Giving pop to very young children

[Janepod]

that isn't true.

The body metabolizes sugar and HFCS the same way. they are made up of the same sugars just slightly different ratios. and again once something is broken down to it's chemical compounds the body doesn't care where it came from

Wrong.

https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests," said psychology professor Bart Hoebel, who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."

Hoebel lab
A Princeton University research team, including (from left) undergraduate Elyse Powell, psychology professor Bart Hoebel, visiting research associate Nicole Avena and graduate student Miriam Bocarsly, has demonstrated that rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup -- a sweetener found in many popular sodas -- gain significantly more weight than those with access to water sweetened with table sugar, even when they consume the same number of calories. The work may have important implications for understanding obesity trends in the United States. (Photo: Denise Applewhite) Photos for news media

 

[Planogirl]

You can get certain sodas with real sugar and even some with Stevia instead of other sweeteners but you certainly have to look for them. HFCS doesn't seem to bother any of us and I guess that I'm not real clear on why it might bother others. I respect that it does though.

Speaking of sugar, all the kids drank Kool-Aid when I was a kid. That stuff had some serious sugar!

 

[Planogirl]

Wrong.

https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests," said psychology professor Bart Hoebel, who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."

Hoebel lab
A Princeton University research team, including (from left) undergraduate Elyse Powell, psychology professor Bart Hoebel, visiting research associate Nicole Avena and graduate student Miriam Bocarsly, has demonstrated that rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup -- a sweetener found in many popular sodas -- gain significantly more weight than those with access to water sweetened with table sugar, even when they consume the same number of calories. The work may have important implications for understanding obesity trends in the United States. (Photo: Denise Applewhite) Photos for news media

I don't completely trust these tests when they're performed on rats. I remember when they made a mockery of this when they tested Sweet n Lo. However, I will agree that too much of anything is bad for a variety of reasons.

 

[Hannathy]

Wrong.

https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests," said psychology professor Bart Hoebel, who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."

Hoebel lab
A Princeton University research team, including (from left) undergraduate Elyse Powell, psychology professor Bart Hoebel, visiting research associate Nicole Avena and graduate student Miriam Bocarsly, has demonstrated that rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup -- a sweetener found in many popular sodas -- gain significantly more weight than those with access to water sweetened with table sugar, even when they consume the same number of calories. The work may have important implications for understanding obesity trends in the United States. (Photo: Denise Applewhite) Photos for news media

Those are psychological studies. try some chemistry
they are made up of the same sugars and are metabolized by the body the same way.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

Wrong.

https://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests," said psychology professor Bart Hoebel, who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."

Hoebel lab
A Princeton University research team, including (from left) undergraduate Elyse Powell, psychology professor Bart Hoebel, visiting research associate Nicole Avena and graduate student Miriam Bocarsly, has demonstrated that rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup -- a sweetener found in many popular sodas -- gain significantly more weight than those with access to water sweetened with table sugar, even when they consume the same number of calories. The work may have important implications for understanding obesity trends in the United States. (Photo: Denise Applewhite) Photos for news media

For every study that shows one thing there is another that shows the opposite. I did a quick google search for "is high fructose corn syrup worse than sugar" and the first link was from nutrition.about.com and credits 5 studies that say HFCS and sugar are essentially the same once in the body and neither is worse than the other.

http://nutrition.about.com/od/grainsandcereals/f/fructosesyrup.htm

This is my biggest pet peeve with nutrition, I never know which "expert" to believe. Eggs are good, eggs are bad. Milk is good, milk is bad. Carbs are good, carbs are bad. Protein is good, protein is bad.

I used to follow the health trends but now I just eat a little of everything, I try to avoid too much sugar, fat, etc. and try to eat lots of fruits and veggies but don't put much weight behind what the experts say since it changes by the day.

While diet is important I think exercise is infinitely more important to overall health and fitness anyway. I'd guess someone who eats big macs every day but also spends an hour at the gym doing cardio several times a week is healthier than someone who eats healthy but sits in front of their tv all night.

