Time to Drink Juice

Time to Juice: When and How to Introduce Fruit Juices into Your Child's Diet

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of a child's life. However, as your baby grows, his body requires more energy and nutrients than breast milk alone can provide. During this period, the introduction of complementary foods begins, including various foods and dishes. One of the first non-dairy products that can be introduced into your baby's diet is fruit juices.

The introduction of fruit juices into the diet of infants is due to their liquid consistency and ease of digestion, which does not require significant stress on the child’s digestive system. However, it must be borne in mind that early introduction of juices to breastfed children is not advisable, since this does not make a significant contribution to meeting their needs for vitamins and minerals. Moreover, this can lead to allergic reactions and disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.

The optimal time to introduce fruit juices into a baby's diet is between 3 and 4 months of age. The first juice that can be included in your baby's diet is apple juice, which has low allergenic properties. Then you can move on to pear, plum, apricot, peach juices, and later to blackcurrant, cherry and others. Sour and tart juices should be diluted with boiled water in a 1:1 ratio. Citrus juices, raspberry, strawberry and tomato are among the foods with a high potential allergenicity. They should be prescribed taking into account individual tolerance and allergy history, but in any case not earlier than 6 months of the child’s life.

After introducing fruit juices into the baby’s diet, after 2 weeks (if they are well tolerated), you can begin to give denser foods - fruit puree. The range of first fruit purees and the sequence of their introduction into the diet are similar to the rules described for juices.

The introduction of complementary feeding products and dishes to children on mixed and artificial feeding is practically no different from the scheme for introducing complementary feeding to infants. However, when choosing and introducing new products, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the child and consult with a pediatrician.

When to give fruit juices? Fruit juices can be given to a child during the day at any convenient time, but not more than 100-150 ml per day. For breastfed babies, it is recommended to start with 20-30 ml of juice per day, gradually increasing the volume. Fruit juices can be given on their own or mixed with other foods, such as cereal or yogurt.

How to give fruit juices correctly? When preparing fruit juices, it is necessary to observe the rules of hygiene, wash the fruit thoroughly and use only fresh, unmoldy fruits. Fruits must be peeled and pitted, chopped and squeezed out the juice through cheesecloth or a special juicer. The finished juice must be diluted with boiled water in a 1:1 ratio and given to the baby in small portions.

It is important to remember that fruit juices should not replace breast milk or formula, but only be used as an additional source of vitamins and minerals. It should also be taken into account that fruit juices contain sugar, which can negatively affect a child's health, especially if consumed in excess. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the measure and monitor the baby’s reaction to new products.