Is sugar really that bad?

Kdp2015

I’ve checked NHS website and apparently sugar is bad because A too much causes weight gain and B it rots your teeth
If they really are the only negatives can I assume within a balanced diet with good oral hygiene there is no need to worry?
In context, my daughter is nearly 5 and loves chocolate cereal, she also loves veg, pasta, cheese etc etc - do I really need to agonise over which cereal has least added sugar? Because I’m fairly sure milk is loaded with sugar and she grew up on that!
Sugar seems to be portrayed as the enemy but I’m not convinced.

jgnatca

Limit not eliminate.

I’m with you on the chocolate cereal. She eats a variety of foods. She’ll be fine.

jdubois5351

At the moment sugar is the enemy, before that it was fat ... who knows what it'll be next? I really don't give a rat's behind about it. Everything in moderation. If your daughter ate only chocolate cereal, yeah, that'd be bad, as you very well know, but as it stands, she seems to be getting a balanced diet, so who cares about a bit of cereal?

nutmegoreo

Sugar really is only an issue if it crowds out other nutrients. Within the context of a balanced diet, I don't see the problem.

amusedmonkey

I wouldn't worry if it's not ruining her appetite for other more nutritionally balanced foods. Sugary foods as a big source of calories can nudge out other nutritious foods. On the flip side, even if it doesn't crowd out other nutrients it would be the most logical thing to limit (not necessarily eliminate) if the overall food consumption is too high to the point where it causes weight gain. If she doesn't have a weight problem and is eating a nutritionally balanced diet otherwise (and is being taught proper oral hygiene), I don't see a point in agonizing over this.

AnvilHead

nutmegoreo wrote: »

Sugar really is only an issue if it crowds out other nutrients. Within the context of a balanced diet, I don't see the problem.

Exactly. As with most things, context and dosage matter.

jennifer_417

Probably the only thing you need to agonize over is how much the judgy moms at daycare will look down on you. As far as real health risks? Nah

Unknown

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snowflake954

Sugar in excess is the problem. If she's eating sweets constantly and starts gaining too much then you'd be right to worry.

vollkornbloedchen

Kdp2015 wrote: »

I’ve checked NHS website and apparently sugar is bad because A too much causes weight gain and B it rots your teeth

The important two words here are "too much" ...
Too much of anything causes problems. In this regard sugar is not different to anything else.
Taking a "Too much" even water is evil ... Drowning is no fun ...

Sugar as such is a highly potent energy-carrier which is vital for your cells. All food you eat is (sooner or later) processed to sugar otherwise your cells couldn't use it.

Question is: How could something that is vital for your body be "evil"

sijomial

Remember that public health guidelines and initiatives are aimed at the general population and not calorie counters or even people that are generally nutrition aware. Limiting or reducing or simply highlighting sugar consumption is a nice simple message to try and reduce overall calorie consumption for a population that increasingly is eating too much.

A parallel is road safety campaigns use the headline "Speed Kills" which is factually incorrect and a dumbing down of a complex problem.

"Because I’m fairly sure milk is loaded with sugar"
What do you mean by loaded? It has some (lactose) but not what I would call loaded by any means.
Sugars are listed on the nutritional information labels on milk so you can be sure rather than fairly sure.

Evelyn_Gorfram

As @vollkornbloedchen said, water is bad for you if you're drowning.

Air is bad for you if you're falling.

Soybean & brown rice casseroles are bad for you if somebody forces you to actually eat them. (Unless you find them even remotely palatable; in which case I've been informed, often quite vehemently, that they are very good for you.)

But water and air are very good for you when correctly applied in appropriate quantities, and soybean & brown rice casserole is very good when correctly applied to the compost heap.

Sugar is similar: you're not going to escape it in the modern world, and it's an appropriate part of a balanced and nutritious diet.

I grew up among hippie health nuts; hence the childhood experiences with, and present-day aversion to, soybeans & brown rice. My folks allowed sugar and some sugar cereals, but I had friends whose parents didn't. This made sugar a sought-after "forbidden fruit," and those kids would go to great lengths to eat as much sugar as they could get their hands on behind their parent's backs.

