My ten year old likes to drink the Ricola Kräutertee last thing in the evening. Actually I was happy to move away from chocolate milk to accommodate this.
Anyone else do this? I checked with chatgpt and it suggests that every night might not be good, likely due to the sugar content, but as he doesn’t have sugar with anything else excepting a few sweets every now and again I think it’s OK, and he sleeps perfectly.
I think real sugar (in small quantities) would be better for kids than the fake stuff.
This isn’t a dramatic cry for help, just interested if any other kids do the same?
Most Ricola “instant teas” (like Original Herb, Good Night, Elderflower) are powdered mixes where standard versions contain high sugar—typically 90-93% sugar by weight, yielding 12-15g per prepared cup.
That has got to send his blood sugar up very quickly. Don’t they have sugar free tea bags?
Yep - 2–2.5 teaspoons of sugar per mug. But then he brushes 20 minutes later, but prevention is better than cure… thanks for the heads up, I hadn’t calculated it properly before.
My (teen) switched to fruit teas instead of good old builder’s tea (for shame!) because he fancied a change. His dentist told him to be careful because fruit/herbal teas are often pretty acidic and can erode the teeth if you have them too often.
No, brushing your teeth 20 minutes after a high sugar drink is generally not recommended. High sugar drinks often contain acids that temporarily soften tooth enamel, and brushing too soon can damage it further.
Why Wait Longer
Sugar feeds mouth bacteria, producing acids that erode enamel, but many sugary drinks (like sodas) are also acidic themselves. Saliva needs 30–60 minutes to neutralize these acids and remineralize enamel before brushing is safe.
Better Alternatives
Rinse with water immediately after the drink to remove sugars and dilute acids—this clears about 30% of residue. Chew sugar-free gum to boost saliva flow, or wait at least 30 minutes (ideally an hour) before brushing with fluoride toothpaste.
A sugary drink before bed is probably the worst thing for one’s teeth - especially something you sip.
Peoples’ mouths are generally dry at night with less saliva, so the absence of much-acid neutralizing saliva plus the sugar in the drink - for ten hours or so whilst your child sleeps is probably the worst combination one could imagine for tooth decay.
The best way to consume sugar is as part of a meal where both the saliva is working overtime and the high-glycemic load is somewhat offset by the rest of the food consumed during the meal.
I enjoy sipping on chamomile or mint tea before bed and during the night. There’s no sugar, it’s not very acidic, and it doesn’t stain the teeth. It’s part of my routine to wind down. I’m not sure whether these teas are suitable for children or not, but surely they’re better than the sugary tea.