 

[KalamityJane]

I wasn't comparing HFCS to sugar, but to fruit juice. Processed table sugar is going to be different than fresh squeezed juice, there are more nutrients in the juice.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Although I agree with not giving babies soda, I also have to say that there is not much, or anything, at Costco you could sit down and eat that is good for you. Just sayin'.

 

[jdb in AZ]

My mom, a registered nurse, drank a lot of Coke (as in cola.) My little sis was basically a coke-aholic as a toddler. DH drinks a lot of Diet Dr. Pepper, and as a toddler DS correctly called Dr. Pepper by its name and every other beverage (juice, water, Sprite, etc) was milk. Fast forward 30+ years and DD is such a purist she rarely drinks soda. We pretended to give her baby a sip of Diet Dr. Pepper -- just holding an empty soda bottle to his lips -- and momma bear was ready to rip us (her parents) to shreds.

My point is that today's new parents seem to be more health conscious than past generations. DD is welcome to her kale smoothies. blech.

With all the dangerous stuff we didn't know about when we were kids (asbestos ceilings, playing with mercury, using bumper pads and blankets in cribs; no such thing as seat belts in cars, and kids' car seats hadn't been invented yet; oblivious to the dangers of 2nd-hand cigarette smoke) it's a miracle the human race survived.

On the other hand, the older generations didn't have nearly as many drug overdoses; street gangs weren't nearly as prevalent; porn wasn't accessible on a teen's cell phone; and unwed-teen pregnancies were hushed up instead of glorified.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

This is always an interesting topic to me because of the judgement that comes from seeing a moment in time. When my oldest turned a year, she refused milk - of all kinds and trust me we tried! So she stuck to water and we just enriched her diet with calcium rich foods. Then at 16 months old she had a life threatening seizure (not febrile) and spent a week in the PICU. As they were weaning her off her IVs, they needed her drink, especially for the medication she was on. The problem - she refused everything offered, including water. The doctor stressed how important it was for her to stay hydrated, especially on this medicine. Her grandfather asked about giving her root beer - doctor said if she would take it, absolutely give it to her and so came back up to her hospital room with one. She was on this medication for a year, so for a year we had to keep her well hydrated by any means possible (short of alcohol of course). Was it ideal? No. Was it my plan? No. Was making sure we never relived that week worth it? Absolutely. However had you seen us out, you would have judged us as some irresponsible parents who didn't care about her health. I know mine is probably the exception, but you never know somebody's story.

As it is now, we don't have soda in the house and my kids only get it at parties or occasionally out to dinner. They still stick mostly to water.

 

[Viva Las Disney]

With all the dangerous stuff we didn't know about when we were kids (asbestos ceilings, playing with mercury, using bumper pads and blankets in cribs; no such thing as seat belts in cars, and kids' car seats hadn't been invented yet; oblivious to the dangers of 2nd-hand cigarette smoke) it's a miracle the human race survived.

On the other hand, the older generations didn't have nearly as many drug overdoses; street gangs weren't nearly as prevalent; porn wasn't accessible on a teen's cell phone; and unwed-teen pregnancies were hushed up instead of glorified.

We were also much healthier as a whole! We didn't have the internet, didn't have X-boxes, and we could count the number of TV channels on one hand so we played sports, rode bikes, and used our imaginations.

The technology we have today is amazing but in many ways I feel sorry for my nieces and nephews because they'll never have the freedom we had as kids to play in our neighborhoods, ballparks, and playgrounds for several hours every day.

 

[EMode]

.

No, I was remarking on your comparison of fruit juice to soda, that the soda is mostly HFCS. It's not the same type of sugar and our bodies metabolize it way differently, so even though the amount of sugars in the drink may be similar, the sugar itself is of a different composition.

I wasn't comparing HFCS to sugar, but to fruit juice. Processed table sugar is going to be different than fresh squeezed juice, there are more nutrients in the juice.

It sounds like you are comparing HFCS to sugar in this post

Do you think our bodies metabolize it differently because there are more nutrients in juice?

