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It's just a much higher concentration of sugar without the fiber of actual fruit to fill you up. I'm sure others can explain better

What @T.H.O.U.: said.

Accdg to my dietician (I have GD so am seeing one regularly), it takes something like 3-4 oranges to make one cup of juice so you end up consuming a ton of sugar without any of the added benefit of fiber / pulp.

Adding my two cents: not having to do with tooth health per se, but drinking juice doesn't help kids get the taste for dealing with fruits and veggies in their whole forms. Knowing how cool and weird and messy and fun a fruit or veggie is is a large part of learning to eat healthy, in my opinion. I feel like that's why hiding produce in food backfires too.

@T.H.O.U.: So I 150% agree with you....

This is a little off topic, but the recommendation from 3 different pediatricians (within the same office) and the GI specialist we saw is that the solution to my daughter's chronic constipation (shes 15 months old) is 6 ounces of juice a day and/or miralax. Do you think it's better to give miralax, which is not natural but in theory isn't harmful, or to give juice, which is natural but IMO IS harmful. I am so torn on this. I don't like either solution but nobody is giving me anything else to go on That was longer than I meant. Maybe I need a spin-off thread...

@Mrs. Lion: my vote is to do the six ounces of juice and also do plain water at other times. That's what we did for DS and 2 years later his constipation is gone and he's a great water drinker.

@Mrs. Lion: well articulated dilemma! The whole Miralax thing frustrates me...to my knowledge, the FDA has not approved Miralax for extended use OR for use in children. I find it interesting that doctors so freely prescribe it to children. I have little education on the matter, just intrigued. I lean toward diet modification (fiber, oatmeal, flax meal), followed by juice if necessary. Sorry to continue the off topic-ness!

The whole juice thing...I agree with
@T.H.O.U.: . I do find it interesting though, that I had a box of 100% juice nearly every day as a child and have no taste for it now.

@youboots: I think most pouches are simply pureed fruits and veggies. I do worry though, that I am somehow shirking my child by giving her pouches. She's 15 months and I feel like I should quit them. She gets 1-2 per day...

I think it's what @MoonMoon: said about the experience of eating the food that I feel like I'm depriving her of when I give a pouch.

Like you said though...if this is the worst thing... #ohwell

I don't think there's really a problem with juice unless it's the main source of liquids. We have juice with brunch on the weekends or at Grandma's house or because mommy really wanted oj, etc, but when LO is thirsty we have water. Sipping on juice all day definitely leaves a lot more sugar on teeth than eating a piece of fruit. And they're empty, all carb calories.

The AAP recommendation is up to (but certainly not necessary) 4-6 oz per day for those 1-6 yrs old. If you are using pouches, I think that should be factored in.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Where-We-Stand-Fruit-Juice.aspx
@Mrs. Lion: I would go with the juice since the amount is within the AAP guidelines. You can still dilute it and offer it a couple times per day.

@Trailmix: I wholeheartedly agree with you! My kids get juice sparingly, because I also enjoy a flavored drink every now and then. Water and milk are their main source of hydration, so I'm not concerned at all.

@Mae: @MrsSRS: This is great to hear! I think I am too sensitive to the whole sugar thing... Do you think you will ever go to no juice at all? Or do you think your kids will want to keep drinking it? And if you have another child in the house who doesn't need it, would you let them have it too? We have some concerns about my son's activity level and try to stay as low sugar as possible....

@hummusgirl: That article WHY are these doctors acting so casual about something not approved for children?!?

@SweetCaroline: She eats oatmeal for breakfast every day and loves fruits and veggies. We tried eliminating dairy, not giving bananas, and some other diet modifications...do you have any other suggestions? What would you add flax to?

@youboots: I love pouches! Since they have all of the fruit pureed I don't think it is the same thing at all, because the fiber balances out the sugar. I make my own with full fat greek yogurt and unsweetened applesauce! We also love the fruit/veggie ones from gogo squeeze (we get them at Sams)

@Mrs. Lion: I guess we may go no juice if we think we can but the days she doesn't drink much of it you can definitely tell so I feel like for now she still needs it. I just don't feel like 4oz/day is anything to worry about I guess she is an only so no other kid to think about.

@Mrs. Lion: My 14 motnh old is suffering from constipation and I vote juice over Miralax (although did break down and give her Miralax 2 days ago because she was so bloated I know she was in immense pain.) For me I would rather give natural 100% juice than medicine, even if Miralax is safe, I try any alternate route before that.