While making your child eat nutritious food can be challenging, giving healthy drinks to quench their thirst is also a tough job for parents. Children generally have a sweet tooth and like to drink sugary drinks and to guide them towards healthier beverage options is the tricky part.  Following are some essential and healthy drinks for your little one which you must incorporate to their balanced diet in order to keep them away from unwanted diseases. Check out: 

1. WATER 

Well, you can say that water is the most obvious option and you need no reminder! But there are some controversies about the water intake of kids. Water is critical to the health and necessary for countless vital processes in your child’s body, including temperature regulation and organ function. In fact, in relation to body weight, children have greater water requirements than adults due to their rapidly growing body and higher metabolic rate. So always offer water first when they are thirsty.

Also, drinking enough water is linked to healthy body weight, reduced risk of dental cavities, and improved brain function in children. Water is essential to your child’s health and should make up the majority of their fluid intake.

2. UNSWEETENED MILK

Plain unsweetened cow’s milk is always the healthiest choice for kids. Cow- milk is highly nutritious, packed with many nutrients that are crucial for growth and development. Milk contains protein, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium — essential nutrients for bone health that are especially important for growing children. Additionally, milk is often fortified with vitamin D which is important for bone health and other essential minerals, which are essential for overall health.

Though some parents tend to buy low-fat milk for their kids but milk with higher fat content may be healthier for younger children, as fat is needed for proper brain development and overall growth.

In fact, children have a higher need for fat than adults, due to an increased rate of metabolism.

For these reasons, higher-fat milk choices, such as 2% fat milk, makes a better choice than skim milk for most children. However, it’s important to note that drinking too much milk can cause children to become full, potentially causing them to consume less of their meal or snack. To ensure that your child doesn’t become overly full of milk before eating food, only offer a small portion of milk at mealtime.

While milk can be a nutritious drink choice which provides a number of nutrients that growing children need there are many children intolerant to dairy milk. In that case you should carry on with a medical attention. 

Unsweetened dairy milk provides a number of nutrients that growing children need. However, some children may be intolerant to milk.

You can offer a wide array of healthy twists to make their milk more interesting and appealing to them. Here are some tips.

Plain Milk With Some Twists:

• Give a glass of milk with honey and saffron
• Make smoothies with fruits like ripe mango, apple with a milk base. Avoid adding sugar or artificial sweetener, instead, add honey. 
• Garnish the cup/glass of milk with dry fruits.
• Always invest in good quality cocoa powder or chocolate syrup if making chocolate milk.  

3. FLAVOURED WATER

To make water more interesting without adding extra sugar and calories, try infusing water with fresh fruits and herbs. You can try out many flavour combinations to find one that your child enjoys. Plus, your child will get a boost of nutrition from the fresh fruit and herbs used in the water.

Some beautiful combinations include:

• Pineapple and mint
• Cucumber and watermelon
• Blueberries and raspberries
• Strawberries and lemon
• Orange and lime

Get your child involved by letting them choose a favourite flavour pairing and help add the ingredients to the water. Make sure whatever you are providing to your kids should be from a renowned brand and involves a less sugary option. Use these drinks in place of sugary, high-calorie options, such as soda, sweetened milk, and sports drinks. Although your child may protest swapping their favourite sweetened beverage for a healthier option, rest assured that you’re doing the right thing for your child’s health.