The "sweet temptation" that adults can't resist, let alone children?

However, in the world of nutrition, everything is about a quantity. Today we will talk about how much sugar can be eaten a day, and how to make children eat "sweet" healthily!

　　Q: What is added sugar?

　　A: Added sugar refers to sugars that are artificially added to food, such as sucrose, fructose, glucose, fructose syrup, etc.

　　Let’s first take a look at the recommendations of authoritative institutions: the 2016 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends: “Control the intake of added sugars, and the daily intake should not exceed 50g, preferably below 25g.”

　　The World Health Organization's 2015 "Sugar Intake in Adults and Children" states: "Reduce free sugar intake throughout the life course. In adults and children, free sugar intake should be reduced to 10% of total energy intake. If it can be further reduced to less than 5% of total energy intake, there will be more health benefits.”

　　Q: What are free sugars?

　　A: It can be understood as added sugar + sugar in fruit juice. It is more recommended to eat fresh and complete fruits.

　　That is to say, the scope of free sugar is wider, and even the sugar in freshly squeezed fruit juice should be controlled. In other words, it is more recommended to eat fresh and complete fruit.

Sugar only provides pure energy, while fresh fruit brings us a sweet taste and also provides various vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber necessary for the human body.

　　For moderately active 3-10-year-old babies, the daily intake of free sugars should not exceed 30-50g, preferably below 15-25g, based on different energy intake levels.

Excessive intake of added sugars (free sugars) will greatly increase the risk of dental caries, obesity, diabetes, etc.

　　Q: How much sugar is in sweets and beverages?

　　A: A little careless intake of sugar will greatly exceed the standard, snacks, yogurt, drinks...

　　The sugar content of beverages is generally 10-15g/100ml, and fruit juice and probiotic beverages are no exception; the amount of added sugar in various yogurts is often 7-10g/100ml; candies are basically 100% sugar; the sugar content of chocolate Also at 50-60g/100g.

　　Snacks are also a big way for kids to consume added sugars (free sugars).

Excessive or unreasonable snack consumption behavior may increase the risk of obesity and related chronic diseases; and reasonable snack consumption can be a beneficial supplement to three meals.

　　It is worth mentioning that the latest "General Rules for Nutrition Labelling of Prepackaged Foods in National Food Safety Standards" (draft for comments) in 2021 intends to include sugar content as a mandatory label (previously, sugar content was often included in the label's total carbohydrates. compounds), so it will be easier to see how much extra sugar is added to packaged foods that contain natural sugars or starches!

　　Q: Are there any practical ways to avoid excess sugar intake and make children more fond of natural ingredients?

　　A: Try to make natural fruit desserts by yourself, and let children participate in food selection and production

　　Instead of buying flavored yogurt with jam, why not choose unsweetened yogurt and mix it with blueberries and strawberries?

Compared with the strong flavor of fruit-flavored milk beverages in supermarkets, isn't the banana milk, mango milk made with a blender, or milk and fruit made from diced fruit more fragrant?

　　Studies have shown that children tend to show greater interest in food through visual and tactile stimulation. The Chinese Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents also specifically proposes the key to “participate in food selection and production, and enhance food awareness and love”. recommend.

Parents can try to make a fruit platter with their children, use their imaginations to create novel shapes with fruits, let them love fruits and vegetables in the game, and guide them to eat a "rainbow" diet.

　　Of course, some people may think that a life without drinks and candy is incomplete, but in fact, the key is to control the amount. Don't we still have the 15-25g share, leave it to the favorite the one!

　　Text / Huang Yijing (registered dietitian, China's good nutrition science expert)