Lets Talk About Sugar

Why is sugar so unhealthy?

Sugar provides the body with glucose- our main energy source. The problem however is that many children consume for sugar than recommended. This can result in weight gain and even diabetes.

Products such as juice and sweet drinks replace nutrients in a child’s diet and can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies. This can manifest as tooth decay, poor immunity and fussy eating.

If you aren’t sure about how much sugar is in a product, always look at the ingredient list. Foods are always listed according to the amount of that substance in a product. If sugar is the first ingredient, then it means that sugar is the main ingredient in that product.

Are some sugars healthier than others?

Some foods naturally contain sugar, such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains. These sugars are known as complex sugars, meaning that they are digested slowly in the body. Sugars found in juice, sweets, cakes etc. are broken down rapidly in the body and are known as simple sugars. It is better to eat mostly complex sugars, as they help to control blood sugar and often contain more fibre than simple sugars.

How much sugar should my child eat?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 5% of sugars should be simple sugars such as in table sugar, cereals, honey, snack bars etc.

Children aged 1- 3 years should only have 4 tsp of sugar per day (this includes hidden sugars in foods).

Children aged 4- 6 years should have no more than 5 tsp of total sugar per day.

If your child is very active, they may need more, but its best to always discuss this with your Registered Dietitian.

More than sweetness…

Sugar isn’t only used to enhance the sweetness of food, it also functions as a preservative, helps to retain volume, moisture, colour and texture of foods.

Sugar can have many different names too, some include: fructose, glucose, corn syrup, agave nectar, cane sugar and fruit juice concentrate.

Know the numbers…

4g sugar= 1 teaspoon

If a product contains 16g of sugar, this is equal to 4 teaspoons of sugar.

As a parent, you probably wouldn’t give your child 9 teaspoons of sugar to eat, however, a 330ml can of cold rink contains this amount of sugar.