Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County: Re-Think Bottled Smoothies For Kids

It can be hard to get your kids to eat healthy, so store-bought smoothies seem like a great way for parents to provide a serving of fruits and vegetable to their kids while tasting great. But what most parents don't know, is that although these seem like a fresh, healthy beverage, store bought smoothies are actually not healthy at all. A recent study shows that store-bought smoothies that are marketed to children, actually contain even more sugar than a can of soda or several candy bars combined! Those numbers are staggering!

According to Munchies, popular kids smoothies on the market contain anywhere from 49 grams to 116 grams of sugar in every bottle! As a point of reference, a can of Coke contains 44 grams of sugar, so these can be practically triple the amount of harmful sweetness! The average daily allowance of sugar for kids is four teaspoons, or 16 grams!

While fruit itself contains natural sugar, it’s good for you and your growing kids, as the fiber found in fruit helps keep the body from absorbing all of that unnecessary sugar. Bottled smoothies contained refined sugars, which have no nutritional benefit at all and are harmful not only to your child’s teeth, but to their overall health as well.

If you’re looking for creative ways to add fruits and vegetable into your kids diet, or they are craving smoothies, try making them at home! It’s a much healthier and delicious alternative, as you can control everything that you are putting in them. Add some vegetables to cut the sweetness, and definitely be sure to not add any extra sweetener, such as sugar or honey--after all, your kids are sweet enough!

Keep your kids teeth health and strong with regular checkups at the dentist! At Pediatric Dentistry of Suffolk County, children will receive superior dental care in a nurturing and compassionate atmosphere. To learn more about our practice visit us here, or give us a call at 631-320-0880 to schedule an appointment today!