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Best Beverages for Teens

lulalacroix
lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
edited February 2017 in Debate Club
What are the best beverages for teens? Juice, soda, and energy drinks often contain a lot of sugar and sometimes loads of caffeine. Diet beverages contain sugar substitutes. Obviously water is a good choice, but other than water what say you?
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Replies

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    My dd drinks water, milk, unsweetened tea or juice usually. Soda pop is just sometimes. No energy drinks.

  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Teens aren't really vastly different than any age group. Teens often do not get enough protein or calcium, so some milk or calcium-rich drink is a good idea.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
    My kiddo drinks milk and diet soda! Doesn't drink water, well because, he's an obstinate teenager.
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    My dd drinks water, milk, unsweetened tea or juice usually. Soda pop is just sometimes. No energy drinks.

    I don't allow my teen energy drinks either, but he stills asks often.
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    Teens aren't really vastly different than any age group. Teens often do not get enough protein or calcium, so some milk or calcium-rich drink is a good idea.

    Teens may not be very nutritionally different than others, but many do not always make the best food or drink choices. Plus they can be harder to regulate than my children of younger ages. For example, my 9 year old would never ask for an energy drink or Starbucks. My 9 year old also does not go the the corner store with her friends to buy whatever she wants. Hence my question regarding teens.
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    Milk. Water. Flavored water infused with Fruit.
    Sugar really isnt all that bad honestly, if the teens are healthy and active they will process the sugar just fine.

    But do you or would you limit the number of sugary drinks? I don't have a problem allowing a sugary beverage, but in my home the limit is one soda or sweet tea per day.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    Teens aren't really vastly different than any age group. Teens often do not get enough protein or calcium, so some milk or calcium-rich drink is a good idea.

    Teens may not be very nutritionally different than others, but many do not always make the best food or drink choices. Plus they can be harder to regulate than my children of younger ages. For example, my 9 year old would never ask for an energy drink or Starbucks. My 9 year old also does not go the the corner store with her friends to buy whatever she wants. Hence my question regarding teens.

    The way my mom did it was not keep those things in the house but allowed me to drink soda when we went out to dinner. As a parent, I think it's good to teach your kids not to fear or label food, but rather let them know that some are more of a treat than others.

    Typically when I did drink often as a kid was orange juice, milk and iced tea.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    Teens aren't really vastly different than any age group. Teens often do not get enough protein or calcium, so some milk or calcium-rich drink is a good idea.

    Teens may not be very nutritionally different than others, but many do not always make the best food or drink choices. Plus they can be harder to regulate than my children of younger ages. For example, my 9 year old would never ask for an energy drink or Starbucks. My 9 year old also does not go the the corner store with her friends to buy whatever she wants. Hence my question regarding teens.

    The way my mom did it was not keep those things in the house but allowed me to drink soda when we went out to dinner. As a parent, I think it's good to teach your kids not to fear or label food, but rather let them know that some are more of a treat than others.

    Other than water, we only keep plain milk, brewed/unsweet iced tea, seltzer, and Diet Coke at the house. We also keep bottles of unsweetened lemon and lime juice to add as flavoring. The only one who likes the diet soda is limited to one per day. When we're out or when they buy lunch at school, they can have what they'd like. They recognize it as a treat, which I think happened because they grew up like that. Now as teenagers, it's their "normal."
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Milk. Water. Flavored water infused with Fruit.
    Sugar really isnt all that bad honestly, if the teens are healthy and active they will process the sugar just fine.

    Most teens are not active. Therefore, good idea to watch calorie intake in general and high calorie, nutritionally less foods/drinks especially.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,257 Member
    We do mostly water. Soda is a treat. We use Mio or other flavor additives from time to time or Kool-Aid with 1/2 sugar. Kids are active and typically ask for water.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    Water, milk, iced tea. Same things I'd offer my 9 year old (who asks for Starbucks Frappuccinos regularly and gets them from time to time.)
  • GemstoneofHeart
    GemstoneofHeart Posts: 865 Member
    When I was a teen I drank milk and water. And sometimes coffee if my dad was feeling nice. Now I drink almond milk and water. And more coffee.

    I am so glad I never grew up drinking that crap, cause I have never ever wanted it. My husband is addicted to soda because he grew up drinking it.

    So maybe just go with those and the occasional hot cocoa or a smoothie?
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Water, milk, iced tea. Same things I'd offer my 9 year old (who asks for Starbucks Frappuccinos regularly and gets them from time to time.)

    Many of the Starbucks frappuccinos have more caffeine than a can of Red Bull.

    May not be the best thing for a nine year old.
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
    When I was a teen I drank water, juice, hot chocolate and soda. I only got soda at school if I bought it with my own money. My parents refused to have it in the house which was probably a good thing.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Water, milk, iced tea. Same things I'd offer my 9 year old (who asks for Starbucks Frappuccinos regularly and gets them from time to time.)

    Many of the Starbucks frappuccinos have more caffeine than a can of Red Bull.

    May not be the best thing for a nine year old.

    Strawberries and Creme and Vanilla Bean Creme frapps have no coffee/caffeine in them. They are pretty much milkshakes. There is a vanilla frapp that has coffee in it though. We once had a new barista who accidentally made us one of those and my daughter was quick to declare that something was wrong with it :)
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    When I was a teen I was only allowed to have milk or water. Soda only when we went out to eat or for special occasions. I couldn't even buy it at school because the machines only operated outside of class hours.
  • DKG28
    DKG28 Posts: 299 Member
    as a teen I drank what my parents drank: unsweetened iced tea, skim milk, water - mostly sparkling. We always had OJ or grapefruit juice available, and drank it half mixed with sparking water (a German thing). I never expected to have a huge variety of beverages to choose from - I understood the purpose of a drink was to quench thirst. Part of the soda culture is the change in expectation - that drinks be packed with flavor and be sweet and be drunk for the flavor hit, not just to hydrate. We truly don't need tons of drink options.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited February 2017
    Water, tea, milk (in my one who can drink it).

    On special occasions they'll have pop (I encourage diet or Zevia, and preferably no caffeine), hot chocolate or wine.

    ETA I make them protein, fruit and veggie shakes a few days per week too.