Should kids have full fat or zero sugar fizzy drinks (as a treat)?

[carotearoa]

I preface this by saying my son is nearly 9 and has only really been allowed anything fizzy in the last year and it will be on occasion only. Because we are new to it and we don't drink much of it in my house, can anyone please confirm for me - are they better to have the full fat or zero sugar versions? Seen lots of articles saying they shouldn't have sweeteners, but the alternative being suggested is water there, rather than the full fat version of the drink.

I would go with the zero sugar version if it is only a rare treat. I remember doing an experiment in school with full fat coke and evaporating the liquid to see the sugar.

We do full sugar as the sugar alternatives in the sugar free are awful for children. My DS goes hyper and OTT after he had a sugar free one once....never again!

Sugar, which is probably only Coca Cola. I wouldn't go near sweeteners. We used to share a tin visiting grandparents etc so probably 3 times a year 😂

I think the artificial sweetener in in the diet versions is horrific. If there is a preference, IMO it would be sugar.

Even better would be sparkling water with some high juice cordial in it. Or a 7-Up/Sprite with sugar (at least that cuts out the colours).

Full sugar.

We use cordials such as elderflower and blackcurrant with fizzy water as an alternative.

Full sugar as artificial sweeteners are awful for the gut and they raise blood sugar levels anyway so just another pointless chemical.

Mine are always incredibly keen to have a fizzy drink but to date I don’t think they’ve ever finished one.

They do have cordial at home but we avoid most squash due to sweeteners.

Whichever they want because as a rare treat it doesn’t matter. If it was being drunk all the time there are arguments for and against each.

We went zero sugar. It’s all pretty crap. It was an occasional treat. They are all over 18 now and they mainline the stuff. Yech.

We always go for (on the rare occasion they have it) original. I'm not keen on the alternatives.

But it's all awful, so probably not much difference!

Nutritional therapist here - obviously ideally neither but yes the sugar one is better. Not on an empty stomach though, perhaps at the end of a meal to slow down the blood sugar impact.

I always did full sugar, knowing our bodies are able to deal with a natural product like sugar, but I have no idea of the long term effects of artificial sweetners.

Full sugar.

Thanks all. Have found Appletise to be a fairly good compromise too as it's just fizzy apple juice.

I allow either full sugar or zero Fanta, Sprite, lemonade etc as occasional treats from age 8, usually when we are at a pub or fast food restaurant or if we have some in for guests. No coke till age 13 though as that is my rule for caffeine. They mostly drink water.

Full sugar if there is a choice, but very few are now. Even the regular versions of drinks, including the 'luxury' brands, are usually a mixture of sugar and sweeteners.

Those “full sugar” versions all contain sweeteners as well as sugar.

sweeteners trigger migraines in me so my preference for my child is full sugar but I don’t go nuts if she wants an occasional flavoured drink and what is available has sweeteners in. It is quite difficult to find no sweetener fizzy drinks when out and about. Red coke is often the only one ( and not even that if the place serves Pepsi).