At What Age Can Children Start Drinking Tea

As a tea lover, you know the benefits of drinking tea. However, things are different when you are playing the role of a parent because you do not want your children get harm from any thing. So you may carefully try to find the answers to the following questions:

Should children drink tea?

At what age can children start drinking tea?

If asked, I will directly tell you: Tea, in moderation, is good for children older than toddlers.

Should Children Drink Tea

Some people don’t give their children tea because they are concerned about caffeine.

Tea contains caffeine. Although it contains less caffeine than coffee, it is a stimulating drink. Children are especially susceptible to beverages like this, since heir metabolisms work in shorter cycles, so caffeine enters the bloodstream of a child quickly. Besides, caffeine is also said to lead to calcium deficiency. That’s why caffeine has become the biggest cause of concern in this matter.

Fortunately, a research published in the journal Public Health Nutrition confirms that a moderate intake of caffeine is not only safe for children but one or two cups of tea a day can boost brain power and sporting performance.

Dr Carrie Ruxton, the dietician behind the study and member of Tea Advisory Panel , says a number of trials have shown children score more highly on tests to measure their mental agility, attention, dexterity and memory after having a small amount of caffeine.

Besides, tea also has some other beneficial compounds for children, including catechins, vitamins, and fluorine which have beneficial effects like asneuroprotective activity, and anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic effects and can help protect children’s teeth.

All of these will be good evidences for the suggestion that it is good for children to drink a moderate amount of tea every day.

At What Age Can Children Start Drinking Tea

In fact, tea is good for all the children older than toddlers.

As a matter of fact, children under two are too young and too weak to absorb the nutrition of tea and are vulnerable to the bad effects of caffeine because for them bad effects of any kind can be amplified.

For children older than toddlers, things will not be that difficult because their bodies have developed a kind of self-defensive ability and are stronger to absorb more nutrition.

So, my suggestion is that children can try drinking tea when they are older than toddlers.

NOTES

Although children can start drinking tea at a young age, parents should bear in mind some situations in which you can not give your children tea or stop giving them tea.

• If your child experiences insomnia, inability to concentrate, irritability, or hyperactivity after drinking green tea, it is a clear sign your child is either extra-sensitive to the effects of caffeine or has consumed too much at once. Give your child weaker tea, or none at all.(drinks contains caffeine besides coffee and tea)
• Never use caffeine as a method to cause your child to expend extra energy before nap-time, causing a state of exhaustion.

You may also like: When is the right age for kids to drink coffee?

                                  Tea or coffee, which one is better for your health.

                                   Does decaf coffee contains caffeine?