Experts from leading health and nutrition organizations recommend kids and teens drink plain water, plain pasteurized milk, and limited amounts of 100% fruit and vegetable juice for optimal nutrition and hydration. Other beverages like plant-based milk alternatives and flavored milks should be limited, while sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and beverages with caffeine or other stimulants should be avoided. These evidence-based recommendations were developed as part of a collaboration by experts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association under the leadership of Healthy Eating Research and with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The same organizations convened in 2019 to release healthy beverage guidelines for 0- to 5-year-olds that are used by clinicians, registered dietitian nutritionists, dentists, public health departments, parents, and caregivers across the country. The full recommendations and accompanying technical report can be found at healthyeatingresearch.org. This site will also contain a set of infographics in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog covering different topics included in the recommendations, such as tips for swapping out drinks with added sugars, understanding caffeine levels in different drinks, and finding the right plant-based milk alternative for children who might be allergic to plain milk or who are vegan. Nutrition Policy Institute's Lorrene Ritchie participated in the expert panel that developed recommendations.
Editor - Director of the Nutrition Policy Institute and Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist