Why Kids and Teens Should Avoid These 3 Harmful Drink Ingredients, Say Experts

‎Fresh dietary advice for children and teens is now casting a clearer spotlight on a previously under-addressed area: what young people should drink to stay healthy. A newly released set of national guidelines, backed by major medical and nutritional institutions, recommends that individuals aged 5 to 18 steer clear of beverages containing caffeine, added sugars, or sugar substitutes.

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New expert-backed guidelines urge kids and teens to avoid drinks with caffeine, added sugar, and sugar substitutes for better lifelong health.

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‎The report, published by Healthy Eating Research (HER) on January 30, emphasizes that beverage choices play a pivotal role in a child’s current and long-term well-being. HER is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and operates out of the Duke Global Health Institute. Its latest recommendations were developed in collaboration with leading organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Heart Association, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

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‎The initiative builds on HER’s 2019 guidance for children under five, expanding the focus to older children and adolescents. According to Megan Elsener Lott, HER’s deputy director, the goal is to offer a “gold standard” for hydration rooted in the most current scientific research.

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‎Beverage decisions for young people often go overlooked, despite growing evidence that what they drink is just as important as what they eat. The guidelines now define clear hydration goals by age: 40 ounces of fluid per day for children aged 5 to 8, 54 to 61 ounces for ages 9 to 14, and up to 88 ounces for older teens. Most of that should come from simple, accessible sources.

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‎Water is the ideal beverage, the report notes—specifically, unsweetened, unflavored, fluoridated water. It can be safely paired with plain, pasteurized milk as a secondary hydration source. Milk offers additional nutritional benefits and can reduce the total water needed throughout the day.

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‎Caffeine: A Hidden Risk for Young Consumers

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‎Caffeinated drinks—especially energy drinks—are flagged as a major concern. Surveys reveal that a significant number of teens consume caffeine daily, mostly through soda, tea, coffee, and increasingly, energy drinks. Some of these beverages pack an alarming 500 mg of caffeine per serving.

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‎There is currently no official caffeine limit for minors set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, strongly advises against any caffeine consumption by children and adolescents. Research shows links between caffeine and adverse outcomes, such as disturbed sleep, elevated blood pressure, and potential behavioral effects. Compounding the problem, beverage labels are not required to list caffeine content, leaving parents and kids in the dark.

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‎Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Empty Calories with Real Consequences

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‎Another major category to eliminate is sugar-sweetened beverages. These include sodas, flavored milks, sweetened teas, fruit punches, and sports drinks, which are the leading source of added sugars in the diets of U.S. children. These drinks offer no nutritional value and are linked to a range of health issues, including obesity, tooth decay, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

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‎Even among active children, the report stresses that sports drinks are rarely necessary. For most kids and teens, water alone is sufficient to stay hydrated, even during routine sports and physical activity. Exceptions might include endurance athletes or situations involving extended exertion in hot, humid weather, but for the average youth, those conditions are uncommon.

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‎Artificial Sweeteners: Not a Safe Substitute

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‎Parents hoping to sidestep sugar with "diet" drinks won’t find relief in alternatives like aspartame, sucralose, or stevia-based beverages. The new guidelines discourage the use of non-nutritive sweeteners across the board for children and teens. Although research on their long-term safety is still evolving, these substitutes may contribute to taste preference shifts, potentially making it harder for children to enjoy naturally unsweetened foods and drinks in the future.

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‎A Simpler, Safer Hydration Strategy

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‎Young people benefit most from a straightforward approach to hydration. The safest and most health-promoting strategy remains sticking to water and plain milk, both free of the added chemicals and sweeteners that dominate so many beverage aisles.

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‎The new HER report seeks to cut through marketing noise and offer clarity in a space that’s been clouded by misinformation and aggressive advertising. By focusing on whole-body health, these recommendations aim to shape healthier habits—not just for today’s youth, but for the adults they’ll become.