And what’s the best choice for your child?
With the 5-A-Day message being consistently championed by the Government and health professionals, it’s great to see families increasingly trying to include more fruits and vegetables in their diets. A really common question I get asked is whether fruit juice counts as one of the ‘5-a-day’ and what is the difference between fruit juice and a whole piece of fruit?
Depending on how your child consumes their fruit – whether it’s a whole apple, a smoothie, or fruit juice – it can have a very different effect on their body.
This blog post is going to dive into the important differences between whole fruit and fruit juice and clarify exactly what the current guidance says about fruit juice consumption for babies and children.
Whole fruit vs. fruit juice
| Component | What is it? | Key nutritional benefit |
| Whole fruit | The complete, intact fruit – including the skin, flesh, and pulp | Higher in fibre and a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals |
| Fruit juice | Liquid extracted from the fruit. Types vary: fresh-squeezed, pasteurised, or from concentrate | Source of Vitamin C but a concentrated source of free sugars |
Note: Some products are actually “juice drinks,” which contain very little actual fruit juice and often have added sugars – always check the label!
Fibre & free sugars
The main reason I recommend prioritising whole fruit is down to two major nutritional factors: fibre and sugar absorption.
1. Whole fruits are packed with fibre
When you and your little one eat a whole piece of fruit, you’re consuming the full package: the skin, the flesh, and the pulp. Fibre and flavanoids are found mainly in the skin and pulp, whilst vitamins, minerals, and water are primarily in the flesh.
When eaten as a whole, this can support better digestion and slow down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream.
2. Sugars in fruit juice
In fruit juice, the fibre-rich skin and pulp are removed. This processing step fundamentally changes the fruit’s nutritional profile, by reducing the fibre content significantly and creating a more concentrated source of sugars.
Crucially, the sugars in juice are classified as “free sugars.” This is because the cells of the fruit are broken down during the juicing process, meaning the sugars are more freely available for rapid digestion and absorption. It’s the same way the body reacts to added sugar.
You can read more about sugar for babies and children in my blog. If you’re wondering about food pouches for your baby, check out my blog specifically covering this.
Hydration for children
Babies and toddlers do not actually need juice at all. Water or milk are always the best sources of fluid to keep them hydrated.
Babies under 1 year
The NHS guidance states that babies under 1 “don’t need fruit juice or smoothies.” It’s best to offer only milk (breast milk or formula) and water to babies under one.
Children over 1 year (and up to 5)
If you do choose to offer juice to a child over the age of 1, offer it in small amounts and
- Offer only 100% fruit juice (no added sugar or sweeteners).
- Dilute it: 1 part juice to 10 parts water. This helps reduce the impact on their teeth and blood sugars.
- Offer it only at mealtimes. Having it with food further helps to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Older children (5 years +)
Official recommendations suggest that a portion (around 150mls) of 100% fresh juice can count towards ONE of their Five a Day.
However, even for older children, they should stick to no more than one small glass of juice a day. Why? Because it often lacks the fibre that is the most important element and biggest benefit of getting their 5-A-Day!
A helpful swap: If you’re a big soft or fizzy drink consumer, swapping to a small, diluted glass of fresh juice is still a better option as it contains vitamins and minerals not found along with the sugars in many other soft drinks.
Tips for making smoothies at home
Smoothies can occasionally add some additional nutrition for little ones (sticking to the recommendations above!), but they shouldn’t be relied on as an everyday option.
If you’re making a smoothie at home, here’s how to maximise the nutrition and minimise the impact of free sugars:
- Offer it out of a bowl with a spoon. This reduces the amount of time the sugary liquid is around the teeth.
- Boost the fibre and fat! Include ingredients like vegetables (try kale or peas!), natural yogurt, ground nuts, oats, and seeds. These additions increase the nutritional value and help slow down sugar absorption.
- Use whole fruits where possible like bananas, raspberries, and other soft berries, for additional fibre
- Have smoothies as an occasional treat, and always offer them alongside a meal, not on their own.
