The Role of Sugar in Child Nutrition

In this article, our topic is the role of sugar in children's nutrition, which is mainly the primary ingredient of sweet foods that most people love.

When it comes to children's relationship with sugar, what often comes to mind for us as parents is the concern regarding foods with added sugar and the potential harm of their excessive consumption for our children.

Foods containing added sugar are generally high in calories. Perhaps even more importantly, they are low in nutritional value. The 0-3 age range is especially crucial in children's development. Naturally, nutrition within this age range is of critical importance. Children in this age group should be nourished with foods rich in protein, iron, and the vitamins and minerals that support cognitive development.

What about habits? They are formed early.

We extensively covered the general principles of child nutrition in our blog post titled "Nutrition and Children." Let's start specifically with the issue of excessive and improper sugar consumption. The risks in this regard are not limited to the current childhood period but will continue into adulthood, shaping your child's habits for a lifetime. In simpler terms, children who consume sugar excessively during their formative years may grow up to be individuals with a strong sweet tooth. The dietary patterns during this period will determine their health and potential illnesses throughout their lives.

Excessive and improper sugar consumption, as widely known, can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss. In addition, it can also lead to excessive weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and even some forms of cancer. Our body's chemical factory, the liver, doesn't merely use glucose, the fundamental building block of sugar, for energy. While approximately 50% of the glucose it takes is used for energy, about 10% is used for glycogen synthesis, and the remaining 40% is used in synthesizing fatty acids.

Glycogen is a stored carbohydrate form vital for maintaining blood glucose levels during periods of fasting. The produced fat, especially the one stored in fat cells, can accumulate in the liver, leading to fatty liver disease, weight gain, and other health issues when there is excessive sugar or carbohydrate intake.

Sugar starts with mother's milk

Children begin to receive the necessary sugar from breast milk during infancy. Sugar, in its natural form, is also found in grains, fruits, and vegetables. The primary purpose of sugar-containing foods is to be converted into glucose, the body's source of carbohydrate-based energy.

"What about fruits?" you might ask. Of course, they can consume fruits, but portion control is crucial. When it comes to sugar consumption, the critical aspects are:

1. The risk associated with foods that have added sugar to enhance their taste.
2. The consumption of sugar beyond what the body expends in energy, leading to its storage as fat.

So, how can we instill this important awareness in children at a young age? Or what should we do when our child wants sugar, chocolate, or hazelnut spread with cocoa?

Here are a few tips:

Remember, children tend to imitate what their parents do. Children start emulating their parents from the age of 1, and as such, parents' eating behaviors directly influence their children. Therefore, parents need to be mindful of all their eating behaviors. Healthy alternatives like dried fruits or snacks with natural fruit content should be available at home instead of sugary treats.

Make reading food labels a habit and instill it in your children. Remember that terms like fructose syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, and brown sugar on food labels are essentially different forms of sugar.

Choose water, homemade cold fruit tea, and buttermilk over ready-made fruit juices, carbonated beverages, and sugar-laden flavored shakes. To increase water consumption, you can opt for water infused with lemon, apple slices, or mint leaves. As for the question of what to do with a child who consumes too much sugar, we believe the answer lies in the paragraphs above.

Let's now turn our attention to natural sugars. It's essential to remember that fruits themselves also contain sugar, and the beauty of it is that sugar and fiber coexist in whole fruits. As with everything else, quantity and balance are crucial here. Portion control is vital when consuming fruits. If you prefer to drink only the juice, you can consume freshly squeezed fruit juices or sugar-free fruit compotes, but it's essential not to exceed one glass per day. Freshly squeezed fruit juices prepared without additives not only increase children's intake of vitamins and minerals but also fulfill the body's sugar requirements thanks to fructose, the natural sugar found in fruits.

One way to reduce sugar consumption throughout the day is by having protein-rich breakfasts. A good breakfast balances the body's hunger mechanisms and prevents sugar cravings. Therefore, a balanced breakfast containing eggs, cheese, nuts/olives, whole-grain bread, and seasonal vegetables can be an excellent choice. PACHANOLA, with its rich and high-quality natural protein and collagen content, in addition to the carbohydrates it provides with oatmeal and freeze-dried fruits, offers a balanced and comprehensive meal. A calcium source such as milk or yogurt can also be a full meal for your child. Similarly, our PACHA Chips, with their high protein content and natural fruit and vegetable ingredients, offer both taste and nutritional value.

Avoid establishing a reward or punishment relationship with food and children. The most critical player in a healthy growth plan is balanced nutrition. There are no prohibitions in a healthy eating plan; it's all about portion control. Children will not be limited to only consuming fruits and vegetables; of course, we are not saying "they should never eat sugar." You can introduce them to innocent sugars like molasses, honey, fruit leather, carob, dried fruits, apple puree, and homemade jams/jellies. We would like to conclude our article by emphasizing that regardless of how innocent a food may be, the most crucial aspect is the quantity consumed when consuming any food.