Sugar Intake In Children: In our country, when children achieve something, it is common to give them something sweet, like sweets or chocolates, as a reward. If the child completes his homework, give him ice cream; if he gets good marks, give him chocolate or bring him a big cake on his birthday! But do you know that feeding too much sugar in childhood can become a big health problem in the future? A new study says that if children are given less sugar from the beginning, then their risk of diabetes and obesity can be reduced to a great extent. Doctors also believe that excess sugar can cause stomach problems, fatty liver, and mood swings in children.

So how much sweet is okay to give?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 5% of the total calories of children should come from sugar. This means that no more than 4 to 5 teaspoons of sugar should be given in a day. Excess sugar can cause obesity, diabetes, and other health problems in children. The special thing is that if the child is less than two years old, then he should not be given added sugar at all. The bodies of young children are delicate, and their systems are not ready to digest processed or adulterated sugar, so it is necessary to pay special attention.

Difference between natural and adulterated sugar

According to TOI, natural sugar is found in milk, fruits, and vegetables, which also contain essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is beneficial for the body and is digested slowly. On the other hand, adulterated or added sugar is added to things like biscuits, flavored curd, sauce, packed juice, and namkeen. It contains only empty calories, which neither provide nutrition to the body nor are good sources of energy. This sugar becomes a major reason for increasing obesity, diabetes, and dental problems.

How to control sweets?

To prevent children from getting addicted to sweets, it is important that sweets are not given daily. If cake has been eaten at a party on some day, then do not give any other sweet thing on that day.

Give things like ice cream and chocolate only 2-3 times a month, not daily. Instead, make children habituated to fruits, dry fruits, makhana, peanut butter, or homemade healthy snacks.

When there is a craving for sweets, choose healthy options like jaggery and dates. In this way, by gradually changing their taste habit, they can be made 'sugar smart', which will be beneficial for their health in the future.

It is not necessary to stop sweets completely.

Children often demand sweet things after seeing colorful packs in the market and TV ads. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of the parents to teach their children the habit of healthy eating from the beginning.

In this way, if we make children 'sugar smart' from today itself, then in the future they will not only stay away from diseases, but will also remain active and happy.

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