Oh, sweet sugar...

The festive season is under way and mithai is topmost on everyone’s mind. A good time then, to ponder on how much sugar is too much for your toddler. M&B investigates...

- Swati Chopra Vikamsey

Sugar is in almost everything we eat. In addition to the obvious sweet and tempting treats such as candy and cookies, barfis and mithais, cakes and pies, sugar is found naturally in fruit and milk, and is an ingredient in many brands of yogurt, tomato sauce, and salad dressings. So where does one draw the line? “Eventually, all foods break down into sugars and these are the energy needs of our body. I think the question here is how much-refined sugar is enough for a toddler and the answer should be zero. But naturally, refined sugar is all around us in juices, cakes, chocolates, sweets, desserts and it is so tempting for a child. The trick is to let the child have an occasional treat, but ensure that refined sugar does not become the staple diet of the child,” cautions Mumbai-based nutritionist and M&B panelist Sonali Shivlani.

KEEP COUNT

According to the World Health Organisation, everyone should restrict their consumption of added sugars– such as those not naturally present in foods like 100 per cent fruit juice and plain milk—to below 10 per cent of their total calorie intake. For example, a moderately active six-year-old who requires about 1,600 calories a day is allowed up to 40 gms of added sugars each day, the equivalent of 10 level teaspoons of sugar.