How Much Sweet Is Too Much For Your Little One?

Your little one can crave for a large amount of sugar due to the sugar content in breast milk. The cravings can start at the age when they have semi-developed teeth. Sweet cravings can mostly be that of the taste of candies and chocolate bars.

Sugar can be of different kinds. While some have a high content of calories others are healthy sweets from organic nutrients. Look for sweets that have similar tastes of a normal chocolate bar while providing your child with adequate amounts of healthy sugar. Sugar for children must be well taken care of. You do not want to end up with a child that is on a sugar rush all day. Make sure you give your child just the right amounts per day. A bowl of cereal with milk and added sugar for breakfast or snack time, while allowing your child to earn a stipulated amount of sweets for being good, can do the trick.

If your child demands a sweet by throwing a tantrum, look into the matter without taking an emotional decision or losing your cool. Sometimes, children demand sweets because of a drop in sugar level. In this case, give your child an adequate amount. As a mother, to know what and how much quantities of sweet is good for your child comes with instinct, so go with your gut feeling. Do not fall prey to the puppy-dog faces. Discipline your child as it will make the two of you stronger.

Sweets such as ghee-based mithais can be hard for your toddler to digest, and most of the Indian made sweets are ghee-based. Sweets that are deep fried and soaked in sugar syrups such as gulab jamuns should not be a problem in sparing quantities. Feeding your child tiny pieces can help satisfy their daily need for sugar without overdoing it.

Look for a supplement for the harsh chemical-induced sugar products by adding natural sugar-containing fruits into their diets. Balance out a glass of cola with a glass of orange juice that has the equal amount of sugar content in both. The only difference will be that one can cause an increase in calories, while the other has a smaller chance of adding extra calories to your child’s body.  

Ketchup, raisins and flavored yogurt can be supplements to harsh sugar in candies. The earlier you add these supplements in your child’s diet, the easier it becomes for your to reduce the intake of candies and chocolate bars, making them an occasional treat.