8 tips for parents: How to regulate your children’s sugar consumption.

Pediatrician and child nutritionist Beatrice Müller says that the child perceives tastes through the amniotic fluid in the womb. “What the mother consumes during pregnancy affects the health of the child.” This is also related to taste preferences: What the child knows in the womb, he will prefer later in life. “If the mother consumes too much sugar, it may be difficult to wean the child off sugar later.” Also, too much sugar means risk of obesity and increased need for insulin.

A person’s eating habits are formed in the first years of life. Anyone who feeds their children a low-sugar diet contributes to long-term healthy eating habits, Müller says. “Due to poor disclosure, it is sometimes difficult for parents to distinguish between natural sugar in foods and refined sugar.” Most products usually just contain the word “sugar.” This uncertainty can be avoided if parents avoid ready-made products. Instead of buying sugary fruit yoghurt, Müller recommends mixing natural yoghurt with fresh fruit puree. After all, when it comes to baby food, manufacturers are generally careful not to use free sugar. It becomes problematic in foods such as juices, yoghurts, bars and juicers.

Even after the age of two, sugar consumption should be low, Müller says. The recommendation that you do not consume more than five percent of your energy needs in the form of free sugar comes from the World Health Organization. For children aged two to four, this would be no more than four teaspoons of sugar (15 grams) per day, and for children aged ten to twelve, this would be six teaspoons (22 grams). “Of course you can make exceptions,” says Müller. For example, at a party or children’s birthday party. “It is important that you stay in this section for a long time.”

If you consume sweet foods, your blood sugar rises rapidly. Müller: “The body secretes too much insulin, so the blood sugar level quickly drops again.” Such fluctuations cause cravings and strain the metabolism. However, if you eat something sweet right after the main meal, your metabolism will be less strained. “You also use it to eat bread, fiber, or vegetables. This means blood sugar levels rise more slowly and you feel full for longer.”

“Just 200 milliliters of orange juice completely meets children’s sugar needs,” says Müller. For sweet drinks, even less is usually enough. Therefore, the pediatrician recommends that you get your little ones into the habit of drinking water and unsweetened tea, if possible. “Once you get used to it, you usually keep your preference.” This is also an easy way for parents to regulate their children’s sugar consumption. “This can be difficult to control in school and during adolescence. “Parents need to be in contact with their children.”

According to Beatrice Müller, sliced ​​fruit is much better than chocolate or sweets as a snack between meals. «Fruits are sweet but healthy. “In this way, children consume naturally occurring sugar.” Children under two years of age can be given a banana or soft-boiled apple pieces. “The pieces should not be too large or too hard, otherwise children may choke.”

“Giving kids candy when they do something good sends the wrong signals,” Müller says. “Also, the reward has to be something good. But sweets are not good for the child.” It is better to choose other forms of rewards (experiences, trips or small gifts). Otherwise, children will push their limits and behave in a way that takes more candy.

If kids are given too much candy when they’re with friends, God, or grandparents, all the tips outlined above won’t be of much help, Müller says. “It’s important for everyone around you to participate and come together.” This is exactly why the variety of sugary foods in our society is so wide today.

There is also more information on the topic of sugar in the science podcast “Überblick”: available as video here on Blick, on all common audio streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts) and on YouTube.