New evidence-based recommendations developed by experts from leading health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, encourage children and teens to choose beverages that promote optimal nutrition and hydration.

Children ages 5 to 18 are encouraged to drink plain water and plain pasteurized milk. They should limit the amount of 100% fruit and vegetable juice, plant-based milk alternatives, and flavored milks they drink. Sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and beverages with caffeine or other stimulants should be avoided.

“The data tells us that a lot of children get a lot of their nutrition and added sugars from the fluids they drink,” said Mark R. Corkins, M.D., FAAP, who served on the panel that developed the guidelines and is chair of the AAP Committee on Nutrition. “However, it is often not in the forefront of parents’ minds. The literature indicates that a big chunk of added sugars found in kids’ diets is from soda and sports drinks, and this is a factor in the resulting obesity numbers.”

Dr. Corkins said a key goal of the recommendations is to ensure children and teens grow up with healthy habits to support their physical and emotional development.

Milk is an important source of essential nutrients that are in short supply in the diet because this age group no longer drinks milk like in the past, Dr. Corkins said.

“There was a time when the norm was that children drink milk. Now the parents and children seem to think they don’t need milk anymore once they reach school age,” he said. “For hydration, the best fluid of course is plain water, which is also a nutrient in and of itself.”

Most beverages on the market, such as sports drinks and soda, contain added sugars that can contribute to the risk of dental caries and diet-related diseases like type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity. Even drinks that contain non-sugar sweeteners —like diet or light drinks — are not as healthy as previously thought.

Beverages with caffeine and other stimulants, such as coffee and energy drinks, are also popular, despite evidence suggesting there is no safe amount of caffeine for children under 18 years. Such beverages can contribute to poor sleep quality, increased blood pressure, depressive moods, and anxiety.

To simplify the recommendations for families, beverages were separated into three categories:

• Beverages to drink: plain drinking water and plain pasteurized milk
• Beverages to limit: 100% juice, plant-based milk alternatives and flavored milks
• Beverages to avoid: sports drinks, sodas, fruit drinks, fruitades, aguas frescas, sweetened waters, energy drinks, energy shots, coffee, and teas

If you have a question about what your child is or should be drinking, you are encouraged to speak to their provider during their next well-visit.