Sugar in Your Kids Diet:
The Numbers & Sources May Shock You
You probably hear about sugar all the time… but do you know where it’s coming from and how much your child is actually getting? Let’s dive in:
What is sugar?
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate; a macronutrient your body needs for energy. There is an important distinction to make when looking at sugar.
NATURALLY OCCURRING SUGARS:
These can be found among many foods and drinks such as lactose in milk or fructose in fruit. Because of the nature of these sugars, the foods usually contain other important nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and fibre and can be a part of a balanced diet. These are the sources of sugar you should be aiming for.
FREE ADDED/SUGARS:
Free sugars are the sugars naturally occurring in honey, syrups, molasses and fruit juices.
Added sugars are those that have been added during the processing and preparation of foods and can be found in baked goods and pop drinks. These usually offer little nutritional value and can negatively impact health.
The types of sugar combined result in a child’s total sugar intake. Although both types of sugar contain the same amount of calories, aim for naturally occurring sugars because of the other nutritional benefits!
How much sugar should my child be getting?
Health Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend no more than 10% of calories to come from added sugar.
What does that look like?
It can be broken down by teaspoons.
Ages 4-8 (Male & Female): 8 teaspoons daily
Ages 9-13 (Male): 11 teaspoons, (Female): 10 teaspoons daily
Ages 14-18 (Male): 15 teaspoons, (Female): 11 teaspoons daily
Remember:
1 teaspoon = 4 grams of sugar
Why is too much sugar an issue?
Studies have shown an association between high sugar intake and an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dental cavities among children.
But where is all this sugar coming from?
Sugar often finds sneaky ways to get into our foods. Many foods high in added sugars include breakfast cereals, puddings, yogurts, chocolate bars, baked goods and jams. Children can also drink A LOT of their sugar intake! Flavoured milk, pop and fruit juice boxes contain tons of added sugar. This is why you should aim to make water the drink of choice for your child!
An easy way to figure out how much sugar is in a food is to look at the nutrition label. Here you can find the total amount of sugar under the Carbohydrate section.
So: If a certain food has 15+ grams of sugar per 100g it is considered a high sugar food.
Also, be sure to check the ingredient list on the label because sugar can sometimes be hidden under different names. Ingredients ending in ‘ose’ are often sugars so look for things like glucose, fructose, or maltose. Another common name is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Because this ingredient list is done by weight (highest to lowest), if you see sugar in the first three ingredients, the food is likely higher in added sugars.
A Tip for reducing your child’s sugar intake Is to focus on cereal
A common food children love and that is high in added sugars is breakfast cereal. Next time you are at the grocery store, check the nutrition label on your child’s favourite. The numbers may shock you. So, what can you do to make a better choice?
Look for cereals high in fibre! This would mean the cereal has 5+ grams per 100 grams. High fibre foods such as oatmeal are full of complex carbohydrates which will carry your child through the morning and contain other important nutrients kids need.
Next look for sugar. Remember 15+ grams is considered a lot.
Try sweetening your cereal sweet naturally. Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon, or peanut butter and raspberries is a perfect way to offer nutrient-dense foods while making them taste sweeter.
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