 

[goofinoff]

We don't keep soda in our house. My kids hardly ever ask for it. In fact I don't think that my 13 year old even likes it. My ex sister in law used to give her kids Diet Pepsi in sippy cups! And she wondered why they never napped or wouldn't go to sleep until 11:00 at night. Idiot!

 

[Southernmiss]

Wasn't there a news report last week stating that soda consumption has declined drastically?

We have soda and sweet tea in the house at all times, but my kids never gorge themselves on it. They mostly drink water.

I agree one glimpse in a family's life is no reason to judge all behavior.

 

[goofyintoronto]

FYI I didnt read the whole thread, but here are my thoughts....

I am appalled that a mother would let her child drink pop at such a young age. The kid is 1 yrs old for petesake! I remember at a family party once a few years back, a mom was having a hard time with her 2 yr old son cause he kept wanting coke, she gave it to him anytime he wanted cause he'd throw a fit otherwise, yet she complained that he was addicted to it! ARE YOU KIDDING ME WOMAN!?!?!?!?!??!! 2 years old!?!??!?! Who's fault is it that he's addicted!??! Who keeps giving him pop?

My son didnt drink pop until about 7 years old-ish. Because he's abstained from pop for that long, he never really got addicted to it nor did he care for it. To this day he will choose non-carbonated drinks like juice or water over pop.

 

[Burnedout]

Oh brother, a few drops of soda is not going to cause major harm. We don't have soda in our house nor did I serve my kids fruit juice, too much sugar, but a couple of drops of soda out of a straw is not going to cause life long harm.

Don't y'all remember when your babies were learning about real food, how they would watch you eat with such concentration? We gave our kids bites, licks and tastes of just about anything they showed an interest in so they could learn to try things.

My kids sipped or sampled everything there were no forbidden foods. They are all now healthy happy adults/teens who will still sample anything.

Judging others in a snapshot of their lives is not my style. All parents do something others disagree with. Even the "perfect" parents.

 

[nugov2]

Wouldn't have phased me one bit. Soda and juice have the same amount of sugar, so a one year old taking a few sips of a soda is no big deal to me. It's not like she cracked a can and gave it to her kid with a straw.

This I don't think people realize that most juice is just as bad as pop. I do serve juice to my kids(cut in half with water) and my middle child does like pop so at parties will drink some. I have seen 2 yr olds lugging around huge containers of Mountain Dew before and with the amount of caffeine that has I do wonder, but to each their own. I wouldn't do, but I'm sure I let my kids do things others wouldn't.

 

[willowsnn3]

You can get certain sodas with real sugar and even some with Stevia instead of other sweeteners but you certainly have to look for them. HFCS doesn't seem to bother any of us and I guess that I'm not real clear on why it might bother others. I respect that it does though.

Speaking of sugar, all the kids drank Kool-Aid when I was a kid. That stuff had some serious sugar!

And some serious dyes, too!
I am a certified Coke-a-Holic. Coke is always readily available at my house & my kids grew up on that along with sweet tea & Kool Aid.
My oldest is 44, the youngest 36 and they are all in good health & physical condition. And I still have all my teeth....
Oh, and we all drink a lot of water.

 

[paintnolish]

Oh, OP, I can beat that...I had 6 month old ds on a flight to WDW. He was freaking out. I gave him drops of Sprite from my straw, but it was in he interest of other passengers' sanity!

 

[Minnesota!]

who cares? it isn't going to hurt her. Its not much different than the ones who walk around patting themselves on the back cause they only give juice. It's all sugar as far as the body is concerned. It doesn't care where the sugar is from it's all the same to it.

Now if she was drinking 24 ounces a day instead of milk then you'd have something to worry about.

 

[KalamityJane]

It sounds like you are comparing HFCS to sugar in this post Do you think our bodies metabolize it differently because there are more nutrients in juice?

If you look all the way back, a PP said that she thought fruit juice and soda were about the same, as they had similar amounts of sugar. I was replying to that specifically. And yes, I think the other nutrients in juice do help us metabolize it differently and slower but also the fructose to glucose ratio is different.