Water and milk are the best drinks for all ages as they keep us hydrated and are kind to our teeth.
Not drinking enough can leave you feeling tired and unable to concentrate.
How much fluid?
The amount of fluid we need depends on how active we are and how warm it is.
Children aged five to eight years old should drink 1.6 litres a day
Girls aged nine to 13 should drink 1.9 litres a day
Boys aged nine to thirteen should drink 2.1 litres a day
Teenage girls and adult women should drink 2 litres a day
Teenage boys and adult men should drink 2.5 litres a day
Water
Top tips to help you drink more water are
Place a jug of water on the table at mealtimes and have a glass of water with each meal
Carry a reusable bottle of water to school, work or play and sip on water throughout the day
If you don’t like the taste of water add some chopped fruit for flavour, try sliced lemon
Milk
Low-fat or semi-skimmed milk is the healthier choice for adults and teenagers. However, children under the age of two need the extra calories provided by full fat or whole milk.
Fat-free or skimmed milk is only suitable for children over the age of five.
If you use plant-based drinks instead of milk, then choose one that is fortified with calcium.
Juices and smoothies
It’s best to limit the amount of juice or smoothies you drink to one small glass a day, or around 150ml.Juices and smoothies can count towards your recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, but only count as one portion, regardless of how much you drink.
Here are some juicy tips
Choose 100 percent pure fruit juices or smoothies
Choose those with no added sugar, honey or syrup
Drink fruit juice with your main meals, as they are less damaging to teeth this way
Sugary drinks
Other sugary drinks include
fizzy drinks
flavoured water
squash
juice drinks
cordials
These drinks can have a lot of added sugar and very few beneficial nutrients. It’s best to have them only occasionally.
Tips for reducing sugary drinks
Check the label. Choose low-sugar, no added sugar, diet or zero varieties of drinks. These contain less sugar but are still quite acidic and harmful to teeth.
