SOON after birth, infants show a preference for sweet solutions (such as breast milk). Many humans are born with a "sweet tooth," probably because of genetics.

Most adults also naturally seek out and enjoy sweets. Giving candy as a gift for birthdays and holidays is a common symbol of affection. Many members of the animal kingdom also show a craving for sweets.

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People forget that the recommended daily amount of calories from carbohydrates (sugar and starches) is 55 percent. The amount from refined sugars (sucrose) should not exceed 10% of the daily calories.

Sugar is naturally present in most food except the meat group. Lactose is present in fruits and maltose is present in grain products. Sucrose, the sugar found in sugar cane and sugar beets, does not have greater adverse effects on body functions than any of the other sugars.

Side Effects of Sugar

The main risk of sugar is its ability to increase tooth decay. Tooth decay is a permanent harm from consuming too much sugar. This risk can be greatly reduced by brushing the teeth after eating sugar-laden food and drinking fluoridated water.

Foods that cause the most dental cavities (caries) are those that stick to the teeth (for example, raisins). The greatest risk factor for severe dental caries is falling asleep or walking around with a bottle of sugar solution in the mouth.

These solutions may be fruit juice, powdered fruit drinks like Tang, Kool-Aid, etc. or milk. This type of tooth decay is called "baby-bottle caries".

A temporary side effect may be seen 2 to 4 hours after excessive sugar consumption. Sweating, hunger, dizziness, tiredness or sleepiness may occur due to a rapid fall in blood glucose.

The effect of a sugar binge is brief and harmless and can be relieved by the passage of time and eating food that contains sugar like fruits or juice. These symptoms do not occur after eating a moderate amount of sweets and they do not occur in everyone.

Myths about Sugar

Eating sugar is basically harmless. Candy does not cause cancer, heart disease, or diabetes mellitus. The following are some common over concerns:

1. Obesity. Obesity is due to overeating in general and not specifically to eating sugars. Fatty food has twice the calories per amount as sugar foods and is much more related to obesity. Studies have shown that lean people tend to eat more sugar than overweight people.

2. Hyperactivity. Extensive research has shown that sugar does not cause or worsen hyperactivity. In fact, a high intake of refined sugar may cause a relaxed state, even drowsiness.

3. Junk Food. The term junk food has led to considerable confusion in the United States and here in the Philippines. Some people define any sweet or dessert as junk food. Others define fast food as junk food. Let's junk this negative term. It's not that simple.

Recommendation for the Safe Use of Sugar

1. Take sugar in moderation. In general, eating is healthy, but excessive eating is unhealthy. Avoid sweets if possible during the first year of life. If they are introduced too early, they may interfere with a willingness to try unsweetened food. (Note: These guidelines may not apply to children with diabetes mellitus.)

2. Don't try to forbid sugar. Some parents do this in the hopes of preventing a preference for sweet food. Since this preference is present at birth, we have little influence over it. If we forbid sweets entirely, children may become fascinated with them. With candy and other sweets so readily available in stores and vending machines, a sugar embargo cannot be monitored and becomes unenforceable as a child grows up. If we make an issue of it, this becomes an unnecessary battleground.

3. Limit the amount of sweets you buy. The more sweets there are in the house, the more your child will eat. Try to purchase breakfast cereals and cookies in which sugar is not the main ingredient.

4. Limit how much sweets are eaten. One candy bar is fine but an entire bag of candy is unacceptable. Try to eliminate bingeing on candy or sweets. Do this mainly by setting a good example. Exceptions may be allowed on Halloween, other holidays, birthdays and other parties. The worst that could happen is that your child could become extra sleepy or have a mild stomachache.

5. Allow sweets for desserts. As stated earlier, sweets cause symptoms only if they are eaten in excess. As long as they follow a well-balanced meal, they cause no symptoms. A dessert, be it candy or what, is therefore acceptable.

6. Discourage sweets for snacks. Candies, soft drinks and other sweets are not a good choice for a snack. Since very little else is eaten with the snack, consuming mainly refined sugar may cause rebound symptoms several hours later.
Teach your child that if he takes a soft drink or any artificially prepared fruit juice as a snack, he should eat something else from the grain or fruit food group along with it. An occasional sweet drink with a sugar substitute is fine. Stock up on nutritious snacks (such as fruit juices, yogurt, graham crackers, oatmeal cookies, and popcorn). In fact, most cookies are not sweets since the main ingredient is flour. Also, set a good example.

7. Insist that the teeth are brushed after eating sweets. Encourage your child to rinse his mouth with water after eating when he's away from home. Unless, you encourage this good habit, a "sweet tooth" can become a "decayed tooth."

Special Benefits of Sugar

The occasional use of candy as a reward is not habit forming. The joy of eating sweets is a natural preference that is not enhanced by this practice.

Candy and other sweet treats are a powerful incentive. Whether we like it or not, the best motivators are always items that children crave.

In addition, candy is inexpensive and easy to purchase. Because of the many types of candy, the child also has many choices. Candy may bring about a breakthrough with a negative child who has not responded to other approaches.

Star charts and praise should be used simultaneously for improved behavior and continued after the candy has been phased out.

Second, sugar can be useful in helping a finicky eater try essential new food. Some children who have been breast-fed until almost 1 year of age will not accept any milk products. One way of helping them make this transition is by temporarily sweetening cow's milk with honey or other flavorings. (Caution: Avoid giving honey before 1 year of age because of the small risk of botulism for this age group.) After the child drinks adequate amounts of milk, the sweetener can be gradually phased out.

Third, some children take bitter medicines easier when they are mixed with a sweet flavoring such as Kool-Aid powder, chocolate pudding or pancake syrup.

Overview

Let's be honest. Most adults and children enjoy sweets. Most children spend a part of their allowance on sweets. Eating sweets in moderation is fine. A well-balanced diet can include some daily sweets. (MTM)

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(December 2, 2008 issue)
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