Fruit juice - how much sugar is bad.

[Windermere]

Ds is 9.5 mths old and I think that I should start to give him fruit juice with his meals as I have read that it is required to help absorb the iron from his food. I have bought a bottle of heinz pure apple juice with no added sugar but I am worried it has too much natural sugar in it. The label states that per 100ml there is 9.8g of which 9.8g sugars. Is this a lot? Is natural sugar ok? The bottle also states that there is no need for dilution but I am going to dilute anyway. Do you think this is necessary?

I don't think juice is necessary at all, provided your son is eating enough of a healthy diet.
Water is also essential and imo its better to give that as long as possible so they enjoy the taste of it without "needing" it flavoured.

Just give water. You will struggle otherwise later on trying to get them off juice and it will rot their teeth.

I'd stick to water if you can too, especially as he is probably eating fruit as part of his diet anyway.

Where I have given juice, I've just added a dash of fresh orange juice to water.

My older ds's (4 and 2.5)have fresh fruit juice diluted down with water but ds3 who is 9 months just has water.

Thanks for the advice, I think I will stick with the water for now then.

Message withdrawn

Thats a good ideal esbee.

Lots of veggies have the necessary vitamins for iron absorption. Potatos are high in vit. C I think, which would explain the meat and 3 veg meals that used to be traditional. No need for juice at any time. Ds is 2y3m and has no idea that water can be flavoured.

Sorry only water or milk for DS (17mths)

im a bad mummy - jess has diluted juice every day - have never been able to get her to take water though... tried for 3 months and all i got was her spitting it out! added a splash of juice and she downs the lot! rather that than dehydration.

It's easy just say no!

Well it's easy for me because nobody gives bob anything without my permission because of his allergies. So they assume that my juice stand must be something to do with that.

I also trained him to ask for a "drink of water", so they give him what he asks for!

the recommended amount of juice is 4-6 oz a day, and diluted with water...half and half. Also, offer juice with meals only.