Kids opt for whole fruit over juice, apples over all else
Kids opt for whole fruit over juice, apples over all else
A recent study published in Pediatrics has good news for the apple industry: apples make up nearly one-fifth of the fruit intake for children ages 2 to 19.
The youngest group — children ages 2 to 5 — tended to get more of their fruit intake through 100 percent juice than those ages 6 to 11, who were more likely to consume whole fruit. Accordingly, children 2 to 5 years old consumed less of their total fruit as apples, whereas bananas, apple juice, citrus juice, dried fruits and other fruit juices contributed a larger amount to their total fruit intake.
The study also shows that U.S. children consume an average of 1.25 cups of fruit each day, more than half of which comes from whole fruits (52.9 percent). One-third of fruit consumption was attributed to 100 percent fruit juices (33.5 percent), and the balance is made up of mixed dishes, which includes fruit drinks.
After apples (18.9 percent), the second-most-consumed whole fruit is bananas (6.8 percent). Melons (6 percent), citrus (4.6 percent), berries (4.3 percent), peaches and nectarines (3.5 percent) and grapes (2.8 percent) followed. Other fruits and fruit salads accounted for 5.5 percent of fruit consumption.
