There is a wide variety of beverages available today, with stores shelves displaying drinks of all colors and packaging, a dazzling array that can be overwhelming. On television, various food and beverage commercials interrupt programs on every channel, with movie stars, singers, and sports stars acting as promoters, aggressively advertising all kinds of drinks. This onslaught of ads leaves parents at a loss, so how should one choose drinks for their children? First, one must understand what beverages are. I. What are the types of beverages
Beverages include tea, alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks. The first three are beverages chosen by adults, while the latter is suitable for children and teenagers. As a parent, one should select the appropriate type for their child from soft drinks. Soft drinks do not contain alcohol and their primary purpose is to replenish the body's water supply. The market today is flooded with soft drinks of all names. For now, they can be categorized into three types based on their function:
(1) Water-based drinks: Such as still water, soda water, etc.
(2) Fruit-flavored drinks: Such as fruit-flavored sodas, various fruit juices. There are also sodas flavored with essences. These essences can be natural, semi-synthetic, or fully synthetic. Fruit-flavored drinks can also be divided into liquid and solid forms; the latter is mixed with water before drinking.
(3) Nutritional drinks: These are further divided into: 1. High-calorie drinks, such as high-sugar grape juice. 2. Low-calorie drinks, such as sugar-free soda. 3. Mineral drinks, such as mineral water. 4. Vitamin drinks, which mainly refer to fruit and vegetable juice drinks. These types of drinks are often rich in Vitamin C, such as those made from sea buckthorn, thorn pear, blackcurrant, kiwi, and other wild plants, which contain extremely high levels of Vitamin C. II. How to choose beverages
The main reason people choose beverages is to supplement their body's water needs. Water is extremely important for the human body. Water is a key component of human cells and one of the most vital elements for sustaining life. All physiological activities in the body require water, whether it's the digestion, absorption, transportation, and metabolism of nutrients, or the excretion of metabolic waste and toxins. The body's physiological activities and temperature regulation all depend on water. Water is closely linked to life activities. Dehydration has a greater impact on health than starvation. If the body loses more than 10% of its body weight in water, it will cause cardiovascular disorders, affecting the transport of oxygen and nutrients and having a serious impact on life activities.
Primary and secondary school students have larger activity levels and therefore have a greater need for water, requiring timely replenishment. So, how should they supplement it? Which drink is the best choice? In fact, plain boiled water, the most traditional drink in China, is the best beverage. After entering the human body, plain boiled water can immediately participate in metabolic activities, regulate body temperature, and transport nutrients. American scientists have discovered that boiled water, naturally cooled to 20-25°C, most easily penetrates cell membranes, promoting metabolism and enhancing the body's disease resistance. People who are accustomed to drinking boiled water have higher dehydrogenase activity in their bodies and less lactic acid accumulation in their muscles, making them less prone to fatigue. Therefore, plain boiled water is the best drink for children and should be promoted.
During the hot summer weather, the body sweats a lot. Children playing outdoors often get sweaty and tend to crave cold drinks like iced soda. Drinking too many cold drinks is harmful, not beneficial, for children. This is because the gastrointestinal mucosa of children is very sensitive to cold stimulation. Drinking too many cold drinks can cause a sudden contraction of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea. Many commercially available sodas and colas contain baking soda, which neutralizes stomach acid and affects digestion. Long-term consumption can affect the intake of regular meals, which is detrimental to a child's growth. Therefore, during the summer, to replenish water in a timely manner, one can drink small amounts of plain boiled water, mung bean soup, fresh fruit juice multiple times, and eat some watermelon.
Most commercially available drinks contain a high amount of sugar. Excessive consumption leads to excessive sugar intake and increased energy, which can cause obesity. When children drink beverages, they should try to choose low-sugar or sugar-free options. Currently, cola-type drinks are common on the market, and many parents often buy them for their children. Cola-type drinks mainly contain caffeine, sugar, and baking soda. These drinks are not conducive to children's growth and development, and many countries and regions have banned their sale to children and teenagers. This is because:
(1) Caffeine has a stimulating effect and can interfere with students' memory. At the same time, long-term consumption can cause palpitations, arrhythmia, and is detrimental to the cardiovascular system.
(2) The baking soda in cola-type drinks neutralizes stomach acid, reducing digestive capacity and affecting the digestion and absorption of food.
(3) British scientists have found that the acidic substances in carbonated drinks damage children's teeth.
Therefore, it is not recommended to give children cola-type drinks. It is also suggested that parents try to avoid choosing alcoholic beverages for them. Alcoholic beverages can affect the growth and development of children and teenagers. This is because alcohol is metabolized in the liver, and the liver of children and teenagers is not yet fully developed. Drinking alcohol can damage the liver. Additionally, alcohol is harmful to the nervous system, such as the brain, as it can inhibit brain excitability, weaken memory, attention, and comprehension. Therefore, children and teenagers should not drink alcoholic beverages, let alone alcohol.