Families For Life | Fighting your child's sweet tooth

“If you eat well, you’ll get ice cream later, okay?” As parents, we’ve all probably used a sweet treat as a reward for something we want our kids to accomplish, but you’ll find sugar is far from rewarding when you learn about its harm to your little ones’ health. Read on to learn about the ill effects of sugar, how to fight your child’s sweet tooth and how to ensure they get the proper nutrition for their growing bodies.

There’s nothing sweet about too much sugar

One of the biggest reasons you should fight your child’s sweet tooth is, well, his or her teeth. Having too much sugar leads to painful tooth decay and that’s not the end of it. Sugar is also one of the leading causes of child obesity, which in and of itself increases the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnoea and osteoarthritis later on in life.

Let’s not forget the “D” word. Diabetes. One in nine Singapore Residents is affected by it, and anyone can develop it at almost any age. Childhood obesity, in which excess intake of sugar plays a big part, also heightens your child’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future.

Over time, diabetes can damage blood vessels in your child’s heart, eyes, kidneys and nerves, leading to a higher risk of health problems, including heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. It can also cause permanent vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eyes.

Skip the juice, eat the fruit

There’s barely any “fruit” in fruit juice. You might think that it’s a healthier option than other sweet drinks, but the truth is that even fresh fruit juice contains about five teaspoons of sugar, almost as much as soda. Give your child sliced or whole fruits instead. 

An entire orange, for example, has more than 2g of dietary fibre and just 9g of sugar in the form of fructose. Here’s a pro tip if your child has a sweet tooth. Try to have a bowl full of fresh and brightly coloured fruit within easy view and reach on the dining table or kitchen countertop for your child (or yourself) to snack on if he or she still has the munchies.

Munchkin see, munchkin do

As parents, we have to ensure we are good role models, especially with young children. If your child is already one, he or she can start to eat the same food as you. This is when your choices begin to matter. Avoid sweetened drinks at dinnertime and pass the water around instead. Skip the dessert (you can have it later when the kids are asleep) and bring out the fresh fruits. 

Choose plain biscuits or yoghurt for snacks and wholemeal bread for your sandwiches or breakfast, so if they want to share some, you can do so guilt-free. Being a good example isn’t just beneficial for your little ones; it’s healthier for you, too!

Arm yourself for the fight against sugar

The best part about living in Singapore is our shared fight against unhealthy foods, and in the fight against sugar, you’ll be going into battle well-armed with initiatives and guides to help you and your family eat and live healthier. Here are a few things that you can look out for or do.

Look Out For The Healthier Choice Symbol

Products carrying the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) are generally lower in sugar, among other unhealthy ingredients. You should be looking out for the HCS with the taglines “Lower In Sugar”, “No Added Sugar”, and “Sugar Free” when choosing food and drink for your children.

Check Your Drink’s Nutri-Grade

A relatively new but handy guide, Nutri-Grade “grades” drinks from A to D based on their sugar and saturated fat levels. The Nutri-Grade mark can be found on both packaged drinks and menus or menu boards for your favourite freshly prepared drinks like bubble tea, smoothies, kopi and more. The general rule is to avoid drinks graded C and D.

Stick To A Balanced Diet

A healthy diet doesn’t need to be boring. Include a variety of carbohydrates, meat and other proteins, and fruit and veggies in your child’s meals. Whole grains are healthier when it comes to carbohydrates, and fish and lean meat are excellent protein sources. You don’t have to completely eliminate sweet treats, too. You can still let your kids indulge in “sometimes” food like cake in small amounts or use artificial sweeteners in your desserts.