Sugar: Good, Bad, or How Much is Too Much?

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The season between Halloween and New Years is an “extra sweet” time of year. While filled with fun activities, social events, and family togetherness, it can also lend to “sugar overload”. While sugary treats taste so good, children’s developing brains and immune systems can be especially sensitive to excess sugar consumption.

Children with ADHD, Autism, or immune challenges are often even more sensitive to the effects of added sugars. Sugar is the top inflammatory food and may exacerbate inflammatory health conditions and can contribute to brain inflammation and dysregulation in sensitive children. In addition, sugar can negatively impact the infection fighting blood cells of the body lowering resistance to illness. Research has indicated that consuming the sugar content of 1 can of soda pop can decrease the immune properties of the white blood cells for up to 5 hours after consumption.

The American Heart Association recommends children under 2 years of age have 0 grams of added sugar and children over 2 yrs have less than 25 grams of added sugar per day. Pediatricians estimate children are likely consuming 3 times that amount of sugar on a daily basis. How much is 25 grams of sugar? If a child has a bowl of sugar sweetened cereal and a small container of sweetened yogurt for breakfast, they most likely have exceeded the 25 grams of daily sugar. A 20 oz. bottle of Gatorade consumed by teens in sports, contains 36 grams of sugar.

How does a parent minimize their child’s sugar intake? Learning to read labels is a first great step. Reading labels on packaged foods helps to determine how much added sugar is in a food product. Added sugars are hidden in many processed food items. Choosing comparable food items that have less sugar can be a good option. However, be wary of added artificial sweeteners used as a substitute for sugar. Artificial sweeteners can actually have other negative impacts on health, so sugar is actually preferred over artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose.

When home baking, sugar can often be decreased in recipes. In addition applesauce, honey, or molasses may be used. Depending on the recipe, experimenting with decreased sugar or other natural sweeteners can lower the sugar content. There are substitution guides available online for reference.

Fresh Fruits can be used for desserts and snacks, as well as added to plain unsweetened yogurt or smoothies. Choosing unsweetened cereals and adding fresh fruits or homemade granola can be a low sugar alternative. If you are looking for a healthier, lower sugar, electrolyte sports drink replacement, Hydrate from NutriDyn is a great option for athletes when needed.

Finally, while it would be difficult to remove all added sugars from a child’s/teen’s diet, as a parent you can be “parent savvy” in decreasing added sugars by reading labels, choosing food wisely, stocking the fridge and pantry with healthy alternatives, and limiting sugary treats for occasional special times.

Interested in natural options for addressing your child’s health struggles? Wellness 4 KIDS is here to help. Contact us for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call or learn more at Wellness4KIDS.net

Additional References
AHA: Limit Children’s Sugar Consumption to 6 Teaspoons Per Day. www.publications.aap.org
Sugar Not So Nice For Your Child’s Brain Development.  www.sciencedaily.com
Sugar: How Bad Are Sweets for Your Kids?  www.healthclevelandclinic.org
About Sugar Addiction.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12257121/
High Fructose Diet: A Risk Factor for Immune Dysregulation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35414462/
WHO Warns Against Using Artificial Sweeteners.  www.who.int
Is it Time to Scrap Ultraprocessed Foods?  https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/997670?ecd=a2a
The Haunting Facts of Eating Too Much Sugar.  https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/the-haunting-facts-of-eating-too-much-sugar?