This debate has raged off and on for decades. Should kids be allowed to drink coffee? Much less, caffeine-laden soft drinks? Now, no less an authority than the Healthy Eating Research coalition is recommending kids and teens should consume no caffeine at all…
The Healthy Eating Research (HER) coalition counts among its members such organizations as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association. It recently issued new guidelines for caffeine consumption by young people the ages of five and 15.
What’s ‘safe’?
That remains a contentious question in some quarters. But the imminent experts consulted by HER agreed overwhelmingly that NO amount of caffeine is inherently safe for growing, developing kids to consume.
HER officially recommends: “Kids should avoid drinking beverages with any amount of caffeine, including tea, coffee and energy drinks,” noting that there’s still uncertainty about ‘safe’ levels of caffeine for kids and teens. Certain sodas / soft drinks – notably colas – may also contain ‘hidden’ caffeine as well as loads of added sugar.
They also issued new guidelines as to what the daily maximums of water, milk and other common beverages should be for young folks, to ensure optimal hydration and minimal harm to their growing. developing minds and bodies. Because HER knows even the most protective parents can’t monitor their children 24/7/365. And allowing a serving of something like chocolate milk every now and then, as a treat, isn’t going to hurt anyone. It can actually have emotional and social benefits.
My take
It pays to follow the official guidelines. Even back when I was kid, most adults, ‘knew’ that ‘adult stuff’ like coffee, alcohol and tobacco would ‘stunt your growth’. But that common wisdom seems have faded over subsequent generations.
Further research is clearly needed on this issue. Even the Food and Drug Administration offers no guidelines on the amount of caffeine that may be safe for kids to consume. Its only comments concern adults who, it says, should limit themselves to a maximum of 400 mg of caffeine per day…
~ Maggie J.