Running on Juice

Although fruit juice seems a healthy option, you must give it sparingly to babies and toddlers.  Natural fruit juice contains lots of sugar and even though these are natural sugars, it can lead to tooth decay and even hinder development.  The sugar concentrations can bring on diarrhea in young children.  Your baby should never be given fruit juice before six months, and it's best avoided before the age of a year.  In the first years, water is much better for your babies to drink through the day.  If you do give fruit juice, give them no more than half a beaker a day, and rather than giving it all at once, just pour a small amount into their cup and dilute heavily with water.  You'll find fruit juices specially formulated for babies in the baby product aisle of supermarkets; these are more diluted and may be fortified with extra vitamin C, but regular juices are adequate, and a cheaper option, so long as they are diluted appropriately.