, and so can contribute to obesity and dental problems.

We asked five experts in nutrition, dietetics, medicine and dentistry whether or not we should let our kids drink juice:

Four out of five experts said no

Here are their detailed responses:

If you have a question you’d like posed to Five Experts, email your suggestion to: alexandra.hansen@theconversation.edu.au

Disclosures:

Rebecca Charlotte Reynolds owns The Real Bok Choy, a nutrition and lifestyle consultancy.

Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She is an NHMRC Senior Research and Gladys M Brawn Research Fellow. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Meat and Livestock Australia, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers and the Sax Institute. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and 2017 evidence review on dietary patterns for the Heart Foundation.

Dr Alessandro Demaio works for the World Health Organisation in Geneva. The views, opinions and positions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of any third party.