The Healthy Eating Research (HER) – a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – published their updated beverage recommendations for children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 years old. The expert panel recognized that some beverages, such as 100% juice (in moderation) contribute to meeting daily hydration needs and often provide beneficial nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and fluoride, which may help children and adolescents meet daily nutrient and food group recommendations in a healthy dietary pattern. Thus, consumption of these beverages should be considered in the context of the whole diet. The highlights from the recommendations can be reviewed in HER’s consensus statement.
