What Age Can Kids Drink Coffee? [Best Age To Drink Coffee]

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world and many people enjoy it in different varieties. But coffee consumption may cause problems for some people, especially children and teenagers. Therefore, many countries have set a legal age for coffee consumption.

Most countries, such as America, Germany, etc., have no legal restrictions on coffee consumption, and everyone can freely enjoy different types of this popular drink. However, it is still recommended that people, especially children and teenagers, consume coffee in moderation and avoid excessive consumption of this product. Also, if you have any health or medical problems, consult a doctor.

Because coffee is a high-caffeine beverage, it begs the question of consumers at what age it can be chosen as a beverage. In this article, your questions about the right age to drink coffee and drinking it by children and at different ages will be answered.

why is coffee bad for kids

The most important reason for banning children from drinking coffee is to disrupt their sleep patterns. Children 5 to 11 years old need 11 hours of sleep a night. 9 to 10 hours of sleep is also useful for teenagers. However, by drinking a cup of coffee, this amount of sleep is significantly reduced because the effect of coffee remains in the body for up to 8 hours. Another effect of coffee is to reduce appetite and it is a dangerous factor for feeding children. Tooth decay can also be one of the reasons why children do not drink coffee.

Some children are hyperactive and coffee consumption can make it worse. Therefore, coffee consumption drastically reduces their concentration, which means that their learning power is reduced. With coffee, the child can not sit in class and learn things properly.

Coffee is a diuretic, and excessive coffee excretion impairs bone growth in children due to the excretion of certain amounts of calcium with it. In addition, the caffeine in coffee needs calcium to be digested to be digested. For every 100 milligrams of coffee, 6 milligrams of calcium is lost.

Maybe you are interested in how children react when they drink coffee for the first time? See the reactions of children of different ages in the video below:

What age can kids drink coffee?

If you use coffee and your child wants to drink it, it is better to convince him that this drink is harmful for him at the moment and he can try it from the age of 18. According to researchers, coffee consumption before the age of 18 has harmful effects on sleep regulation and mental concentration in children. It is best to explain to the child that if he or she uses coffee before the age allowed to drink, his or her growth process will be hampered due to the amount of sugar entering his or her body while drinking coffee. Parents need to know that giving a child a cup of coffee is like giving him a glass of alcohol. That is, it is equally dangerous and harmful.

caffeine in kids

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers that 3 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is a safe limit. Therefore, a child weighing 50 kilograms should not consume more than 150 milligrams of caffeine per day. However, according to consumer advisory centers, a 500-milliliter can currently contain 151 to 160 milligrams of caffeine. For comparison, according to EFSA, there is about 90 milligrams of caffeine in a cup of filter coffee.

According to the Consumer Advisory Center, young people up to the age of 16 should not consume more than an average of 195 milligrams of caffeine per day.

What does coffee do to kids under 12?

Drinking coffee before the age of 12 is a disaster for a child’s health, because consuming coffee at this age, the child’s heart rate becomes irregular, and one of its side effects is impaired heart pumping. Stomach pain and indigestion are other consequences of coffee consumption in children under 12 years of age, which is largely associated with developmental disorders. Of course, consuming caffeine in very small amounts can have a great effect on improving children’s memory, but the child should not get this amount of caffeine needed through coffee, but eating a chocolate during the day is enough.

Children who drink coffee develop aggressive behaviors, and parents need to spend a lot of time controlling their behaviors. Of course, in some South American countries, families give their children a mixture of milk and coffee from an early age to get used to drinking coffee from an early age. Some coffee companies also recommend coffee consumption for children in their advertisements, but it seems that their claim is just an advertisement.

Is caffeine harmful for children?

Caffeine is not completely harmful to children, but a percentage of it is needed to improve children’s mental function, but drinking coffee, which is known as the first high-caffeinated beverage in the world, is not a good way to supply caffeine to the child’s body because caffeine enters too much. The baby’s body does. It is interesting to note that some children become accustomed to drinking coffee and may ask you to make coffee several times during the day. Each cup of coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine, so its daily consumption is not recommended for children.

How Much Caffeine is Okay for Kids?

The amount of caffeine needed for children varies at each age. For example, the amount of caffeine allowed for preschool children is 45 mg per day. From the age of 6 to 18, children can consume only 100 mg of caffeine per day. Excess caffeine consumption increases the risk of obesity and other side effects of caffeine consumption.

The best age to drink coffee

Generally, the largest part of society, i.e. people over 18 years of age, can enjoy coffee with caution and moderate consumption. At this age, the nervous and cardiac systems are mostly well-equipped to deal with the effects of caffeine. However, it is still better to consume coffee in moderation and avoid excessive consumption of this product.

Decaffeinated coffee for children and alternative options

If kids want to try coffee, and you feel it’s too early for them, you can opt for coffee alternatives. Caro coffee is a classic choice for children, but now you can find various other types of decaffeinated coffee beans that you can confidently offer to younger children. Are you wondering if decaffeinated coffee for children can be a substitute for classic coffee? In essence, decaffeinated coffee is not completely caffeine-free and therefore is not particularly suitable for young children.

Latte – Caffeine-Free Coffee for Kids with a Frothy Top

If children aren’t satisfied with a simple cup of regular coffee, a kids’ milk coffee is an enticing solution that gives the little ones a sense of belonging in the adult world. To make this, according to the package instructions, prepare a cup of decaffeinated coffee. Heat 100 milliliters of extra foamy oat drink and pour it onto the coffee substitute. Crown it with milk foam, and depending on the child’s taste, complete the drink with a dash of cinnamon and the preferred syrup—hazelnut or vanilla syrup is particularly suitable.

final

Ultimately, unlike other stimulants such as alcohol or cigarettes, there is no universal law governing coffee that prohibits its consumption up to a certain age. Nevertheless, adults often ponder when it’s appropriate to let children try or regularly consume coffee. A rough guideline here is the age of 14 and an amount of 50 to 125 milligrams of caffeine per day—on average, 100 milliliters of coffee contains approximately 85 milligrams of caffeine. In comparison, the amount of caffeine adults can consume daily ranges from 300 to 500 milligrams.

FAQ

what age can you drink coffee?

The legal drinking age for coffee varies by country. In the United States, there is no legal drinking age for coffee, as it is not an alcoholic beverage.

can 9 year olds drink coffee?

No, it is not recommended for children under the age of 12 to drink coffee. Coffee contains caffeine, which can be harmful to young children.

What Age is Best?

The best age to start consuming coffee is 18 years old, which of course is not forbidden before, but it should be consumed in very small quantities.

what age can you start drinking coffee?

The legal drinking age for coffee in the United States is 18.