Why do kids crave sugar? Kids enjoy eating sweet foods and so do many adults. As a parent, it is natural to be concerned about your child’s health when they eat too many sugary foods and drinks. I have been there too. Whenever I take my kids to grocery shopping, the checkout counter is stocked with chocolates. My kids try their best or even throw a tantrum to get one. It's not easy to negotiate with your kids then.
Sugar Cravings in Kids: What Does Science Say?
I often hear the term food addiction or sugar addiction. I feel that addiction is a strong word to describe a liking towards food when we use it for things like cocaine. But we are comparing apples to oranges. Because we can live without cocaine, but not without food. Scientists also agree using terms like food or sugar addiction is not the right way to name it (1). You might ask me why kids crave sugar then.
Recent studies show that eating sugar can activate the reward centres of our brains. Kids also associate sweets with rewards, since many parents give them treats for good behaviour or during festivals. On the one hand, we are placing sweets as special foods, while on the other, we are trying to limit kids from overeating. Wouldn't it be confusing for children?
Sugar Craving in kids (The evolutionary link)
The reason that kids crave sugary foods, stems from the basics of human evolution. When food was scarce, humans had to eat energy-dense foods for survival. Bitter foods can indicate that a food is harmful. Therefore, early humans developed a sense of preference towards sweet foods (2).
Over time our genetics haven't changed much, but our environment has. Even the sugar content in fruits has changed due to agriculture. Not to forget the easy access to ultra-processed foods which give us very little nutrients.
Trivia: Did you know that in 2018, the Melbourne Zoo stopped feeding bananas to monkeys? According to the news article (3), eating fruits is causing tooth decay.
What Causes Sugar Cravings?
Our brain has a reward system (4), which gets activated when you eat sugar. Eating sugar produces dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter. But when you eat more sugar, the production of dopamine reduces. Every time you eat sweets, the tolerance level reduces, increasing sugar cravings.
Besides this, when you consume foods with simple sugars, there is a spike in blood glucose levels for a short time, and it crashes. This often results in the mid-afternoon or mid-night snack hunt.
An animal study in 2019 showed that sugar can alter the brain chemistry in just 12 days (5). Eating more sugar, can reduce the availability of opioid and dopamine receptor in the brain. This can increase sugar craving.
What are added sugars?
There are 2 ways in which we get sugar from foods. One is the natural sugar in foods such as fruits (glucose and fructose) and milk (lactose). The other way is through sugars added to foods. You can find them in breakfast cereals, sauces, juices and other processed foods.
How Much Sugar a Day Can Kids Eat?
4 to 6-year-old kids can have nearly 5 teaspoons of added sugar daily. 7 to 10-year-old kids can have nearly 6 teaspoons of added sugar. I find this quite high, considering that kids these days also eat many processed foods.
Recent news shows Nestle has added 2.7 g of sugar per serving to Cerelac (6). Cerelac is given to infants as a weaning food from 6 months. This shows the poor regulations in place for processed foods in India.
ICMR's (Indian Council of Medical Research) latest guidelines recommend that kids under 2 years should not eat added sugar. This is on the same lines as the American Association of Pediatrics (7). However, a study in Mumbai shows that nearly 60% of kids ate sweets, biscuits, chips, milk with sugar daily (8). All of these would add up to their daily sugar intake.
Side effects of Sugar in Excess:
Eating 1 or 2 teaspoons of added sugar a day is fine. But kids eat processed foods like chocolates, candies or breakfast cereals, biscuits, sugary drinks with added sugar. This results in consuming more sugar and unhealthy fats. It also reduces the intake of vital nutrients.
Children gain more weight and become deficient in nutrients. But nutrients like vitamins and minerals are important for growth and immunity (9,10). Eating more sugar can also increase inflammation.
3 Tips to Reduce Sugar Cravings?
Serve eggs, yoghurt, or lean meats like chicken or turkey for breakfast to keep your child full. Give them snacks like cheese or nuts for protein and healthy fats between meals. Take a look at our collection of desi lunch recipes.
You can offer colourful fruits like apples, oranges, and berries for snacks and meals. Add vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers to sandwiches. Another way is to offer them as crunchy snacks with hummus.
Watch out for hidden sugars: Check food labels for added sugars, even in so called healthy options like flavoured yoghurt or granola bars. Choose plain yoghurt, and add fresh fruit for sweetness. Choose whole fruits over fruit juices or fruit-based snacks which have added sugar. Added sugar can affect your health in different ways.
What are the other names for sugar?
Studies show that sugar is added to almost 75% of processed foods (11). Sugar is often labelled under different names, nearly 59 of them (12). Here is a brief list.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
Evaporated cane juice
Dextrose
Glucose
Lactose
Sucrose
Malt syrup
Always read the Nutrition label. Also check for sugar content in ready-made pasta sauces, ketchup, granola bars, low-fat yogurt and breakfast cereals.
Are you concerned about your child's nutrition? Sign up for your Child Nutrition plan to help you with a balanced diet for your child. This will support their growth and brain health.
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