Recipe Inspiration
Need some ideas for using whole fruits and veg?
For more information on drinks for young children, see my dedicated blog.
Fruit juice and Sugars
With fruit juice, the skin and pulp of the fruits are often removed which therefore reduces the number of nutrients and fibre and leaves a much more concentrated source of sugars, compared to whole fruits. The sugars in juice are known as “free sugars” as the cells of the fruit are broken down during the juicing process, and the sugars are more freely available for digestion and absorption. Additionally, juice often contains a number of fruits in one glass, rather than just one whole piece, further increasing the amount of sugar in a single glass of juice. On top of this, some juices (usually juice drinks) contain added sugar and/or sweeteners so you always need to check the labels.
Absorption – The concentrated source of sugar in fruit juice (arising from the breakdown of the fruit’s cells from blending, as well as the large number of fruits used in a portion e.g. 3-5 oranges in one glass of juice), results in rapid increases in blood glucose levels, meaning the energy is released very quickly (see more on sugar’s effect on health here). To read more about the impact of Free Sugars from juice see my blog “What parents need to know about free sugars”
Possible health concerns
However, as is always the case with anything ‘nutrition’, there has been some conflicting information and confusion around the concept of fruit juice. This has been highlighted by recent research suggesting that ‘whole fruits protect against diabetes but juice is a risk factor for diabetes’, for example.
Whereas another study says ‘In summary, there was no strong association between the consumption of 100 % fruit juice and diabetes risk’.
The jury is out, but it’s likely best to consume fruit juices in moderation, limit them for young children and focus on consuming whole fruits instead.
How much fruit juice can my baby & child have?
The truth is that babies and toddlers don’t NEED juice at all. Water or milk is always going to be the best source of fluid to keep them hydrated and all they need. Fruit juice, for older toddlers can be a source of fluid and vitamin C – but it should only be offered in small amounts – the NHS recommend when offering juice to under 5s it should be:
- 100% juice
- Diluted 1:10 with water
- Offered at mealtimes only
Babies under 1
NHS guidance states that babies under 1 “don’t need fruit juice or smoothies.” and it’s best not to offer anything other than milk or water to babies under one.
Children over 1 year
If you do choose to offer juice to your child over the age of 1, it’s really important to:
- To offer only 100% juice
- To dilute them – 1 part juice to 10 parts water – to reduce the impact on teeth and blood sugars
- To offer them at mealtimes only, as this can help to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
For older children over 5
Official recommendations suggest fresh juice can count towards ONE of your Five a day for older children, this should be 100% juice with no added sugars, and a portion is around 150mls. Those over 5 should stick to no more than one glass of juice a day, as it doesn’t contain the fibre that is a very important element and benefit from getting their 5 A Day.
Making fruit juice at home and including the skin, pulp, flesh and even some vegetables too (we often use peas or kale in smoothies), can help to increase the fibre, vitamin and mineral content of any juices you do offer.
If you are a big drinker of soft and fizzy drinks however, swapping to fresh juice is still a better option as it contains extra vitamins and minerals which are not found in the “empty calories” of other soft drinks.
More information on what they can drink and other drinks that are not suitable can be found here.
Recipe ideas for juices & smoothies
Every now and then juices and smoothies are fine for little ones (see recommendations above though), and can add nutrition to your little one’s diet. It’s just not ideal to rely on them as every day options.
If making a smoothie at home a few things you can do to make it a better option for your toddler:
- Offer it out of a bowl with a spoon to reduce the impact on teeth
- Include vegetables, yogurt, ground nuts, oats and seeds to add extra nutrition and reduce the impact of the sugars from any broken down fruit on the teeth.
- Have smoothies as every now and then foods and try to have them alongside other meals, rather than on their own.
Use recipes that contain whole fruits where possible such as using bananas and soft fruits like raspberries and other berries, as these will contain more fibre.
Here are some recipe ideas:
For more information see our blog on appropriate drinks for children.