When it comes to proper hydration for children, skip the sodas and energy drinks, water is the clear winner.
With every drop of sweat and every rising degree on the thermometer, summer inches closer. And this summer threatens to be the hottest on record. That makes proper hydration all the more crucial.
Drinking enough water is difficult enough for adults. Getting kids to stay hydrated can feel impossible. It’s easy to lose kids to sugary sodas and equally sugary “energy drinks,” to tell ourselves, “well at least they’re drinking something.”
But research has shown, time and time again, just how harmful added sugar is for children. Excess sugar increases a child’s risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, fatty liver disease — and the list goes on.
The experts on child and teen health at Harvard recommend kids get no more than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar. They say the problem isn’t just candy and ice cream, the far greater problem is sugary drinks.
The thing about sugar in beverages is how quickly and easily it adds up. A single 12-ounce can of soda can have 46 grams or more of sugar. That’s the equivalent of 4.6 Tootsie Pops or almost two slices of cheesecake.
And those so-called “energy drinks" you see professional athletes chugging? They can pack as much sugar as sodas. If your child isn’t running marathons or sweating it out in the hot sun, then that amount of sugar is unnecessary and potentially dangerous, contributing to weight gain, cavities, and the many health problems listed above.
Experts wholeheartedly agree that, for healthy hydration in children, nothing beats water. The problem is: How to get kids to drink more water?
We at Mountain Valley Spring Water are here to help.
How to get kids to drink more water?
Make water fun — and portable.
From dino-shaped sippy cups to twirly light-up straws to tie-dyed water bottles, when kids can have some fun with their water, they’re more likely to keep sipping. Designate a special cup or bottle just for water and challenge your child to keep emptying it throughout the day. Send kids to school or camp with a water bottle they love and want to be seen carrying. We find this trick works well for grownups, too.
Make water easily accessible.
A cold can of soda sitting front and center in the fridge just waiting for its top to be popped — it is tempting. Make water equally tempting. Stock your refrigerator with bottles of Mountain Valley Spring Water for quick, easy access and simple, cool refreshment.
Better yet, you can get Mountain Valley Spring Water in 2.5 and 5 gallon jugs to create your own at-home water station. From simple counter-top models, to water dispensers that heat, cool, make coffee, and even keep pets hydrated, you can make water the centerpiece of your kitchen and your home; check out a few of our water-dispensing suggestions.
Better, better yet: Mountain Valley Spring Water offers home and office delivery. That means no lugging giant bottles and cases to and fro, just pure hydration.
Get water that sparkles.
If your kids like a little fizz, skip the sodas and try Mountain Valley’s Sparkling Spring Water. Our zero-calorie bubbly takes refreshment to new levels. It’s great with a squeeze of lime or lemon. It’s also a bright way to cut the sugar in juices while giving them a little sparkle.
Want more flavor? Mountain Valley’s calorie-free, sugar-free and sweetener-free Sparkling Essence Spring Waters have you covered. These bubbly beverages, award winning in their own right, start with our award winning, purely sourced spring water. We simply add in a few (million) bubbles of carbonation, a refreshing hint of natural flavors, and that’s it.
Our Sparkling Essence lineup includes White Peach, Key Lime Twist and Blackberry Pomegranate. A little something for everyone.
Give your water a kick.
Getting kids to drink more water doesn’t necessarily mean having them drink only water. Think of water as your base, a canvas on which you and your kids can create almost any beverage you choose.
From teas to crafty lemonades to basil-cucumber smashes, water can be so much more than water — with little or no sugar involved. Check out some of our recipes for low-calorie infused waters that go down easy. Many of these can be made with kids and by kids; getting them involved makes them more likely to appreciate, and drink in, the end result.
Drink more water yourself.
Children, especially young children, learn by seeing and imitating. If they see their parents or caregivers drinking water by default, chances are better they will turn to water as their default beverage of choice, as well.
If you want the whole family to start drinking more water, find a crisply refreshing water that everyone loves. (Hint: Hi! That’s Mountain Valley.) Our purely sourced spring water is the most award-winning spring water in the U.S. for a reason.
It is delicious.
Mountain Valley Spring Water comes from our protected spring deep in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains of the southern United States, the same as it has for more than 150 years. Our water is naturally alkaline, with natural trace minerals that make it not only healthful but also wonderfully delicious. Just ask the esteemed judges of the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting, where Mountain Valley Spring Water has won 19 awards and counting.
If those picky taste testers love us, your kids will, too.
