Sugar is an added ingredient for food and has harmful effects on the health of children. In contrast, there are artificial sweeteners added to foods, is it safe for the child?

A report from the American Academy of Pediatrics calls for more research on artificial sweeteners and their impact on children's health, especially when it comes to the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, HealthLine said.

“Given the number of children who regularly consume these products, which are becoming increasingly available, we should have a better understanding of how they affect their long-term health,” says pediatric cardiologist Carissa Baker Smith.

What non-food sweeteners?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, at least one in four children consume nonnutritive sweeteners, and about 80% of children in general consume it daily.

Non-food sweeteners are substitutes that do not contain any calories, not even a small amount of calories.

The following materials are among the eight non-food sweeteners approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, with the first six approved as food additives, while the last two are listed under another label:

Saccharin : often added to yogurt or low-sugar jelly candy.
Aspartame : This ingredient is found in many types of diet drinks.
Potassium Acesulfame : This substance is found in some canned fruits that are often alleged to be free of added sugar.
● Sucralose : often found in diet drinks.
● Newtam : This substance is found in gum and protein shake.
Advantam : This sweetener is derived from aspartame and is often added to beverages, beverage powders, cooking products and breads.
● Stevia : The Science Center in the Public Interest and the Food and Drug Administration have acknowledged that this local "is generally recognized as safe."
● Monk fruit .

Where is the shortage?
The site reported that evidence on whether the use of non-food sweeteners affects weight is still unclear, and some research suggests that sweeteners can affect both appetite, taste, desires and bacteria in the digestive tract, which in turn affects the metabolic system.

Sometimes parents may not be aware that their children consume sweeteners. According to one study, only 23% of parents were able to distinguish food products containing artificial sweeteners. While 53% of parents sought products with "reduced" amounts of sugar, most were unaware that the sugar was replaced by a non-food industrial sweetener.

Another problem with local consumption and lack of research on the issue is that children can exceed the daily allowance of some localities, the website said.

Palmer said most of the nutritional research on the subject concerned only adults, while children had unique metabolic and physiological needs. Therefore, a dietitian insists on the need for further research to understand the potential cancer risks caused by some products.

What can be offered to your child?
Palmer recommends that parents get used to eating foods that are low in sugar. "Research shows that eating foods that are low in sugar helps children change their preferences," she said.

Whenever children express their desire to eat sweet foods, give them unsweetened fruit and diluted fruit juice according to the allowable amounts per day and depending on the child's age, and children should not exceed six teaspoons of sugar per day or eight ounces (236 ml) of sweetened drinks per week .

The site stressed the need to choose less processed foods and look for healthy sources of protein such as beans, lentils and whole grains such as oats, along with vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Dietitian Sharon Palmer advised, "Teach your children to choose natural foods. Research suggests that giving children healthy foods such as vegetables helps them to include them in their diet. So don't give up and avoid artificial sweeteners and added sugar."