Although the consumption of sugar in children is quite high and worrying, few people give it the attention it deserves and do nothing about it. The misinformation is total and many parents think that the problem is not so bad and that a little sugar a day should not be so bad for the health of their children. Unfortunately, sugar consumption is on the rise with all the bad things that this means for health.
In the following article we tell you what is the amount of sugar that children should take and How does its consumption affect health?
sugar intake in children
The mother's milk contains sugar so the baby already takes it from the first day. However, it is the added sugar that is harmful to the health of the baby, so it is advised not to take it until two years of age. From that age and up to 3 years of age, the consumption of added sugar should not exceed 15 grams per day. From ages 4 to 14, added sugar intake should not exceed 25 grams per day.
what is good sugar
The sugar found in dairy products is in the form of lactose and provides good nutrients to the child's body. It is also good that they take the sugar that is present in vegetables or fruit, which is called fructose.
Other natural sources of sugar and therefore advisable are organic honey or stevia. Artificial sugars are those found in products such as saccharin or cyclamate.
the bad sugar
Parents should monitor their children at all times for excessive consumption of refined or processed sugar. This type of sugar is truly harmful and harmful to health. It is not good for children to get used to eating this type of sugar since they are small, since it is quite harmful to health as well as being very addictive. This type of sugar is found above all in the famous sweets or in industrial pastries. Unfortunately it is not uncommon today to see children on the street eating these products that are so bad for your health.
What happens to added sugar
The great danger of added sugar is that it is ingested without realizing it. It is found in a large number of daily consumer products, which is why you have to pay attention to product labels. Most of this type of sugar comes from processed or industrialized products. Excessive consumption of added sugar is harmful and detrimental to children's health. It is therefore the job of parents to be perfectly informed about what they buy and avoid, as far as possible, the consumption of foods that have large amounts of added sugar.
Ultimately, it is very important to control the consumption of sugar in children. There are more and more cases of children who develop diseases as worrying as diabetes or obesity due to excessive consumption of sugar. It is recommended that they consume as little as possible and that they do not abuse their consumption. Parents should be especially careful with refined sugars or those that are added to products. Good eating habits can help the child prefer to eat fruit or vegetables instead of sweets or industrial pastries.