Sugar can appear in more foods than parents expect.
It may be present in biscuits, breakfast cereals, flavoured yoghurt, sauces, packaged drinks and desserts.
Added sugar is different from natural sugar
Fruit and plain milk naturally contain sugars.
Added sugars are sugars or syrups added when food or drinks are prepared or manufactured.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding foods and drinks with added sugar for children younger than two years. For children aged two and older, AAP guidance recommends aiming for less than 25 grams—about six teaspoons—of added sugar per day.
Check food labels
Look at both:
Added sugar on the nutrition panel.
The ingredient list.
Sugar can appear under different names.
Reduce sugary drinks first
Water and plain milk are generally better everyday drinks than:
Soft drinks.
Sweetened beverages.
Fruit drinks.
Sweetened milk drinks.
Whole fruit is also a better everyday choice than sweets or sugary juice.
Don’t create fear around sweets
An occasional birthday cake or dessert is not the problem.
Focus on what children eat most days.
💚 Earlyhood Parent Tip
Instead of trying to remove every sweet food, start by reducing the everyday sources of hidden sugar.
Small daily changes matter.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics – How to Reduce Added Sugar in Your Child’s Diet