Children under 12 are not allowed to drink coffee, especially instant coffee

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In recent years, "drinking coffee" has become a stylish and leisurely term. Under the influence of osmosis, even children and teenagers are eager to try. On the other hand, under the pressure of schoolwork, children learn to boost their spirits with coffee so that they can stay up late to study. But can they really drink coffee?.

Studies in various countries have pointed out that caffeinated beverages are not suitable for children and adolescents.

A study by Ohio University in the United States found that caffeine intake by children and adolescents can aggravate the symptoms of sleep interruption, prolong bed time, and even develop into emotional anxiety, which is more likely to cause caffeine addiction, which is not conducive to children's health, learning, and mental development.

In addition, caffeine affects appetite and hinders the nutrition absorption of developing children, so the National Institutes of Health has also warned parents that children's caffeine intake should be strictly controlled. The British Food Standards Agency also warned that drinking coffee during or half an hour after a meal will affect the body's absorption of iron, and adolescent girls should pay special attention to the risk of anemia if drinking coffee without restraint.

Zhang Beizhen, a psychiatrist at China Medical University, also believes that after drinking coffee, children do not drink healthier drinks such as boiled water and milk, plus canned or three-in-one coffee with sugar and cream, which can easily lead to nutritional imbalance.

In addition to affecting development and mood, Zhao Shunqing, a pediatric gastroenterologist and hepatobiliary physician at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, also points out that children's liver and kidney are not fully developed, and the half-life of caffeine metabolism is prolonged, so they are more prone to side effects such as palpitations.

So how old should children be before they start drinking coffee? Canadian scholars recommend that preschoolers consume no more than 45 milligrams of caffeine (about 355cc caffeinated soda or 43 grams of milk chocolate bars). Zhao Shunqing pointed out that it may be a safer age after the age of 12.