In your place I'd skip the agonizing , but calmly select whichever cereal has the least sugar from among those your daughter likes. I'd also keep some other cereal on hand, perhaps whatever you like, for days when you run out of the chocolate sugar cereal. (Running out "accidentally on purpose" every once in a while is probably okay.) That'll give her a healthier choice to make when she wants to make one.

missysippy930

Sugar is ok in moderation as are all foods.
As long as she’s meeting nutritional needs and not over consuming the recommendations of sugar in her diet for her age don’t worry about it.

psuLemon

Kdp2015 wrote: »

I’ve checked NHS website and apparently sugar is bad because A too much causes weight gain and B it rots your teeth
If they really are the only negatives can I assume within a balanced diet with good oral hygiene there is no need to worry?
In context, my daughter is nearly 5 and loves chocolate cereal, she also loves veg, pasta, cheese etc etc - do I really need to agonise over which cereal has least added sugar? Because I’m fairly sure milk is loaded with sugar and she grew up on that!
Sugar seems to be portrayed as the enemy but I’m not convinced.

Teaching your child how to eat a well balanced diet and helping them stay active, is the best thing you can do.

Having some sugar is perfectly fine. It's when they live off a sodas and candy bars, and don't get nutrient dense foods, where issues can come into play.

MikePfirrman

The issue I have with sugar and kids is that it does taste wonderful. Depends on the kid and the context. If a child understands (which is rare they do) that you should only eat sugary things occasionally and the parent controls what they eat, fine. The problem becomes when the child has more choices, like in school. Will they learn that they need to also eat their vegetables and protein?

I think the longer you keep your kids from eating sugar (and sweet juices) the better. Just my personal beliefs. Any parent that has fed a baby knows babies would rather eat Applesauce than Squash. I credit my wife a lot for being tough and teaching me as a parent how important those little things are. Once the parents give in to natural instincts for sweets, it becomes very hard as the child ages to curb their sweet tooth.

WinoGelato

Can I just say how nice it is to see a post about sugar that starts with an OP doing some research about eating a particular food or ingredient they might have had some concerns about, but results in drawing logical conclusions after considering context, dosage, and mitigation? It’s a refreshing change from all the posts that start with “I read on XYZ blog portraying itself as actual science that sugar is evil” .... which never ends well.

eatyogarun

MikePfirrman wrote: »

Once the parents give in to natural instincts for sweets, it becomes very hard as the child ages to curb their sweet tooth.

Conversely, if you forbid it, they WILL get it somewhere else eventually and then they'll go nuts whenever they can. We had a kid down the street who clearly did NOT get treats at home. He would come over and try to clean out my pantry. If you teach them that treats are treats and not forbidden fruit, I think most kids get it.

Lounmoun

I think if you are consuming sugar in moderation it is not really an issue.

rsclause

I think kids will be kids and while I would attempt to have them eat a nutritious diet it is not always possible. Unless they are having trouble managing their weight I wouldn't stress. I do think as we become adults we need to pay more attention to our weight and sugar intake to stay healthy. Moderation is key but not always easy with many foods having more sugar than people realize.

Kdp2015

MikePfirrman wrote: »

The issue I have with sugar and kids is that it does taste wonderful. Depends on the kid and the context. If a child understands (which is rare they do) that you should only eat sugary things occasionally and the parent controls what they eat, fine. The problem becomes when the child has more choices, like in school. Will they learn that they need to also eat their vegetables and protein?

I think the longer you keep your kids from eating sugar (and sweet juices) the better. Just my personal beliefs. Any parent that has fed a baby knows babies would rather eat Applesauce than Squash. I credit my wife a lot for being tough and teaching me as a parent how important those little things are. Once the parents give in to natural instincts for sweets, it becomes very hard as the child ages to curb their sweet tooth.

Well she does love sweet stuff but she also loves broccoli and lots of other veg I’m not sure if children do have sweeter teeth than adults but I agree it’s a consideration.

Kdp2015

Thanks for the replies everyone, I was looking at all the labels on cereal boxes last week and came home empty handed. Have managed to get one of her favourites today and the new recipe is 33% less sugar

Kdp2015

Ps and no artificial sweeteners either

cwolfman13

Context and dosage matter....drinking multiple 40oz Big Gulps daily while leading a sedentary lifestyle...probably pretty bad for you. Having a reasonable amount of sugar in an otherwise balanced and nutritious diet...not a big deal.

