‘toxic’ drinks

that could be making your kids sick - and think twice about that Slushie

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Kids love a sweet drink but there  is increasing concern about what's  in them - highlighted after two kids fell ill drinking ice slush drinks. Nutritionist Amanda Ursell reveals  a “toxicity” risk out of five  for some favourites.

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Milkshakes

The nasty - Sugar  Kids go mad for ­milkshakes,  but they often have  a sugary secret. A large takeaway milkshake can have 77g of sugar

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Fizzy fruit

The nasty - Sodium Benzoate  The preservative sodium benzoate is in some fizzy pop products. It may lead to DNA damage and disease.

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Coke Zero

The nasty - Aspartame  Hugely popular but zero sugar versions contain aspartame  which in very high doses has been linked to cancers.

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Prime  Energy

The nasty - Caffeine  Kids were mad for this YouTube sensation. But it has huge amounts of caffeine. One 330ml serving is like four cans of regular Coca Cola.

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Cola

The nasty -  Phosphoric acid  Many soft drinks, especially colas, contain the preservative phosphoric acid. This makes drinks very acidic and bad for young teeth.

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'Slush' ice drinks

The nasty - Glycerol  Kids crave these but under 4s should not be having them and older kids should be limited. Glycerol for the "slush" can lead to blood pressure dropping, a serious condition.