Background information
Jäckli on, Jäckli off
by Ümit Yoker
"A healthy dose is better than rigid eating rules"
18.4.2017
Translation: machine translated
It's Easter. Chocolate bunnies as far as the eye can see. A guilty conscience immediately kicks in: Is this healthy for my child? Too much sugar is unhealthy, especially for the youngest. But even those who forbid their children sweets altogether are not necessarily doing them a favour.
Why is sweetness so irresistible for most children?
Dagmar l'Allemand: Sugar is a substance that triggers strong feelings of happiness. Even newborn babies are given a little sugar water when we have to draw blood, which immediately calms them down. However, the effect of sugar is comparable to that of a drug, which is why it is important not to have unlimited access to it. Experiments with rats have shown that animals that can consume as much sugar as they want constantly increase the dose.
Should we avoid sweets for our children as much as possible?
A baby doesn't need extra sugar, breast milk and later porridge made from bananas or carrots are sweet enough. After their first birthday, however, it's okay to give a child a piece of cake or ice cream.
Some parents keep their children completely away from foods with sugar in the first few years of life. Isn't that better?
Healthy moderation is better than rigid eating rules. In a world where sugar is omnipresent, forbidding children to eat anything sweet only increases the risk of eating disorders. There are also no scientific studies that say that children are healthier if they live without sugar for several years.
How much sweetness is reasonable?
A line of chocolate, a few biscuits or a dessert a day is usually no problem, preferably right after a main meal and not in between. Of course, consumption also depends on the child itself. Do they get a lot of exercise or do they often spend time in front of the television? How else does the family eat? Nothing influences children's eating behaviour in the long term more than the example set by their parents. A number of studies also show that the main problem of unconscious sugar intake lies with sweet drinks.
What should we make of all the yoghurts, baked goods and sausages that are explicitly aimed at children in their marketing?I clearly advise against such products. The majority of them are also enriched with sugar and salt. Children don't need special foods. From the age of one, they can eat the same as everyone else at the table.
Are alternatives such as honey, raw sugar or agave syrup better than white sugar?The nutritional value of all these sweeteners is roughly the same, so it doesn't make much difference which one you prefer. However, honey has additional properties: studies have shown that it has a favourable effect on the metabolism and on coughs. A glass of warm milk with honey seems to have a calming effect on coughs.
Are artificial sweeteners harmful?
Sweeteners are not ideal for our gut bacteria, but there is no evidence to date that they are harmful. In our clinic for overweight children, we sometimes use them to make it easier to wean off sweet drinks and sugary foods. However, unlike sugar, not all sweeteners trigger feelings of happiness. If children crave something sweet, it is therefore usually better to use real sugar, just in small doses.
So no light products for children?
I am not against light products in principle, but they are not necessary for children of normal weight. If you want to keep an eye on your children's calorie intake, it's better to simply buy low-fat milk instead of whole milk, for example. Stevia, which is made from sweet herbs and has no calories, can also be used without hesitation.
Dagmar l'Allemand is a senior physician at the Eastern Switzerland Children's Hospital in St. Gallen and a specialist in paediatrics and adolescent medicine with a focus on paediatric endocrinology/diabetology.
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A passionate journalist and mother of two sons who moved from Zurich to Lisbon with her husband in 2014. Does her writing in cafés and appreciates that life has been treating her well in general. <br><a href="http://uemityoker.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">uemityoker.wordpress.com</a>
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