Ask the Diabetes Educator Archive

5/12/03

Q:

Are diet soft drinks appropriate for a diabetic 3 year old?

A:

Soft drinks are not a great choice for anyone, but especially for a child. Have you gotten nutritional advice for your child? Habits set now will impact later. Encouraging as many whole foods as possible is a positive focus. Will your child eat fruit and drink water? A glass of 100% juice is better than a soda, but too much juice is also not good. Much of it is glorified sugar water. If the rest of the family is drinking sodas, it might be time for all of you to figure out how to set the example for your three year old. Colas are the greatest culprit because of their high acid content.