Hipp Organic Juice with Mineral Water

Author's product rating:   

Nutritional Value
Menu Variety
Taste
Value for Money

Advantages:	nice bottle
Disadvantages:	60% fruit juice which goes against health recommendations

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

Picture the scenario: just got 6 month old to begin to drink water then a holiday loomed and we were going to Devon where the water has a very strong taste, contrary to our own water which is tasteless.

We decided to add a tiny amount of fresh orange juice to boiled tap water to camouflage the ‘chemical’ taste. My son wasn’t impressed and for the first few days, we tried various ways to con him into drinking. I had been told that bottled water wasn’t safe for babies unless it specifically said so on the label due to the varying levels of minerals in the springs throughout the year.

Whilst out, my parents picked up a variety of ‘baby drinks’ that were available in Boots. Not knowing the current thinking on such, they assumed that when they said suitable for 4 months on the bottles, they actually were. One such purchase was Hipp Organic Apple Juice with Mineral Water. As it was for babies, I assumed the mineral level was okay.

~~~PRODUCT~~~

My experience is based on the apple juice with mineral water. It came in a 200ml glass bottle with a screw-top lid.

~~~CLAIMS~~~

Ingredients: 60% organic apple juice with reduced acid, 40% natural mineral water, vitamin C.
[Current recommendations for use of fruit juice is 1 part juice to 10 parts water not 6:4!!!]

· use from @ 10 months although says to consult your health visitor;
· no harmful synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilisers:
· no GM ingredients;
· no artificial additives;
· no preservatives;
· gluten & milk free;
· suitable for vegetarians;
· rich in vitamin C

~~~PRODUCT WARNINGS~~~

· don’t leave babies unattended with a drink;
· serve from a cup – never use a dummy;
· ideally give at mealtimes:
· brush teeth regularly

~~~PRICE/VARIETY~~~

They are 59p for a 200ml bottle and varieties are: apple or mixed fruit. 500ml bottles are also available and can stay open in the fridge for 3 days.

~~~MY FINDINGS~~~

Once I got over the shock that they had far more fruit juice than what is recommended, I opened the jar and smelled the contents, it was very syrupy in smell and when I tasted it myself, it didn’t taste any better! I still to this day have no idea how pure fruit juice and mineral water can taste so syrupy, more so than even some of the more ‘processed’ juices around for older children. I didn’t offer my son the juice as it was but diluted it somewhat to protect his teeth although he didn’t like it at all.

~~~IN CONCLUSION~~~

Nice bottle, shame about the contents. This product goes against the advice out there to help parents look after their baby’s teeth. We did find that my son loved the Boot’s own version of this but it had a hint of fruit juices rather than 60%. Having said that, he was much happier drinking tap water when we got home and I did not have a problem weaning him off the sweet tastes.