How much is too much is also going to be dependent on how active one is. My kids are extremely active so a little extra sugar is an easy way to get them more calories and a burst of energy. They don't eat a lot of "junk food", but they do eat a lot of fruit.

Things like gatorades and juices/sodas are typically reserved for after soccer matches and special occasions like when we're out camping...fruit snacks on the way home after practices usually, and we typically give them something sweet but small for desert after the evening meal. They're both skinny as rails.

nvmomketo

MikePfirrman wrote: »

The issue I have with sugar and kids is that it does taste wonderful. Depends on the kid and the context. If a child understands (which is rare they do) that you should only eat sugary things occasionally and the parent controls what they eat, fine. The problem becomes when the child has more choices, like in school. Will they learn that they need to also eat their vegetables and protein?

I think the longer you keep your kids from eating sugar (and sweet juices) the better. Just my personal beliefs. Any parent that has fed a baby knows babies would rather eat Applesauce than Squash. I credit my wife a lot for being tough and teaching me as a parent how important those little things are. Once the parents give in to natural instincts for sweets, it becomes very hard as the child ages to curb their sweet tooth.

I agree with this. Kids don't need sugar and they are probably better of if they get their calories from other sources.

If they don't eat a lot of sugary foods, they won't be used to eating a lot of sugary foods. I'd rather they ate meats, cheeses and veggies than sugary cereal, flavoured fat free yogurts or juice.

I try not to keep many sugary items in the house. It simplifies what they can and can't eat on a daily basis unless they go spend their own money. When they do want sweet things it is fruit or non-sugar sweetened foods (ex. if my son wants yogurt he uses full fat plain yogurt and adds vanilla and flavored stevia drops - no added sugar = less sugar overall).

They still get sugar on occasion: Grandma makes them treats or on special occasions, but otherwise we skip it.

earlnabby

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Context and dosage matter....drinking multiple 40oz Big Gulps daily while leading a sedentary lifestyle...probably pretty bad for you. Having a reasonable amount of sugar in an otherwise balanced and nutritious diet...not a big deal.

How much is too much is also going to be dependent on how active one is. My kids are extremely active so a little extra sugar is an easy way to get them more calories and a burst of energy. They don't eat a lot of "junk food", but they do eat a lot of fruit.

Things like gatorades and juices/sodas are typically reserved for after soccer matches and special occasions like when we're out camping...fruit snacks on the way home after practices usually, and we typically give them something sweet but small for desert after the evening meal. They're both skinny as rails.

Sounds like when I was growing up. When we had dinner guests or went to family holidays we had soda to drink, otherwise it was juice with breakfast and milk with lunch and dinner. When Mom went shopping on Fridays, we each got 2 cans of soda (with our initials written on them) to have for the week. Except for special occasions like Halloween and Easter there was no such thing as unlimited sweets around the house. We could spend our allowance on sweets if we wanted to but it was usually a box of candy when we went to the movies or a soda and candy bar when we were at the beach (usually after biking a few miles to get there and playing in the water all afternoon).

rsclause

My house never had sweets either but I sure loaded up when I was away from home.

missysippy930

They put sugar and salt in things because it tastes good. Example: on America’s Test Kitchen (may have been Cooks Country) Bridget taste tested almond butter. Bridget picked Jiff Almond butter with added sugar and salt. Last place Justin’s Almond Butter just almonds and palm oil.
The OP is a concerned parent looking to make good choices for her young child, which is as it should be. Making choices that will guide them to being healthy.
From my perspective, and I know there are others that will disagree, severely limiting a food, can lead to secretive eating for some of us, that may lead to lifelong issues with foods.

WinoGelato

MikePfirrman wrote: »

The issue I have with sugar and kids is that it does taste wonderful. Depends on the kid and the context. If a child understands (which is rare they do) that you should only eat sugary things occasionally and the parent controls what they eat, fine. The problem becomes when the child has more choices, like in school. Will they learn that they need to also eat their vegetables and protein?

I think the longer you keep your kids from eating sugar (and sweet juices) the better. Just my personal beliefs. Any parent that has fed a baby knows babies would rather eat Applesauce than Squash. I credit my wife a lot for being tough and teaching me as a parent how important those little things are. Once the parents give in to natural instincts for sweets, it becomes very hard as the child ages to curb their sweet tooth.

