Continued from Is Juice Bad For Kids?, Page 1.

What is the bottom line?

As with most things in life, the whole is better for you than the parts. If you are choosing between a piece of fresh fruit and a glass of juice, opt for the actual fruit. It has more fiber and fewer calories.

But when it comes to fruit drinks, here's where you want to make a real effort to find the healthiest alternative.

• Look for "100% juice" on the label.
• Avoid "beverages," "cocktails," "drinks" and "punches."
• If your child is willing, choose water or milk over any kind of juice.
• Perhaps most important, don't pass off dessert drinks as healthy--smoothies may provide a good load of vitamins and minerals, but they are drenched in ice cream or frozen yogurt or syrup sweeteners, making them treats rather than daily staples of health.

Dr. Cara Natterson, author of Your Toddler: Head To Toe is a pediatrician and mother of 2. To buy a copy of her book, click here. She is currently working on the forthcoming book entitled Dangerous or Safe?

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