What's wrong with Robinsons squash for children ??

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my friend came around with her two girls for a play date with my daughter. Her girls are about the same age, 3 and 5. I offered the girls some juce and they all said yes please. I said to my friend as I got out the bottles, which flavour do they like?
It was Robinsons sugar free juice, she said "Oh, it's o.k, they'll have water". I then said "they did ask for juice" and she said "to be honest, I never give them Robinsons at home as it's really bad for them, she said it's got a lot of additives.
I never knew this, you'd think you'd be o.k with such a well known brand.
What do you think? should I get different squash? and if so, what is the best brand?

I wouldn't feel bad. There are worse things and better things and a million ways of doing it all.
She has had enough to drink and eat. And a family that loves her. The rest is setting higher end goals isn't it? My mum reminds me to think of the poor daughters walking to try find clean water risking rape in war torn coutries, when I worry about dd1's veg intake. It's dramtic. But it's totally real and true.

Our babies are doing bloody good. Go have some chocolate. Hurrah!

dramtic? dramatic! TUT!

Tryingtobehealthy I have heard, (although don't know if it's true), that aspartame has been shown to be carcinogenic in clinical tests done with mice. Is this true/not true?

I don't give anything that contains aspartame to my dc's just in case this is true.

Maybe giving her water in a fun bottle or squeezy bottle might help?

Don't feel bad! Parenting is such a learning experience. I'm third time round and rethinking/experimenting with all this weaning business completely! There's really no right or wrong way.

I just feel that a lot of artificial additives are unnecessary. They're probably harmless but they may not be so it just seems like an unnecessary risk especially with a history of adhd in my family so I do check labels. I hope that buying more natural foods sends a message to the manufacturer but that might be wishful thinking!

Also, I can taste aspartame a mile off. Ergghhh!

I think that watered down squash is better than lots of juice -after all it is nearly all water (especially the way I mix it). I wouldn't want to give DCs all that juice, even watered down.

Merlin (great name!) yes aspartame has shown to induce cancer in rats but the bit it works on (I don't remember the details!) is something that humans don't have so it's impossible for humans to react in the same way to the rats. It really does seem to be one of these where everybody has heard horror stories and assume they're true yet there seems to be no evidence at all.

Thanks Tryingtobehealthy. It's hard to know what to do for the best sometimes. I suppose it's best to steer clear anyway if we're not sure.

Thanks for saying you like my name too. I was thinking of changing it tbh. Thought maybe it sounded too masculine and I'm female. But I might keep it now.

My DD drinks squash. She won't drink enough water (had urinary problems because of not drinking enough) and I don't want her drinking too-sugary or acid drinks (like real juice!) between meals. But then again she's 10 so maybe I'm lucky she's still on squash and doesn't like fizzy drinks - her friends ask for coke if they see we've got some for ourselves.

We mostly get the Sainsburys own-brand no added sugar ones now, rather than Robinsons, because they are sweetened with sucralose rather than aspartame - from what I can see, though of course on the net you'll find negative comments, theres not too much wrong with sucralose.

[merlin - you could become merlinthehappysow if you want to feminise your name ]

Big bugbear in our house I'm afraid. Very allergic dd, "normal" squash is one of the worst things she can have for excema outbreaks and puffy finger reaction. We are certain its the preservatives, stuffed full of sulphites. Never touch aspartame anyway because we are asthmatic and it is alleged to be a risk in causing asthma attacks.

We get Rocks which are fine, plus any other additive free crdials which generally have to be stored in the fridge, use juice and are loving the new Robinsons naturals which have no additives or preservatives and are inexpensive. Saying that squash is only really drunk with meals otherwise it is water or milk.

Oh plus our dentist thinks the no added sugare ones are just as bad as normal ones because of the acid content and would rather we used none or just at meals!

On the juice - squash thing, well the part of scotland where I'm from juice is juice, squash is juice, coke/diet coke/pepsi are juice! Maybe it's a Scottish thing

I stopped tkaing apspartame ages ago after reaidng aobut the similar to MS symptoms. A lot of my fibro symptoms are similar to mS. However, me cutting it out hasn't stopped my symptoms IYSWIM, so thats no what caused it. Plus aspartame maks Ds2 go a bit wild - within hours of him having it was pulling him down off the ceiling so to speak. We always ahve full sugar squash (juice)

I might have had a break through. My daughter has had her eye on this dinks bottle with her name on it for ages, I didn't get it as I thought it a waist of money.
I've just asked her if I buy it for her, she can only have water in it. She's said yes.
I'll buy evian as tap water does taste horrible. This could be good.

Aside from water, though, what's the alternative to squash for a sugar-free drink for children? I used to give DD diluted, organic juice, until we discovered that she needed three fillings aged six. Following that, juice is essentially banned, milk and water are encouraged, but squash (very diluted) is also occasionally allowed. I hate that DD has the artificial sweeteners but for me it seems to be a choice between those and tooth decay (in spite of brushing, flossing and mouthwash).

Does anyone know of any other kinds of sugar free yet tasty drink?

Grimma, I didn't know about the Sainsbury's ones with Sucralose, that's good to know! I's not an issue for the kids as they only drink wter, milk or very occasionally Rocks, but I dirnk sugar-free squash and have been looking for ones without aspartame.

"what's the alternative to squash for a sugar-free drink for children?"

Squash isn't sugar free! Not if it has any fruit in it at all.

All I have to say is the woman who refused the squash was not rude in the slightest for saying no, aspartame is a known carcinogen even in low doses so I would not feed it to my child. I used to when he was little and I didn't know anything about these things but I would advise mums to look in to ingredients you think because robinsons is a well known brand it would be safe these companies don't care about the health of your children they care about cheap products and big profits. Then when your kids are 40 and experiencing all kinds of health problems the pharmaceutical companies can cash in on it as well then a plus for the government the more people dying young the less pensions they have to pay out. Everyone wins except the consumer who thinks there winning at the time by buying a sugar free product that will save their childrens teeth... Save your childrens general health even normal sugar in rocks is a million times better than artificial crap my motto stay away from everything that has a tv commercial. You can buy dentures if your teeth fall out you may not be able to reverse any of the effects these chemicals can have in later life for your kids. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but I wouldn't risk it with the most important thing that ever happened to me and the most precious thing I'll ever hold in my arms. I'd rather buy A more expensive natural sugar alternative. And for people saying their kids don't like water if you just gave them water they would drink it there not going to die of dehydration swap for water organic milk or real fruit juice or rocks.

As an alternative to water or milk I sometimes give mine:

• sparkling water
• hot chocolate ( 1/2 spoon cocoa powder)
• mint tea
• fennel tea

The warm ones mainly in winter. Otherwise they like just warm milk also. Water is main drink

Interesting first post Nokomis - especially as you've resurrected a zombie thread!

I don't think its rude to say no thankyou and I know a lot of people who wouldn't want their kids to have it either. I'd also say no thankyou to coke and no thankyou to sweets too.

My reason for refusing aspartame is that when I am pregnant, I find it (and also quorn) utterly unbearably revolting. I assumed that my body was telling me something about foods best avoided.

I like Rocks cordial. It tastes like home made squash, and French squash I gew up on.

Zombie thread don't know what that means

It means that you've resurrected a very old thread. How did you come across this one?

Ah right I came across it on google whilst searching ingredients in britvic cordial and this thread came up I like to check ingredients for all sorts

Ds drinks water at home but if we go to someone's house and they offer him juice/ squash I'm not going to deny him it as it's on such an infrequent basis that it's not going to hurt. Our reasons for not giving him it at home are 1. teeth and 2. it sends him quite hyper.