Sugar is in everything these days. Drinks, food, condiments and even in certain medications like cough syrups.
It’s a billion dollar industry encompassing everything from canned beverages, confectionery, baked goods and even, ironically, health and wellness products.
While it is primarily used to enhance the taste of food (and sometimes to mask or hide unpleasant flavours), it can also be used as a preservative.
We consume sugar everyday, in varying amounts (sometimes unknowingly), but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good for us.
While most adults can pretty much handle their own sugar consumption, children may not be wise enough to know the risks about eating too many candies.
We all know the popular fairytale, Hansel and Gretel.
Two young siblings get lost in the woods only to lured by a candy-covered gingerbread cottage owned by a hungry witch. We all know what happened next.
Looking back on that story now as an adult, you might realise how it is probably not so appropriate for kids.
After all, spoiler alert, the kids literally push an old lady into a burning oven where she gets cooked alive.
But read between the lines.
Beneath the fantastical facade of magic and monsters, Hansel and Gretel is actually a subtle parable about the dangers of sugar.
And while your kids may not necessarily have to encounter and fend off an evil witch, they may suffer other consequences if they don’t learn to resist their ‘sweet tooth’.
Why Sugar Is So Addictive
Just as much as sugar has a profound effect on our bodies, so too does it have on our psyche.
And while our actual brains need life-giving glucose to function properly, sugar may have other psychological effects that we may not always realise.
Ever wondered why we always feel safe and comforted when we eat something sweet?
Or why we always go hunting for a sugary snack anytime we’re stressed or sad?
It’s because sugar is the ultimate comfort food.
When we eat candy or chocolate, or any sweet treat, we’re immediately transported to our childhood.
And this gives us relief from the despair and weariness of everyday life.
But why is it so addictive? Surely, there’s more to it than simple nostalgia?
Well, it actually has a lot to do with our brain’s ‘reward system’ and our ancient evolutionary responses.
I know, again with the evolution stuff.
But scientists have studied the science of sugar for decades, and the biological role it plays in our survival as a species.
It all leads back to how important carbs are for energy, and energy is important for, well, everything. Foraging, hunting, fighting, and yes, even, reproduction.
So, the reason why we love sweet things? It’s because our brains love it.
It always has, for millions of years because of how important carbohydrates are for our survival. More so than it likes salty or sour things.
So, yeah, it’s not our fault if many of us have a sweet tooth.
Effects of Sugar on the Body
Despite all the scary stories about the ‘white death’, our body does need sugar.
Or more specifically, carbohydrates, a family of molecules that is essential for the functioning of basic biological processes like energy production.
In addition, it can oftentimes be a jarring constrast between how sugar makes you feel versus what it does to your body.
That famous ‘sugar rush’ or ‘sugar high’, for instance, that comes after eating a sugary treat is why many kids (and adults) love sugar. That’s our bodies basically being flooded with glucose and energy.
But because sugar (and any simple carb like white bread) is digested quickly by our bodies, it results in what is known as a ‘sugar crash’ as well.
So, sugar takes just as much as it gives.
But the immediate, instantaneous effects of eating sugar is not why it’s so dangerous.
It’s also a danger to our health when we go over the daily amount.
So, it’s important to consume it in moderation.
When it comes to kids, it’s all the more important to monitor their sugar intake as it may actually negatively affect their cognitive development.
You probably don’t need much exposition on the side effects of consuming excessive sugar.
It can be just as devastating for adult as it is for children.
Diabetes, weight gain, tooth decay, heart disease, acne. The list goes on and on.
But because kids have not developed the proper self-restraint, they may not always know when to stop. Despite all the warnings that you may be giving them.
How to Control Your Kids’ Sugar Cravings
Opt for Sugar-free Alternatives
The 21st century has given us many innovations in the F&B industry.
One of them being sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners. Stevia, aspartame, sucralose, monkfruit extract.
You’ll find most of these ingredients in commercial food products like soft drinks, cakes, milks and a bunch of other things.
They’re even available as standalone ingredients for baking, cooking and at-home use.
Sugar substitutes are low in calorie, easy to store, have a long shelf-life and are relatively inexpensive.
While studies have show that they are all relatively safe for daily consumption, you may still need to beware about how much you take.
This is especially important for kids who may still be developing mentally and physically.
If they want treats, dried or fresh fruits like raisins and bananas are equally good sweet snacks to have instead of cookies and brownies.
Limit Their Consumption
If you’re worried your kids are consuming way too much sugar, work on a compromise.
Don’t force them to go full cold turkey.
Let them have a treat or two per week, just to appease their sugar craving.
Because just like any other drug, sugar does produce some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, depression, and brain fog.
So, cutting sugar completely from their diet will actually make them feel worse.
However, these side effects may just be psychological in nature because the brain has grown used to the taste of sugar.
And not because your body is necessarily deprived of carbohydrates, which is known to happen during a sugar detox.
If this is the case, try a sugar-free sweet treat instead. It makes all the difference.
Hide the Treats
As cheesy and dramatic as it is to lock away all the candy in the house, it may be a necessary last resort. Especially if you kids don’t seem to get the message.
A sugar ban can be hard on the family.
However, because it may seem hypocritical (and perhaps even a little cruel) for a parent to be eating ice cream in front of their kids without giving them any.
So, if your kids are disobeying their sugar limits and sneaking snacks without you knowing, it’s time to hide away the treats.
Alternatively, you can stop buying sugary snacks and storing them in the house. To keep your child away from the path of temptation.
This may be a bit harder if your kids are a little older and can go out on their own to purchase their own candies and sweets.
All you can do is educate them on the dangers of sugar.
Curb Those Sugar Cravings
We all love sugar. And despite everything, our bodies need it.
But because it’s so addictive, it can be a bit hard to resist that piece of cake, or that chocolate chip cookie.
If even many adults have trouble curbing their sweet tooth, imagine how it must be for children.
So, it’s up to you to help them curb their sugar cravings – even if they may resent you for it.
It’s also important that you look for secret and unsuspecting sources of sugar that you may not even know are there.
Fruit juices, salad dressings, cereals, sauces and even peanut butter can contain inordinate amounts of sugar even though they don’t taste sweet.
Similarly, you may think substituting sugar for honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, is ‘healthier’, but these actually apply the same amount of glucose and calories.
So, teach your kids to be wary of the sugar around them and to be careful about how much they eat.
As long as they learn to consume sugar in moderation, they’ll go on to live long and happy lives full of sweet pleasures.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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