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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think under 5s should not have Diet Coke.

122 replies

MagicMary1 · 28/12/2016 13:49

I just think when parents give their children Diet Coke. They must have a lack of understanding regarding the awful ingredients like aspartame. Or they don't care.

I'm sorry who honestly thinks Diet Coke is healthier than fat coke.

I try and avoid cola and soft drinks for my children, but when they have them I make sure they have the sugar ones as I'd rather them have a bit of sugar then cancer causing chemicals.

I'm not even a food snob. I just hate diet drinks let alone dc having them.

OP posts:
IWantATardis · 28/12/2016 13:52

Personally my feeling is that children under 5 are too young for caffeinated drinks and fizzy drinks altogether, regardless of whether they're given the diet or sugary version.

Soubriquet · 28/12/2016 13:54

Are we talking every day, special occasions or the odd sip?

I'll let my 3 year sip my drink if she wants to but it's usually lemonade, Sprite or full fat coke from McDonald's. (I don't like Coca Cola)

But she doesn't ask very often at all. Once in a blue moon really.

Bauble16 · 28/12/2016 13:54

My DS was 7 when he tried it. He has the deacaff one now but the sweeteners still concern me. Once allowed DS4 some he went crazy, knew there was a reason why I waited with first!

AppleMagic · 28/12/2016 13:56

I wouldn't give my young DC Coke because of the caffeine. Aspartame doesn't bother me because as far as I know, no study has ever proved a cancer link and it's been studied A LOT.

StillMaidOfStars · 28/12/2016 13:56

Aspartame is safe. Most researched food additive in history etc.

But I don't really think small children should drink fizzy pop anyway. I don't think carbonated stuff is great for bones and teeth, but I also think it seems like a bit of a shit habit to start early.

cherrycrumblecustard · 28/12/2016 13:57

Mine have it when out and have lovely teeth.

peaceloveandbiscuits · 28/12/2016 13:58

Biscuit just concern yourself with what your own children are eating and drinking and don't be so judgmental of others.

FYI don't you think that if aspartame was proven to cause cancer, it would be pulled from shelves? Or is it a conspiracy/cover up by "Big Soda"?

magicstar1 · 28/12/2016 13:59

You lost me at "fat Coke". Ridiculous name.

cherrycrumblecustard · 28/12/2016 13:59

I think alcohol causes more cancer than Diet Coke really. Not that I'm suggesting you should give that to a 5 yo.

RatherBeRiding · 28/12/2016 14:00

Aspartame would have to be consumed in industrial quantities I believe in order to produce any ill effects. And as for causing cancer - well if you google aspartame you can find links to any number of studies which conclude that it is safe.

The list of consumable items, chemical and non-chemical, that "cause cancer" is ever growing. Personally I take it all with a pinch of salt (which probably also "causes cancer") and think a broad brush approach to healthy eating is the most sensible.

And I also agree that young children would be better off not getting a taste for sweet fizzy drinks in the first place, but the odd one here and there isn't going to make any difference.

Fairylea · 28/12/2016 14:01

Yabu to assume such parents are ignorant or don't care.

I don't give my son fizzy drinks but he does drink fruit shoots - which have sweeteners in them etc. My son is 4 and has asd and is under the care of a dietician. He has a very restrictive diet (literally just bread, pasta and cheese all day everyday) and the only thing he ever drinks is fruit shoots. If I gave him water or milk (and believe me I've tried) he becomes so dehydrated he gives himself constipation or a urine infection to the point he would end up in hospital.

I have spoken to his dietician about his restricted diet and she has told us that the most important thing is to keep him eating and drinking what he is. Some children with asd end up tube fed as they won't eat food at all.

Ds has prescription strength vitamins and supplements which we get from the hospital.

I would hate for someone to look at me and judge me to be a bad parent. My older child is 13 and has no special needs and happily drank water only for most of her earlier childhood.

KlingybunFistelvase · 28/12/2016 14:02

Personally, I wouldn't give anything other than water, milk or weak fruit juice or maybe weak squash to an under 5yo. I haven't seen anyone I know give coke / Diet Coke to an under 5. Maybe I've seen them have a little sip of their mum's lemonade or something. Is that what you mean or do you see people hand out cans of coke to their toddlers? That just isn't something I've ever seen before bar once in a shop years ago (a baby in a pram was having a sippy cup of coke - I know because the mum said "drink your coke"). I found it so strange that I've remembered it ever since.

OP posts:
Original poster
MagicMary1 · 28/12/2016 14:03

You never heard of the term fat coke.

OP posts:
thisagain · 28/12/2016 14:03

I agree that young children shouldn't be given any carbonated drinks but I only apply this rule to my children and have no feelings about what other people do with theirs. There will be other thinks that I allow my children to do/have that others don't agree with so I hardly think it makes me a better parent, it is just my opinion for my children.

cherrycrumblecustard · 28/12/2016 14:04

Wow you're sheltered Klingy Grin

Artandco · 28/12/2016 14:04

I wouldn't give my 5 year old a fizzy drink of any sort

StillMaidOfStars · 28/12/2016 14:04

cherry Of course. Just my recollection that cola drinks are a small risk for osteoporosis (linked to the phosphoric acid) and that, if I were to have a health concern about (diet or otherwise) fizzy pop, it would be related to effects in this area, rather than 'aspartame causes cancer' bollocks. It's not something that keeps me up at night though Grin

gamerwidow · 28/12/2016 14:05

Nothing wrong with aspartame. No other additive has been more researched and there has never been a study linking it to harm in humans.
Fizzy pop not a great drink for kids in any circumstances but at push id prefer to give my kids the diet version than the sugar laden crap.

Soubriquet · 28/12/2016 14:06

I must say I hoiked my judgey pants up when I saw a toddler of around 2 years old drinking coke out of a babies bottle..

Didn't know if it was full fat or diet but the fact it was in a babies bottle at all made me wince. She was struggling to walk too as she was overweight

thisagain · 28/12/2016 14:07

My son does drink fruit shoots though, which will be disapproved of by some I can remember one of my DD's when she was about 8/9 drinking lucozade (still) and my friend saying she wouldn't let her kids have energy drinks,

StillMaidOfStars · 28/12/2016 14:07

Wasn't there a thread a while ago about a Mum stuck on a boat who didn't have any water for her rapidly-dehydrating baby but refused to give said baby a mouthful of fizzy pop? Have I made that up?

StillRabbit · 28/12/2016 14:08

Personally I wouldn't give a child that young any form of coke!

BUT I don't have any diet or no added sugar drinks in the house. Not because of cancer scares but because I see no problem with sugary drinks in moderation (and not one of us is overweight) and artificial sweeteners have quite a drastic effect on me anyway.

Original poster
MagicMary1 · 28/12/2016 14:08

Aspartame is dodgy, stick to sugar. It's artificial it can't be good for us.

OP posts:
StillMaidOfStars · 28/12/2016 14:09

They must have a lack of understanding regarding the awful ingredients like aspartame
He he, the irony has just hit me.