Kids and Soda

[lowie]

my kids rarely drink soda, their choice. they actually prefer water and sometimes my son drinks juice. but once in a blue moon they'll ask for a soda, mainly in restaurants. i never say no. but sometimes ds will ask for a diet soda. he's 6 and average size. i think he just asks without thinking, just because i'll occasionally order a diet soda.

do you think kids are better off with diet or regular soda (in moderation)

 

[ducklite]

I can't imagine that it makes any difference in small amounts.

Anne

 

[pumba]

when are grandkids were young......they could only have diet caffeine free on Sunday family meals......we always had a house full on Sundays and they could have it then.......same with candy........they never really asked for it ...but on Sundays it was allowed......
My kids .....could have 25 cents on Sunday and that was called Candy day.....our dentist was so impressed that this actually worked that he implemented it with his own five kids..

 

[Christine]

I guess that depends on how you feel about artificial sweeteners. I find that I don't feel well with them and I have stopped having stuff with Equal or Splenda in it. Hence, I've not let my kids have it.

I also don't like High Fructose Corn Syrup. So, if I let my kids have a carbonated beverage I've been buying the Izze Brand and also The Switch is okay.

But, I understand you can't get picky in a restaurant! Honestly, a little bit of anything is probably fine.

 

[mepperson]

I think neither will make much difference if it is a rare occasion anyway.

My DD8 asks for Sunkist or an orange soda of some type, or maybe a root beer when we are out. She mostly drinks milk. Occassionally she will ask for a diet coke, or diet DrP. I only say no to the soda if it is dinner time already and I don't want the caffeine keeping her awake.

As long as moderation is the rule and everything else is fine with your child, it really makes no difference. There are pros and cons of both, and neither sugar nor artificial sweeteners will hurt if it is just a little sometimes.

Now, where did I set my 3rd diet coke of the day?...

 

[pperfectmom]

My kids are very small, so DS has never had a soda. On the rare occasion I have let DD have one although she usually would rather have milk or juice. I would never let either of them drink a diet soda. I'd rather let them have good old-fashioned sugar once in a while than whatever weird stuff they put in diet. FYI DH and I do not drink soda, so we don't have it in the house.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I don't think artifical sugars are a good choice unless they are medically necessary. I include high fructose corn syrup in the artificial sugar category. Once in a while when out for a meal, it really wouldn't bother me either way.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

My 5 year old will choose pretty much anything over pop. When at a restaurant she usually has lemonade or chocolate milk. Those are a treat to her.

 

[pumba]

splenda is supposedly the best out there.........My nutritionist and diabetic instructor said not to do the others but Splenda was actually sugar......so I do splenda.....

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Don't tell my MIL, but we let DS have watered down Kool-Aid and watered down soda in our house. If he sees one of us drinking it, he cries and frets until he gets some of his own. So we water it down and he's fine because it's exactly what we have (or so he thinks).

We have also given him really watered down soda during the times when we were out all day in the late spring/early summer (like when we went to Scarborough). I wanted ot make sure he wasn't getting dehydrated.

TOV

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Never at home and rarely at restaurants.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

No artificial sweeteners for me or my kids because any trace of them gives us all horrible migraines.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

No artificial sweeteners for me or my kids because any trace of them gives us all horrible migraines.

My niece has that problem too. Splenda upsets my hubby's belly.

As for our family, we all drink diet. I have discussed this w/ the Dr. and she has agreed that it is the best choice for them. My older is overweight, and doesn't need the sugar. They are only permitted one soda a day, and often don't even drink that. We do drink alot of tea, but go very light on sweetener-instead we use fruit flavored herbal tea, along w/ the reg tea bags.

I really wish we would all stop drinking pop all together. I'm the culprit, that keeps bringing it in the house though. I think I've had 3 today already.

 

[Disney4Drew]

We let DS choose sprite or orange soda sometimes if we're out. He doesn't have pop at home, so I'd say he maybe drinks 6-8oz of caffeine free pop a month???? Honestly, I used to stress about him even having that much, but I am mellowing much more on things. The one thing I have never let him have is kool-aid.

 

[Cindyluwho]

You can still buy soda with real sugar in it in most Mexican groceries. Some even carry "real" Coke made with sugar although they're not supposed to import it to the US, they do it anyway because most Mexicans prefer it over the high fructose stuff. I love the orange soda from Mexico mmmmm
We don't keep any soda in the house except the occasional root beer for floats. Now you've made me have a craving....

 

[daisyduck123]

My DD12 & DS8 do not drink soda - ever. (DD12 has tried it a few times, would rather drink water). I do think though, that soda in small amounts is not going to harm the average child.

 

[summerrluvv]

I don't buy soda at home, but when we eat out DS is allowed to have it. I try not to make it a habit since it depletes the calcium in their bones. I wouldn't give anything with artifical sweetners to my child, including yogurt, ice cream, etc.

 

[aprilgail2]

I never let my daughter have anything with artificial sweetener.

 

[CEDmom]

Personally, I don't want my DD eating anything with artificial sweetener even if it does taste like sugar . There are no long term studies that I know of that show the long term affect these products have on children. While corn syrup isn't high on my list on things I do want my DD to have I think it's better. BTW, she doesn't like soda much either.

 

[famofsix]

We drink coke and sprite on occasion at home when we order a pizza. at restaurants my kids are more likely to order chocolate milk....
I would rather not have the diet...I thought absence of sugar can actually make a person crave sugar...

everything in moderation.

The baby drinks milk in case you're wondering