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13 - 15 months

When is it okay to give my child sugar?

| By Tammy Jacks

When it comes to giving your little one ice-cream or setting up the sweets table at your child’s party, how much is too much?

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We asked ADSA (Association for Dietetics in South Africa) spokesperson and registered dietitian Zelda Ackerman to weigh in on your most pressing questions about giving your children sugar.

Should I allow my toddler to have sweets and chocolates?

“While you shouldn’t offer your little one sweets and chocolates daily, you may allow them to have traditional sweets and chocolates when they're available to your child at parties. The truth is, if you ban your toddler from having the sweets all their friends are tucking into, you may just create an increased drive in them to want it more. They're then more likely to overindulge, and feel really sick afterwards. Bingeing is never a good idea.

When it’s your child’s party, focus on games and give healthy snacks instead of sweets. The trick is to not make a fuss about it but rather limit sweets in a subtle way, without your little one noticing.

Most importantly, when you do allow sweets, offer it in a neutral way, without emotions and don’t give your child sweets to reward good behaviour. Avoid bribing with sweets and don’t give sweets to demonstrate love. You also want to steer clear of banning sweets as a form of discipline.”

How much sugar is too much?

“Sugar is okay in small amounts as part of a healthy, balanced diet. According to international recommendations, about 5% of the energy we take in may come from sugar or refined carbohydrates. But remember, granulated sugar, honey, fruit juice and jam all count as sugar.

For a toddler, that’ll translate to about 2-3 teaspoons of sugar per day. Before you give your child 2-3 jelly babies, you need to first subtract any hidden sugar they might have had that day in items such as sweetened yoghurt, breakfast cereal or tomato sauce. If their diet is already packed with foods containing hidden sugars adding up to more than 3 teaspoons per day, then any additional sweets won’t form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

If you’re sure that your child’s diet is free from hidden sugars, then 2 small sweets (jelly babies/ marshmallows, for instance) is fine. However, we don’t recommend giving these sweets daily at such a young age.

The list below is a handy guide to age-appropriate sweets:

• For babies under 12 months: Avoid hidden sugars as well as sweets, chocolates, cakes or cold drinks.

• From 18 months: You can allow your toddler to have sweets at special occasions only, such as parties.

• From age 3: Offer the occasional sweet, say once a week, but it’s still best to avoid foods with added or hidden sugars.

• For older kids: Continue to limit foods with hidden sugars and teach your child about portion control. For example, it’s better to have 2 small blocks of chocolate or 2-3 sweets every second day, rather than a whole slab or packet at once.”

What are some healthier alternatives?

“We always recommend homemade sweets over highly processed, commercial products you typically find in the supermarket aisles, as these are also packed with artificial colourants that may cause some children to be hyperactive. Apart from homemade sweets, aim to offer mostly naturally sweet foods for as long as you can. Fresh or dried fruit is the best alternative to sweets, and it can satisfy a toddler’s sweet tooth. However, be careful with dried fruit as it can cause cavities.

Be creative with different types of fruit cut into pieces for a snack. Serve it on a toddler-friendly skewer or make shapes with the fruit pieces. You can also mix fresh fruit like granadilla, strawberries or peaches with plain, natural yoghurt for a touch of sweetness.

In warmer months, make ice lollies with 100% fruit juice – opt for one in UHT packaging that contains no preservatives or added sugar.

A healthier alternative to chocolate is ½ - 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder mixed into a cup of cold or warm milk.”

Try these healthy recipes from Family First Nutrition

Cranberry snack bars

You’ll need:

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

• 1 cup oats

• 1 cup crushed bran flakes

• 1/3 cup cranberries

Method:

1. Put honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan and heat until melted and mixed well. 2. Add oats, bran flakes and cranberries and mix well. 3. Put the mixture in a small baking tray and press down firmly. 4. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and cut into small bars. 5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Date balls

You’ll need:

• 250g pitted dates

• 125g chopped pecan nuts

• 10g coconut

Method:

1. Chop dates and heat over low heat. 2. Add nuts and mix together, and roll into balls. 3. Roll the balls through the coconut. 4. Refrigerate until well set.

 

IMAGE CREDIT: Jamie Street on Unsplash

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