The best water for babies is plain boiled water. The most economical and practical beverage for children is plain boiled water. Pure plain boiled water is the easiest to satisfy thirst, easily passes through cell membranes when absorbed into the body, promotes metabolism, regulates body temperature, transports nutrients, and cleanses the body's internal "garbage." Scientific research has found that cooled boiled water can increase the hemoglobin content in the blood and enhance the body's immune function, improving the body's ability to resist diseases. People who are accustomed to drinking cooled boiled water have higher dehydrogenase activity and lower lactate accumulation in muscles, making them less prone to fatigue.
There is also a science to drinking plain boiled water. Cooled boiled water within 4-6 hours after boiling is the ideal drinking water. Long-term storage and repeated pouring of cooled boiled water can be contaminated by bacteria, so it is recommended not to boil too much water each time. Infants and young children have special physiological structures: their gastrointestinal and renal functions are not fully developed. Since the kidneys and other organs of infants and young children are not fully developed, the filtration of glomeruli, concentration and reabsorption of renal tubules, and excretion functions are all poor. Therefore, more water is needed to excrete waste, and excessive trace elements in mineral water can burden the baby's kidneys and gastrointestinal system. Therefore, mineral water may not be suitable for infants. It is recommended to use plain boiled water.
Taboos for baby's water consumption
1. Do not give babies cold water in summer. In hot summer, babies also like to drink cold water to cool down, but cold water can cause contraction of gastric mucosal blood vessels, affecting digestion and even causing intestinal spasms, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea.
2. Do not let babies drink too much water before meals. Drinking too much water before meals can dilute the baby's gastric juice, affecting digestion and increasing the burden on the stomach, heart, and kidneys.
3. Do not let babies drink mineral water for a long time. Some elements in mineral water have higher content for children, and long-term consumption can lead to excessive elements in the baby's body, causing diseases.
4. Do not let babies drink purified water for a long time. In the production process of purified water, harmful bacteria, organic matter, and certain toxic elements are removed; at the same time, beneficial trace elements and minerals beneficial to human health are also removed. If people drink purified water for a long time, it cannot replenish the body's essential minerals and trace elements, and a large amount of these substances will be lost, leading to malnutrition, decreased immune function, and symptoms such as weakness, collapse, dizziness, and muscle tremors. Long-term consumption of purified water by pregnant women, infants and young children, adolescents, and the elderly can cause various adverse effects.
5. Do not give babies unhygienic bottled water. Some small workshops' bottled water is cheap, but the water quality is not guaranteed and may contain a large amount of bacteria. Babies have weak resistance and are prone to illness.
4 situations where babies should not drink too much water
Drinking a large amount of water before meals can dilute stomach acid, impair food digestion, and expand stomach capacity, causing a sense of fullness and affecting appetite.
Drinking a large amount of water after meals can cause food to swell due to water absorption, increasing the volume of food, making it difficult to digest, and causing discomfort for babies.
Stop drinking water 1 hour before bedtime. Drinking a large amount of water before bedtime will produce a large amount of urine, increasing the frequency of bedwetting and affecting the baby's sleep quality. Babies who drink water before bedtime will not have swollen eyelids upon waking up in the morning. If swollen eyelids occur, it indicates abnormal kidney function in babies, and they should be taken to the hospital for kidney function examination.
If a baby has poor kidney function, they should not drink a large amount of water, as it will increase the burden on the kidneys and cause adverse reactions such as general edema and fatigue.
