Good general and oral health depend significantly on nutrition and dietary habits. Although it tastes delicious, eating too much sugar is one of the worst things that you can do for your health. Consuming a diet that's high in sugar can increase a child's risk for several health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic disorders, heart disease, high blood pressure, skin problems, and vision problems. Sugar even has a big impact on teeth, increasing the risk of tooth decay, cavities, and periodontal (gum) disease.
The American Heart Association says that children under the age of two should have no foods or beverages with added sugar, and children from two to 18 should not consume more than six teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day.
For example, the average can of soda contains about 1.5 times a child's maximum recommended amount of daily added sugar. Even less obvious or seemingly "healthy" foods can be sources of added sugar, such as yogurt, canned fruit, fruit juice, chocolate milk, condiments, bread, breakfast cereal, granola bars, and pasta sauces.
Since added sugar is so prevalent in the grocery store, parents need to be mindful and deliberate about the foods they make available to their children on a regular basis. Consider the following tips for reducing sugar intake.
Sugary, sweet beverages are one of the worst culprits for added sugar, and it's best to eliminate these from your child's diet. These include sodas, sports drinks, lemonade, fruit punch, energy drinks, and even 100% fruit juice. Encourage your child to drink water, make fruit-infused drinks together, and dilute sugary beverages with water.
Natural, unprocessed foods are the best options, as these won't contain any added sugar. Whole foods include items like fresh fruits and vegetables, unsweetened dairy, and protein sources like eggs, fish, and meat. Encourage your child to satisfy their sweet tooth with whole fruits, as these are a much healthier source of sugar.
Most processed foods contain some form of added sugar. Processed foods include items like crackers, cookies, chips, condiments, ice cream, cereal, breakfast bars, protein shakes, frozen meals, processed meats, and canned goods. These processed foods notoriously take up the bulk of a grocery store, filling out the entire center of the building.
Get in the habit of reading food labels. The Food and Drug Administration requires nutrition facts labels to disclose the amount of added sugar contained in a product below the "Total Sugars" category. This label makes it possible to quickly see how many grams of added sugars are in a serving of a labeled product.
Additionally, parents should be aware that sugar isn't always called "sugar" in the list of ingredients because there are several types of added sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, malt syrup, concentrated juices, maltose, and dextrose (just to name a few).
Attempting to go "cold turkey" and eliminate added sugar rapidly can lead to cravings and backfire. Instead, reduce sugar intake slowly by switching out sugary snacks and drinks with healthier alternatives. Additionally, focus on adding healthy foods to your child's diet, such as fruit and natural sweeteners (honey and pure maple syrup), so that they will begin to prefer the healthier options, as you gradually remove less healthy choices.
In addition to our pediatric dentists, the following resources can provide you with tools to make oral hygiene fun for your child and ensure you have all of the information you need to help you raise your child into an adult with good oral health.
At Hines Little Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we focus on making pediatric dental health fun for Columbus and New Albany patients while supporting parents with the challenge of keeping their children healthy. We specialize in dentistry, and, since dental health is closely related to diet and nutrition, our team is knowledgeable about healthy diets for kids. We can help you educate your kids about the importance of food choices and health while providing you with more ideas about how to eat less sugar.
To learn more about the connection between sugar intake and healthy teeth and bodies, we welcome you to contact our office and request an appointment for your child today.
Call 614-475-5439 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
