Picking out healthy food for your family covers what goes in the glass as well as what goes on the plate. The NHS gives drinks a page of their own, along with a separate page on what to give babies and young children. This article walks through both, notes where dates come in, and ends with a grilled carrot and date side dish.
How much to drink
The NHS says most people should aim to drink enough during the day so their pee is a clear pale yellow colour. The Eatwell Guide puts it at 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day, and the NHS calls that just a guide. You may need more in a hot environment, if you are physically active for long periods, or while ill or recovering.
Water is described as a healthy and cheap choice. It is not the only thing that counts, though. Water, lower-fat milk and lower-sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, all count as part of your daily intake, and we also get some fluid from the food we eat.
Drinks for the children at the table
For children, the NHS names water and milk as the best drinks. From the age of 1, a child can have pasteurised whole or semi-skimmed cows' milk, or goats' or sheep's milk, as a main drink. Skimmed and 1% milk should not be a main drink for children under 5, because they do not contain enough calories.
The page on young children adds a few rules that are easy to miss in a shop. Children under 5 should not be given rice drinks, because of the levels of arsenic in them. Unsweetened, calcium-fortified soya, oat or almond drinks are fine from age 1. Tea and coffee are not suitable for babies or young children.
Sugary fizzy drinks, squash and juice drinks are ones children should avoid completely, the NHS says, and the added sugar in them can damage teeth. Squashes, flavoured milk, "fruit" or "juice" drinks and fizzy drinks can also fill older babies and young children up so they are not hungry for healthier food.
Juice and smoothies have a limit
Fruit juice and smoothies get a firm cap: a maximum of one small glass, 150ml, a day, drunk with a meal, because they are high in sugar. From 5 years old a child can have undiluted juice or smoothies on the same terms, no more than about 150ml a day, served with meals. Babies under 12 months do not need them at all.
The NHS 5 A Day page gives the reason. Crushing fruit and vegetables into juice and smoothies releases the sugars they contain, which can damage teeth.
Swaps for the shopping list
The NHS list of tips is practical for a family shop:
- swap sugary drinks for diet, sugar-free or no added sugar drinks (the NHS says diet or reduced-sugar drinks are not recommended for babies and young children)
- adults can choose lower-fat milk, such as semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed, and unsweetened plant-based drinks
- check the labels on drinks and look for green or amber colour-coded labels
- dilute squash or cordial well to reduce the sugar content
- if someone does not like the taste of water, try sparkling water, no added sugar squash, or a slice of lemon or lime
Caffeine is to be taken in moderation, and the NHS points out that some people are more sensitive to it than others. Check the label for drinks that are high in caffeine.
Where dates fit
Dates are on the NHS list of what counts toward 5 A Day: a 30g portion of dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs, counts as 1 of your 5 A Day. The same page says it should be eaten at mealtimes, not as a snack between meals, to reduce the impact on teeth. USDA FoodData Central lists one pitted Medjool date at 24g, so a 30g portion is one Medjool date and a bit of a second.
So the same advice runs through the drinks and the dried fruit: keep the sweet things to mealtimes. A glass of water with dinner and dates in the dish suits both. For more on building the rest of the plate, see this site's articles on healthy eating and a balanced diet and on meals that contain calcium.
Grilled carrots and dates
This side dish is sweet and spicy. You need fresh ginger juice: grate fresh ginger root, then press the pulp over a metal colander to collect the juice.
Ingredients: peeled carrots, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garam masala, cinnamon powder, chilli powder, ginger juice and chopped dates.
Method: preheat the oven to 210°C. Put the carrots in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, spices and ginger juice, and stir until the carrots are fully coated. Spread them on an oven tray, cook in the middle of the oven for 20 to 22 minutes until soft, then mix in the dates and serve with the meal.
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