High Energy Drinks

Do Kids Really Need Caffeine?

By Melissa Granberry

Coffee is another drink you will find in the hands of more and more preteens. Though there is no age limit on purchasing coffee or other caffeinated beverages, Jenny Walsh, a public relations specialist for Starbucks Coffee Company, says that Starbucks markets their products to an adult customer base.

"We do know that our inviting, smoke-free environment is also appealing to families and teens," she says.

So if your child can't wait to hang out at the coffee shop like the "friends" on "Must See TV," encourage some of the lower caffeine beverages that many establishments offer, such as hot chocolate or apple cider.

Rita Mitchell, a registered dietitian with the University of California Berkeley and a specialist in child nutrition, says that a child needs plenty of calcium and protein, and milk is a good way to get the nutrients they need. "If a child is over the age of 2, low-fat or non-fat milk is preferred," she says. Plenty of water and 100-percent juice are also recommended. "Juice drinks are not as good," she says, adding that these drinks have too many calories.

High-energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks. If your child is playing or participating in a sport for over an hour and is working up a sweat, then a sports drink is a good choice. "Replacing the electrolytes lost in sweat (especially sodium) helps maintain the desire to drink, helps hold water in the bloodstream and helps speed rehydration.," says Bob Murray, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and director of Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

Want to see more?

• Alcohol: The Good, the Bad, the Calories
• Liquid Health: Smart Nutrition for Thirsty Moms
• Fruit Juice: Is Your Child Getting Too Much of a Good Thing?
• Hidden Caffeine: It's Not Just in Coffee and Tea Anymore
• Talk about it!