Is Coffee Good For Your Tween?

Next time your child asks for a sip of coffee, you might have to say no. Coffee is a stimulating drink that adults enjoy. Giving it to kids and teens may not be a good decision as they are still developing and their system isn’t ready for strong stimulating drink like coffee. You need to ensure that coffee or any type of caffeine shouldn’t be consumed by your child. It has no benefits and could cause side effects.

Side Effects Of Coffee

Insomnia

Adults consume coffee to keep themselves awake during late working hours. While adults might be fine with 5-6 hours of sleep, a child is supposed to have 8-10 hours of sleep. Coffee is a stimulant that contains caffeine, and caffeine can last unto the body for up to 8 hours, contributing to loss of sleep and abnormal sleeping patterns.

Hyperactivity

Coffee can lead to behavioural problem like hyperactivity, restlessness, inability to concentrate.

Decrease in appetite

A child needs balanced diet full of vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. When your toddler or tween consumes a cup of coffee, it can lead to a decrease in in appetite.

Bone loss

Calcium is essential for your baby’s growth. Caffeine increases urine production. Increased urine production causes loss of calcium from the body.

Cavities

Coffee is acidic in nature. Acidic drinks can weaken the teeth, which leads to decline in tooth enamel and an increase in cavity. Toddlers and tweens who consume coffee are more likely to have oral health issues such as cavities.

No amount of coffee is good for a child, as caffeine can cause increased blood pressure, heart rate and seizures in a child. Coffee makes children consume and crave more sugar which can be detrimental to your child’s health and would result in addiction, obesity, and diabetes.

Parents need to ensure that coffee or any sort of caffeine must not be consumed by their child on a regular basis. Introduce your child to more of healthy foods and drinks and avoid addictive drinks like coffee.

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