Quote:
Originally Posted by edelweiss
To my way of thinking, children have quite enough extra sugars, food additives, food colorings, etc. being introduced into their developing internal systems. The needless extra processing of waste in their kidneys should be reduced if possible. Why add another dose of chemicals from a source that is not essential? I'm not talking about a dehydrated child who is ill or playing active sports and sweating, just a three year old sitting around the house or out shopping with mom. Why more chemicals when there are other natural options?
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I think that assuming that all children are given extra sugars, food additives, etc etc is jumping to conclusions - particularly when talking about Asia. There is a huge culture of processed foods for children in the US and I assume also in the UK, but not nearly as much in Japan and the rest of Asia. Kids tend to eat the same things as adults, and those things are generally cooked from the raw ingredients.
I am willing to be a bit more lax on the water issue as there really are children who will not drink something they dislike no matter how thirsty they are. And before anyone jumps to say that if they really do get thirsty enough they will drink it and love it.... Just wait until your kid has to have an IV for dehydration like mine did. (Although in our case it wasn`t simply a refusal to drink water, it was a refusal to drink or eat anything at all.)
The thing I would be most concerned about with Pocari is the sugar - but there are children`s versions with very little sugar. Saying that Pocari is adding chemicals is a bit like saying you shouldn`t eat vegetables because of the "chemicals" they contain - they`re all naturally occurring things that your body needs. If you don`t need them, they leave your body in your urine.
Even inactive children sweat quite a lot - I believe 2 to 3 times as much as adults - so keeping them hydrated is a big deal. Heat stroke and dehydration aren`t things that only happen to people outside doing strenuous activities... If you are in a hot climate without AC you can easily become dehydrated just sitting inside your house.