Help kids substitute sugary drinks for water

Make a pledge to help kids replace one sugary drink with water.

You know most kids don't get enough water.  Water is so important and necessary for children (really all of us) because it:   

• hydrates the body, since most of our body (cells) are made up of water, we need water to keep every part of our body functioning optimally
• keeps skin healthy
• helps our kidneys that filter out waste and fights urinary tract infections
• helps avoid constipation by making food move through our digestive system and build bulk from fiber
• helps fill our tummies a bit so we don't overeat

but sadly, kids are more apt to be drinking a sugary drink than water.  That's why I am making a pledge to help kids substitute one sugary drink with just one drink of water.

Don't be fooled, sugary drinks are not just soda.  They include all drinks that have added sugar:

• flavored fruit drinks
• sodas
• energy drinks
• sports drinks
• fruit juices

Check the label and you may be surprised to see how much sugar is a drink.  Remember, 4 gms of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon.  So whatever the number is on the label for sugar, just divide it by 4 and that will tell you how many teaspoons o sugar in that drink.  

Please look at serving size and multiply that number by serving size and that will tell you just how much sugar your child will get if they drink the full container.

So for example:  A 20 ounce flavored fruity drink shows 

20 gms of sugar  (20gm / 4gms = 5 teaspoons of sugar)

2 serving sizes  5tsp x 2 = 10 tsp of sugar

So this example, the child would be getting 10 tsp of sugar if they drank the 20 ounce container.  Who would put 10 teaspoons of sugar into a drink a child was drinking

But we just don't realize how much sugar is really in those sugary drinks!

Choose water, it is better for the child and no hidden sugars!

Join me in helping children substitute one sugary drink for for water.

Thanks to Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water for sponsoring today's discussion