Is it safe to give chocolates, candies and soda to kids as young as 1 or 2 years of age?

Question

Please give me the details if giving chocolates, toffees, candies and carbonated drinks such as coca cola, pepsi and others are SAFE for children. And if there are any bad effects, what are they?
Thanks.

Thank you SO much everyone!
Almost all of you helped!!
But i REALLY cant decide the BEST answer....every answer is VERY good
so i'm going to put this question up for votinG!
good luck! =)

Answer 1

Sugar in those forms isn't good for anyone of any age... Carbonated drinks are so-so but I would recommend that you stick with diet caffeine free. My oldest is four and I still don't feel comfortable giving him hard or chewy candies because of the choking hazard.

BTW, I don't know ANY 1 or 2 year old that needs more sugar.

Answer 2

Chocolates and candies should not be given to children under 2. Their bodies are still accepting things and you don't know if they are allergic. Most allergies do not show up till they are 2 or 3. After a child turns 2 then I would say that it is ok if you give it to them in moderation. They should not be given chocolates and candies everyday and they should not have alot (an entire bag of m&m's is too much but you could give about a fourth of that). As for carbonated drinks I wouldn't give them any untill they are about 4 or 5. At such a young age your children need the milk, juice and water while they can get it. Again as young as they are they could have bad gas problems with the carbonated drinks. As they get older and you do start to give it too them, again don't give them alot. Still give them milk, juice, and water when they eat and before they go to bed. Do not give them carbonated (mainly caffinated drinks) after about 6:30 or 7:00 at night or your child will not go to sleep. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Hello sk8er boi! Well, chocolates, candies and soda are really famous to kids. I, too, love those things except candies by the way. You can give your kid chocolates but not too much. Yes, it does have calcium because of the milk content in it but don't give him too much, just a little. Candies is really not advisable because they are mostly made of sugar. While soda, it is also not advisable to drink lots of soda because your kid will get used to it.

I had a neighbor once, he has a son and his son LOVES Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola became the substitute of water. It's not right. I forgot what it is but sodas and soft drinks has a content which is not healthy. I'm a medical transcription student that's why I know. I just forgot what that substance is. I think it's caffeine.

If you don't like my answer it's ok. At least I tried. I hope somehow I was able to help you sk8er boi. ^__^

Answer 4

Pepsi and Coke have caffeine, so that isn't good at all. Also, babies can have more sensitive stomachs, and the acid could cause problems. The sugar isn't dangerous, but it isn't a good idea. 8 ounces of soda has about five teaspoons of sugar in it. That's really bad.

Toffees - no. Babies could choke on any candy that is hard enough (even in the beginning) to lodge in their throat. Choking may be the biggest danger of most candies.

Giving food to babies too young can contribute to food allergies. That's one reason to hold off on giving them something like chocolate or some candy with nuts in it.

Chocolate can cause diarrhea if a baby eats to much of it, and toddlers that young are at risk of dehydration if they get diarrhea that is too severe.

Chocolate also has caffeine.

Some chocolates (the kind in the box that are kind of like blocks or lumps of chocolate with stuff in them) could possibly get stuck in the child's throat because of their size and shape.

Candies like jelly beans, hard candies, lollipops, Skittles, etc. are all choking hazards.

Babies' brains and bodies are developing at such an extremely rapid rate between birth and two years old it just makes sense to make sure what they eat and drink is good and nutritious. Breaking off a small piece of a candy bar or letting them have a piece of a Peeps or some other soft candy is a way to let them enjoy a taste of sweet without causing big problems.

Children shouldn't get to used to eating sugary junk stuff because childhood diabetes and obesity are now an epidemic. They learn their eating habits early. Also, if they get filled up with junk they won't have room for better quality foods.

Finally, it is really important to let children do the very natural thing of enjoying their diced carrots and peas and pieces of peaches or cheese. They like these things naturally, and doing anything to throw off their natural tendency to enjoy decent quality nutrition isn't good in the long run.

Answer 5

not all soda has caffiene in it. there is sprite and orange soda etc... but anyways though i don't think that giving children candy and soda all the time is a good idea. i don't think every once in awhile as a treat is that big of a deal as long as it doesn't turn into a habit. it should be considered a treat not a normal part of their diet. i mean come on now how many people take there little ones out for halloween and then they bring back a ton of candy? so you can't tell me that the people that answered this question like "oh no you should never give your kids candy" i think are full of it. my daughters (4 and 16 months) are allowed to have some candy and non-caffinated soda occasionally but not that often and i moniter it. i don't think it hurts them at all because like i said they don't consume that much and their teeth are well taken care of.

Answer 6

No it isn't a great idea. If you know of someone who is using this particular diet on a 1-2 yr old child you should say something. A 1 yr old child should be just weaning off infant formula onto cows milk at this age and needs the milk to continue in its diet for calcium to help the bones and teeth to grow. Vegetables need to be prepared and encouraged for nutrition. A balanced diet is the key and not a junk food diet. This will cause tooth decay, allergies, obesity and other diseases.
Somebody told me a long time ago that they never introduced candy to their child too young as they can mistake it for tablets by mistake. This is another reason to avoid the wrong things.

Answer 7

None of the above mentioned consumables are good for a child below the age of 1. Chocolate and any other candy should be ok after the child is about 18 months old. Well as for Coca Cola and pepsi should be avoided till they are about 4 years of age as they can damage the Kid's liver and kidneys

Answer 8

~Caffeine is NOT good for babies/children, it makes them hyper and it's addicting. Carbonated soda isn't good either. They should be drinking a lot of milk, water and some juice. When you give them junk food, it takes the place of healthy food, they can only consume so much. It's also possible for the child to become addicted to this type of diet. They are also prone to have more cavaties.
I highly recommend that you see a nutritionist or talk to someone working for the WIC Program.~

Answer 9

Safe, may be, but no healthy. Chocolates, carbonated drinks, cookies and some breakfast cereals have high levels of sugar an caffeine so be careful. Avoid giving them hard candies to prevent choking.

Answer 10

Its OK for a child to have a limited amount of chocolate and candy, but make sure its limited and that they get their teeth brushed regular. As for pop I wouldn't give them any because it causes damage to your liver and kidneys. Be careful with all the things that aren't good for your health!