Skip to content
Families
Link copied to clipboard

For kids, too. Eat less added sugar to reduce cardiovascular risk

The American Heart Association recently recommended reducing added sugars to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents. Here's how to cut back.

    by Megan Robinson, MS, RD, CDE, LDN
    Published 

We all know that eating too much sugar is not good for our kid's health, but how much is too much? The American Heart Association recently recommended reducing added sugars to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in children and adolescents. The committee's recommendations based on the literature and expert opinion include:

1. Children ages 2-18 should consume less than 25 grams of added sugars daily (100 calories, or six teaspoons).

2. Children under the age of 2 should avoid added sugars altogether.

3. Children and adolescents should limit their intake of sugar-sweetened beverages no more than eight ounces per week.

How to identify added sugars

Currently, the Nutrition Facts on food labels only lists the total sugar grams rather than identifying whether the sugar is added or natural (found in milk and fruit).  Starting in July 2018, Nutrition Facts Labels will list the grams of added sugars rather than just the total grams of sugar which can include natural and added sugars. One way to figure out if the sugar is added is to look at the ingredient list. Sugars added to foods or beverages include the following:

  1. Brown sugar

  2. Corn syrup, maple syrup

  3. Dextrose

  4. Fructose

  5. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

  6. Honey

  7. Molasses

  8. Sucrose, white granulated sugar

  9. Cane juice

  10. Glucose

Added sugars can be easily found in foods such as: sugary beverages including regular soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks; candy, cookies, cakes and pies; sweet rolls, pastries, and donuts; and ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt.  They can also be hidden in common foods we eat such as cereals, granola bars, ketchup, BBQ sauces, instant oatmeal and pasta sauces.

Tips on cutting back on added sugars

Added sugars seem to be found in everything we eat! Here are some tips on how to reduce added sugars in common foods.

  1. Choose breakfast cereals, granola bars, and other grains with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving

  2. Drink white milk instead of chocolate

  3. Try plain yogurt with added fresh or frozen fruit or try flavored yogurts with less than 12 grams of sugar (seven to eight grams is natural sugar from milk)

  4. Make foods from scratch to be able to limit the amount of sugars added

  5. Limit treats to special occasions and eat more fresh or frozen fruit instead

  6. Choose milk and water rather than sugary beverages such as soda, energy drinks and sports drinks

  7. Add spices to foods to enhance the flavor. Try adding cinnamon to plain oatmeal instead of brown sugar.

Remember, it's important to teach your kids how to incorporate added sugars in moderation rather than eating a very restrictive sugar-free diet. Try to focus on eating more natural sugars from fruits, vegetables and plain milk/yogurt and to save the treats for something special. .

Have a question for the Healthy Kids panel? Ask it here. Read more from the Healthy Kids blog »