Young children should avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners, say UK health experts
UK nutrition experts say preschoolers should drink water, not squash with artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose.
Parents are being urged to ditch ‘toothkind’ squash and diet drinks for their preschoolers, as new UK health advice recommends that under-fives shouldn’t have beverages containing artificial sweeteners like aspartame, stevia or sucralose.
Why this new advice matters
The guidance comes from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), a group of independent experts that advises the government on diet and health.
In a newly published report, the committee recommends that young children should drink water or milk, and not beverages that contain non-sugar sweeteners – even if they’re marketed as healthier alternatives to sugary drinks.
The aim? To encourage children to grow up with a preference for less sweet tastes, making healthy choices easier as they get older.
What are artificial sweeteners – and are they safe?
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, saccharin and stevia are used in many ‘sugar-free’ or ‘low-calorie’ drinks and foods. They provide sweetness without the calories of sugar and are widely considered safe – they’ve all been rigorously tested and approved for use in the UK.
But while they might help reduce sugar intake, the SACN says there’s not enough solid evidence that sweeteners actually help protect against tooth decay or support long-term healthy eating habits in children. And because these sweeteners still encourage a taste for sweet flavours, experts worry they could make it harder for kids to enjoy less sweet foods later in life.
What the experts are saying
Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency, backed the new advice and called for more transparency from manufacturers. He said:
We strongly support SACN's call for industry to make data on the quantity of these sweeteners in their ingredients publicly available... to help inform our assessments of these ingredients.
Professor Graham Finlayson, Chair in Psychobiology at the University of Leeds, agreed that caution was sensible but warned against removing sweeteners too quickly without strong evidence.
With obesity and diabetes rates rising, knee-jerk policy changes could do more harm than good
Meanwhile, the International Sweeteners Association said: “As part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, low/no calorie sweeteners can be used to further public health objectives on sugar intake reduction.”
What this means for your child’s drinks
For mums navigating food and drink labels daily, the big takeaway is this: if your child is under five, health experts recommend sticking to plain water or milk as their main drinks.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Skip the squash – Even ‘sugar-free’ versions often contain sweeteners. Try flavouring water with slices of fruit or cucumber instead.
- Keep fruit juice occasional – Even 100% juice is high in natural sugars, so it’s best kept to small portions and not offered every day.
- Check the labels – Words like ‘no added sugar’ don’t mean no sweeteners. Look out for ingredients like sucralose, aspartame, stevia or saccharin.
What about older children?
The SACN says sweeteners could still have a role in helping older children and adults reduce sugar intake in the short term, particularly when transitioning away from sugary drinks. However, it adds that sweeteners aren’t essential and shouldn’t be seen as the only way to achieve a healthier diet.
For now, though, the message for parents of younger children is clear: encouraging a taste for water and milk now can set the stage for better health later.
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Authors
Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.