给孩子喝什么最健康？

六个月以下的婴儿只需要喝母乳或婴儿配方奶，母乳和配方奶粉含有婴儿生长发育所需的各种营养素。

从六个月起，你可以给母乳喂养和配方奶粉喂养的婴儿喝少量室温的白开水。如果你的宝宝在头12个月里喝了除水、母乳或配方奶粉以外的饮料，会影响宝宝获得足够的必需营养物质。

到宝宝1岁大的时候，可以尝试喝无添加的巴氏杀菌全脂鲜牛奶了。如果孩子是配方奶喂养的，而且辅食摄入营养均衡的话，那么1岁后可以不需要配方奶粉了。不过，2岁以下的儿童不建议使用低脂牛奶，因为婴幼儿需要全脂牛奶中的营养素来满足他们的能量、生长和发育需求。当然，母乳喂养可以在1岁后继续，只要妈妈和宝宝都适应继续母乳而且母乳量还是能满足宝宝需要的话。

除了母乳，牛奶和配方奶以外，宝宝的健康饮料还是白水。如果想给孩子喝牛奶替代品来取代牛奶或配方奶，比如豆奶，椰奶，杏仁奶，燕麦奶，最好先咨询儿科医生。

对于幼儿和儿童，白水和牛奶是最好的饮料。

在一天中喝足够的水可以让身体保持充足的水分。在炎热的天气或孩子奔跑玩耍很多的时候尤其重要。另外，多喝水也能帮助孩子防止产生便秘。所以鼓励孩子多喝水是这个阶段比较重要的任务，尤其是对于不爱喝白水的孩子。以下是一些鼓励孩子喝水的小技巧：

• 让家里的每个成员都把白水作为他们的主要饮料。当孩子看到大人都喝白水，他们很可能也会有样学样。

• 带孩子外出时，随身携带装满的水瓶。

• 家里的桌上随时有水可以喝，特别是在点心或用餐时间。

• 可以尝试在白水里加入冰块，新鲜或冰冻水果片，有天然清甜的果香，对孩子更有吸引力。还让孩子参与一起选择和制作，比如苹果，柠檬，甜橙，草莓，菠萝，薄荷叶等，增加喝水的兴趣。

果汁含糖量高而且膳食纤维少。儿童的日常饮食中不需要再给予额外的糖，恰恰相反，他们需要膳食纤维。而且儿童来说，最好吃整个的水果，喝普通白水或牛奶。水比果汁好，因为它能解渴，而且不含任何多余的糖。

如果孩子喜欢喝果汁，尽量限制在每天半杯。你可以尝试着在规定特定的时间或活动中喝果汁，以限制果汁摄入。例如周末，外出就餐，野餐，参加聚会等。另外，还可以把果汁和一些水或冰混合，甚至偷偷地放进一些蔬菜。记住，要使用搅拌机而不是榨汁机，这样可以使水果纤维留在果汁中。

软饮料、果汁饮料、运动饮料和能量饮料都含有大量的糖分，几乎没有营养成分。这些饮料可能会取代其他更有营养的食物和饮料，并增加孩子超重，肥胖和蛀牙的风险。

有些饮料还含有咖啡因，这会让你的孩子极度兴奋，然后精疲力尽。同时咖啡因也会影响孩子的睡眠。

另外，调味乳和牛奶饮料中的糖分含量很高，所以最好给孩子提供纯牛奶。同样，果味的矿泉水也可能含糖量高。

茶和咖啡中含有咖啡因，会影响孩子的睡眠、行为和发育。一些花草茶可能含有对儿童健康有害的化合物。如果想给孩子喝花草茶，最好先请咨询儿科医生。

Healthy drinks under 6 months

Under six months, babies need only breastmilk or infant formula. Breastmilk and formula contain the nutrients babies need for growth and development.

Healthy drinks at 6-12 months

You can give breastfed and formula-fed babies small amounts of  boiled tap water from a cup from six months on. If your baby has drinks other than water, breastmilk or formula in the first 12 months, it can stop your baby from getting enough essential nutrients.

Healthy drinks at 12 months

After 12 months, you can give your baby pasteurised, unflavoured, full-fat cow’s milk to drink if they’re eating a balanced diet. If your child has been formula fed and they’re eating a balanced diet, your child probably won’t need formula after 12 months. Reduced-fat milks aren’t recommended for children under two years. This is because babies and toddlers need the nutrients in full-fat milk to meet their energy, growth and development needs. You can keep breastfeeding after 12 months for as long as it suits you and your child.

Your baby can still drink  water other than milk or formula. If you’re thinking of giving your child dairy alternatives as drinks, such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk, it’s best to talk to your paediatrician first.

Healthy drinks for toddlers, preschoolers and older children

For toddlers and older children, water and milk are the best drinks.

Your child can stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This is especially important in hot weather or when your child is running around a lot. Drinking plenty of water can also help your child avoid constipation.

Encouraging your child to drink more water is very important task for this stage, especially for those who does not like water. Here are some tips to encourage your child to drink and enjoy water:

•Get everyone in the family drinking water as their main drink. When your children see you doing it, they’re likely to do it too.

•Take filled water bottles when you go out with your child.

•Have water on the table at meals and snack times.

• You could try adding ice cubes or pieces of frozen or fresh fruit to make it more appealing for your child, such as apple, lemon, orange, strawberry, pineapple,even mint leaves.

Unhealthy drinks:

Fruit juice

Fruit juices have high levels of sugar and don’t have much fibre. Children don’t need extra sugar – but they do need fibre.It’s best for children to eat whole fruit and drink plain water or milk. Water is better than fruit juice, because it satisfies thirst and doesn’t have any extra sugar.

If your child drinks juice, try to limit it to ½ a cup per day. You could try giving fruit juice at a particular time or activities to help you stick to this limit. For example, weekend, dining out, picnic, parties.

It’s a good idea to mix the fruit juice with some water or ice, and even sneak in a few vegetables. Mixing the fruit in a blender instead of a juicer will keep the fruit fibre in the juice.

Soft drinks, cordial, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavoured milk

Soft drinks, cordial, sports drinks and energy drinks have a lot of added sugar and virtually no nutrients for your child’s diet. These drinks can take the place of other more nourishing foods and drinks and can increase your child’s risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.

Some of these drinks also contain caffeine, which could make your child extremely excited, then exhausted. Caffeine can also affect your child’s sleep.

Flavoured milk and milk drinks are high in added sugar, so it’s better to offer your children plain milk instead. Flavoured mineral waters can also be high in added sugar.

Tea and coffee

Tea and coffee contain caffeine, which can affect your child’s sleep, behaviour and development. Some herbal teas might contain compounds that can be harmful for children. Check with your paediatrician if you want to offer herbal tea to your child.

Key points

•Under six months, babies need only breastmilk or infant formula.

•Water and cow’s milk are the best drinks for children over 12 months, including teenagers.

•Unhealthy drinks include soft drinks, cordials, fruit juices, mineral waters, energy drinks, sports drinks, tea and coffee.

•Sweet drinks can increase children’s risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.