The only thing more fun than a sugar thread is a thread about what people feed their kids!!!!

My kids may be the exception - I've never specifically limited their sugar intake and we always have sweets in the house. We have sugary and non sugary cereal, granola bars, pop tarts... sometimes they eat those and sometimes they ask for things like butter toast or eggs/bacon for breakfast. They eat fruit with both lunch and dinner. They eat flavored yogurt sometimes, maybe once a week. For treats, they ask if they can have dessert a couple of times a week, most of the time they never even ask. When they do ask, it's usually like "one girl scout cookie" or a fun sized candy bar from our Halloween stash. They never ask for more than what they initially get.
They drink milk or water for ~95% of their meals, on weekends we occasionally do soda, or they have gatorade after games - but often when they have soda with dinner they don't have dessert. When we are out in public, if there is candy or sweets available, like at a party, they still ask first before they start eating. We were at a birthday party on Sunday with a Pinata and after the candy finally all was gathered up and kids had filled their bags - most kids were shoving it in their faces - mine both said, "can I eat one piece now?". I said sure, and then also when the cake was served, both of mine ate about half a piece and threw the rest away.

This is not just because I was there either - I've dropped my kids off at parties, or over at play dates, and been told by other parents how politely my kids asked before they ate any of the sweets - this isn't something I really staunchly enforced it's just what we've always said, "ask before you eat it". On the other side - when I've hosted play dates or a recent sleepover, I was shocked at how some of the other kids just are constantly angling for sweets or when they can have their soda, if they can have a refill, how many refills, when will we have dessert, can we have donuts and pancakes for breakfast, etc. When I commented to one of those kids recently about how much of a sweet tooth he had and how eager he was for the treats, he said "well yeah, because my mom won't ever let us eat any of this stuff we only are allowed to have it outside of the house so I go crazy for sugar any time I'm somewhere else".... my 10 year old just looked at me and shrugged, and threw his half eaten s'more away.

So I'm not sure I agree that it's best to keep sweets away from kids as long as possible, it may end up backfiring into over indulgence and secret eating when a parent is not around...

Kdp2015

I’m completely agree winogelato I want food to be quite neutral as in sweets are nice to have sometimes but they are not there to reward good behaviour or make up for disappointment, I really want my daughter to have a healthy relationship with food - I do believe habits are easier to change than attitude.

COGypsy

I wish my parents had kept more sweets around the house. They were staunchly against sugar and the hyperactivity of children which it allegedly caused. Sometimes as a treat we had Honey Nut Cheerios or graham crackers. Even fruit and juice were pretty limited. I was probably in high school before I had a "real" Coke. Most sweets came from my grandparents or other kids' houses. For me, that ended in a year-long sugar binge my first year in college. I was up to my ears in a bowl of Fruity Pebbles before my dad had left the dorm parking lot! I won't even go into the endless delights of the unlimited buffets at the dining hall! I'd guess I gained 10 pounds the first month.

I think balancing one's diet can be a tricky thing to learn regardless, especially the first time you're out on your own, but I really wish that I'd had the chance to start learning those lessons much earlier. I really think it would have cut back on a lot of the yo-yo fad dieting I did in my 20's.

rheddmobile

OP, it's not conscientious parents like you that this awareness drive is aimed towards, it's parents like my neighbors whose grade school kids all weigh over 200 lbs and seem to have Big Gulp cups grafted to their hands. They eat mac & cheese as a complete meal. If your child isn't obese and doesn't throw away fruit because it's not candy, you can afford a few indulgences.

On a related topic, I think cereal - even no-sugar added cereal - isn't such a great breakfast for anyone. Since most people don't drink the milk the cereal sits in, it has almost no protein, and will create a quick burst of carby energy which will be gone long before lunchtime. Usually it's fortified, which confers the same benefits the kid would get from eating a vitamin pill, aka, very limited benefits, vitamins outside the context of the foods they come in mostly go straight through and get peed away. Remember the 70's when cereal commercials said, "Part of a complete breakfast!" And showed the cereal sitting next to bacon, eggs, and a glass of OJ?