There’s sugar in what?
How much is too much sugar for your child? Here's how to make sense of latest national dietary guidelines and avoid hidden sources of unwanted sugar.
Sugar. We hear about it often and try to avoid it, but how much do we really know about the added sugars in our food? With the newest national dietary guidelines recommending no more than 10 percent of total calories in the day coming from sugar, limiting intake is a hot topic for parents who are trying to feed their families a balanced diet. But even with the best intentions, it can be difficult to feed your family when some of the so-called "healthy" foods might be an unsuspecting source of unwanted sugar.
What's the big deal?
Excessive sugar consumption in the diets of both children and adults has been linked to chronic conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes. And despite of the increasingly popular advertising for sweeteners labeling them as "natural," any sugar or calorie-containing sweetener that is added to a food has no nutrition benefit…it's just empty calories.
How much is too much?
It's hard to estimate what 10 percent of calories should be for kids of different ages. As a basic guide, toddlers and school-aged children should have 2 to 4 teaspoons (8 to 16 grams), while older children and teens should limit themselves to 5 to 8 teaspoons (20 to 32 grams) per day. Naturally occurring sources like milk sugar (lactose) or fruit (fructose) found in the food product don't count toward the gram per day total, just the added.
Where is the sugar?
Sometimes it's tricky to spot where the sugar is hiding because of the many terms manufacturers use for added sugars. Outside of the usual suspects like sodas, baked goods and candy, added sugar might be coming from foods we consider ordinarily consider healthy. When shopping, look at the ingredient list for sugar sources and choose the product with the lowest amount of sugar on the label to help your child stay within their daily limit.
Hidden sugar sources:
1. Flavored yogurts: Those fruity, brightly colored yogurts your kids love? These can be a major source of excess sugar. Try plain yogurt mixed with berries, or blend some frozen peaches or banana slices into plain yogurt for a homemade sweet version of this calcium rich food.
2. Breads, rolls, and bagels: Who would think that a whole wheat bagel would have sugar? Manufacturers often add a sweet ingredient to these products to enhance the flavor of the whole grains. The lesson here? Check the label and the ingredients and compare it with similar brands to find the best product.
3. Granola and cereal bars: Whether it's sugar, honey, or "fruit purees," any of these common ingredients in granola and cereal bars add to the total amount of excess sugar in a child's diet. Have a few minutes this weekend? Try this DIY granola instead, and pre-portion it into small bags for a quick breakfast or breakfast.
4. Instant oatmeal: As a kid, I was always guilty of defaulting to the strawberry instant oatmeal as my quick breakfast before school. But with multiple teaspoons of sugar and refined grains in each packet, these products don't pack the nutrition punch of steel cut oatmeal with raisins, berries, or bananas.
5. Cereal: Of course, we know the cereals that resemble a dessert are exactly that…a treat. However, check out what's in your cabinet. Is it covered with honey or something that looks like frosting? Read the ingredients to find out what you're really eating, then start cutting back on the sweet stuff by mixing a similar unsweetened cereal to the sugary favorite.
One final tip: Don't tackle all of the sugary foods at once. Slowly start transitioning your family's taste buds by picking one sugary item a week to swap, and let your kids help pick the alternative.
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