Why and How to Control the Sugar Habit
Here it comes again—another candy-filled holiday not two months past Christmas. Soon the lollipops and Skittles will be coming home in your child’s Valentine mailbox. “Special” occasions come around so often that our lives seem like a year-round sugar fest: birthday parties, grandparent visits, restaurant outings, scout meetings, classroom rewards. Children are bombarded with sugary treats. That makes it all the more crucial, experts say, to limit sugar intake in the home, where you exert the control.
What’s the Big Deal About Sugar?
We all know that sugar equals weight gain. According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, more than 33 percent of grade school kids are overweight and at risk for diabetes and other health issues. Cheryl Hansen, a registered dietitian and manager of the diabetes program at Overland Park Regional Medical Center, says that childhood obesity extends into adulthood as well. “It might be that at 13 the child’s blood pressure is fine, but health problems may emerge in their 20s and 30s and 40s that we don’t normally expect to see until the 60s and 70s.”
Even kids who aren’t overweight need to watch their sugar intake, says registered dietitian Shelly Summar, the weight management coordinator at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. “Skinny is not a marker of health,” Summar claims. Hansen agrees: “When a child is taking in a lot of calories from sugary foods, they’re less likely to be getting the nutrients they need.” Not only do sugary foods contribute little nutrition, they dull the appetite for healthful foods.
Too much concentrated sugar can also cause rollercoaster blood sugar levels. Let’s say a kid reaches for a can of soda when her blood sugar dips. The sudden sugar infusion triggers insulin secretion, resulting in an abrupt blood sugar plunge—a seesaw of highs and lows that can tamper with a child’s focus, mood and activity level.
How Much Is Too Much?
Adrienne Baxter is a clinical instructor in the department of dietetics and nutrition at Kansas University Medical Center’s School of Allied Health. Her recommendations echo those of the World Health Organization, which in 2003 suggested that sugar account for no more than 10 percent of calories in a healthy diet. That’s about 200 calories, or 53 grams of sugar. But because Nutrition Facts labels don’t distinguish between added sugar and natural sugars (as in fruit juice), trying to work within these guidelines can be tricky. The key, say dietitians, is to strive for balance.
Making Changes—Gradually
First, say experts, be aware of what your child is eating. Read labels and look for words like corn syrup and fructose. That Yoplait yogurt may well have as much sugar as a serving of ice cream. Monitor foods like salad dressings, dips and sauces. But remember, eating sugar “is not like consuming poison,” says Summar, and “when you over-restrict, sometimes that can fuel the desire” for sugary foods.
Instead, Summar urges parents to use labels as guidelines to develop more general rules. When evaluating the total diet, look for one area to make a reasonable change, she advises. Baxter says that for many families, beverages are the main culprit. Sodas contain 25 to 39 grams of sugar, and “healthy” drinks like Capri Sun Pacific Cooler have twice as much per ounce. Make changes gradual and attainable, says Summar. Begin by limiting soda and switching to fruit juice. Once you’ve achieved some success in that area, move on to another part of the diet that needs attention.
As for desserts, Baxter suggests controlling portion size in favor of going cold turkey. Serve ice cream in small, decorative dishes and top it with fruit. And it’s important, says Hansen, to keep forbidden food out of the house. “A lot of it is psychological,” she says, because high-sugar foods are packaged conveniently and are easy to grab.
Using sugar alternatives can also be helpful in moderation. “There are some sweeteners that have small amounts of beneficial nutrients,” says Baxter. Examples are honey and agave nectar. (Note: Never give honey to infants; it’s dangerous for children under 12 months of age.) While any sweetener should compose only a small part of the diet, a sweet tooth can sometimes be soothed with fruit or other naturally sweet foods. Nonnutritive sweeteners are considered safe for children, but experts caution against replacing foods across the board with “sugar free” versions, which are often high in fat and salt. (See the sidebar for more information.)
Remember that change is hard on kids, and the whole family needs to get on board. Approach new foods with an upbeat attitude and stress nutrition, not weight. “We’re trying poached pears for dessert” works much better than “We’re never eating chocolate cake again!” In other words, make it about what you’re adding, not what you’re taking away. “If we focus more on the positive, people are more motivated to make a behavior change,” Summar says. By the way, that works for grownups, too.
THE SCOOP ON SWEETENERS
What’s in all those pretty colored packets? And is it safe? Here’s the story.
Saccharin (pink packets) Sweet ’n Low packets bear the warning that saccharin “has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.” While the FDA still deems it safe for humans, it’s best avoided.
Aspartame (blue packets) NutraSweet or Equal sweetens most diet sodas as well as a host of other products. The FDA claims that no scientific evidence supports anecdotal reports of aspartame causing cancer, mood swings or epileptic seizures, but because of ongoing controversy, many people opt for other sweeteners.
Sucralose (yellow packets) Splenda is made from chemicals added to sugar to decrease its absorption rate into the body. While health problems are not widely reported, critics claim that more long-term testing on humans is needed.
Stevia (green packets) Truvia and PureVia are naturally occurring, noncaloric sweeteners harvested from the stevia plant. New on the U.S. market, stevia has been used in South America and Asia for many years.
Despite a healthy diet, Shawnee writer Claire M. Caterer is not above sharing the occasional piece of chocolate cake with her daughter.