Almost two-thirds of children in the United States consume at least one sugary beverage on any given day and roughly 30% consume two or more a day, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

In the opinion of Dr. Zorayada “Jiji” Torres, letting children drink sugared beverages normalizes sweet drinks as part of a regular diet. “Sugared beverages are a major problem in the development of obesity and diabetes in children,” says Torres, owner of Upstream MD, a functional medical practice located in Bonita Springs.

Torres, a board certified internist, also recommends that parents avoid ordering for their children from kid restaurant menus. “These menus are not kid-friendly because they train your children not to eat healthy food. Children should learn from an early age to eat from an adult menu that offers vegetables and fruit,” cautions Torres, who also recommends that eating whole fruit is better than drinking only the juice. “Whole fruit has healthy fiber that contains beneficial compounds and antioxidants. Fiber is good for the digestive system and crucial for slowing the absorption of the fruit’s sugar. This keeps its glycemic index low,” explains Torres.

A team of scientists from Britain, Singapore, and the Harvard School of Public Health found that while eating fruit lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, drinking fruit (in the form of juice) actually increases it. The study, which surveyed nearly 190,000 Britons over 24 years, found that blueberries were the best option, with three servings per week cutting the risk of diabetes by 26 percent. Grapes and apples also substantially lowered the risk of diabetes, while bananas, plums, and peaches had a negligible effect. Three weekly servings of fruit juice, on the other hand, upped the risk by eight percent.

Upstream MD is located at 27499 Riverview Center Blvd, Ste. 255 in Bonita Springs. For more information or to make an appointment, call 239-444-5636 or visit UpstreamMD.com.