healthy kids
According to the National Alliance for
Youth Sports, the recommended beverage contents for active kids during sports and other activities should contain at least 100 milligrams (mg) of sodium and at least 28 mg of potassium per eight ounces. It should be noncarbonated. We asked two moms keen on nutrition how they include these elements in drinks that kids will like.
Kids Love These Homemade Drinks by Judith Fertig
HEALTHY SUMMER HYDRATION
A
t day camp or the pool, on the playing fi eld or in the backyard, kids can get really thirsty, espe-
cially as temperatures climb. Although fi ltered water is always a good choice, sugary, carbonated, artifi cially colored and fl avored beverages can be tempting. Hav- ing homemade options ready can entice kids to stay hydrated in a healthy way.
Clued-in Professionals “As a sports nutritionist and mother of active kids, I know there’s a lot of misin-
formation out there, and I get all kinds of questions from parents about what drinks are best for kids,” says Jackie Berning, Ph.D., a registered dietitian, sports nutrition consultant and profes- sor of health science at the University of Colorado, in Colorado Springs. “Par- ents need to know that all beverages are not created equal when it comes to hydrating them. The best [healthful] beverages taste good when your child is active, so encourage their drinking more of them,” she says.
Mom Picks Michele Olivier, the mother of daughters Elliette and Parker, views herself as both a lover of food and a control freak. The Denver, Colorado, recipe blogger started off making food for her baby and toddler. As her kids grew and their nutritional needs changed, she created new recipes, includ- ing healthy sports drinks that both balance electrolytes and hydrate.
While Elliette loves water and has no trouble staying hydrated, Parker loves juice, so Mom had to “make something that looks like juice, but is healthy,” says Olivier. Four main ingredients are a little frozen fruit left over from breakfast smoothies, a bit of honey for sweetening, a dash of Himalayan sea salt and water, or herbal tea or coconut water. She might also add fresh mint, ginger or other natural fl avorings (
BabyFoode.com). Heather Dessinger, a mom of three and blogger of recipes and natural mother- ing tips from Santa Fe, Tennessee, makes a drink based on coconut water with lime juice, raw honey and sea salt for older kids that play soccer or other warm-weather sports. Dessinger describes herself as a researcher and healthy living DIY fan (
Mommypotamus.com). With homemade drinks, we know exactly what is—and what isn’t—in them. They can be made in batches and kept in the refrigerator. Dessinger relates, “I’ve found that when I make a batch with honey, which is naturally antimicro- bial, and store it in the coldest part of the fridge, my homemade sports drink lasts for at least a week.”
Judith Fertig writes cookbooks plus foodie fi ction from Overland Park, KS (
JudithFertig.com).
20 Austin Edition
AustinAwakenings.com
Romrodphoto/
Shutterstock.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
