Q: I limit sweets for my child, but from whole wheat sliced bread to ketchup, what she’s eating may have sugar in it. How much sugar is too much for kids, and how can it be avoided?

A: You do your best to keep sugar out of your child’s diet, but it can easily creep in as part of processed foods. Sweeteners are especially prevalent in healthier kid-favorites, including flavored yogurt, granola bars, and certain breakfast cereals, but it’s also found in pasta sauce, relish, and whole grains.

While added sugar can be annoying for parents who are trying to curb their child’s intake, I am not particularly concerned about the small amounts found in non-sweets, such as bread, because it probably won’t affect the quality your child’s diet. As long as your daughter’s eating plan includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein-packed foods, such as lean meats, poultry, seafood, and legumes, a bit of additional sugar won’t hurt. 

That said, you should still try to avoid added sweeteners whenever possible, and here's how:

Be a Sugar Sleuth

The Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels provides the amount of total sugars but does not list sugars separately. Look to the ingredients list for sugar, and all of its aliases. Seek these terms to spot added sweeteners: sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, turbinado sugar, corn syrup solids, corn sweeteners, honey, brown sugar, raw sugar, crystal dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, sorghum syrup, maple syrup, corn syrup, and evaporated cane juice.

Ingredients are listed in order of predominance, by weight. That means the ingredient with the greatest contribution to the product weight is listed first and the ingredient contributing the least amount is listed last.

Sugar, and the Company it Keeps

Sugar is a carbohydrate that supplies energy your child needs to fuel growth and development. So, what’s the problem with sugar?  It’s often found in low-nutrient foods such as cookies, cake, candy, and soda pop. Kids are naturally attracted to sweetness, and when they fill up on sweets, it’s difficult for them to consume enough of other foods to get the adequate nutrient they need, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

In addition, sugary foods can trigger energy surges in children that are often followed by quick drops in blood sugar levels as their bodies attempt to return to an even keel. And, sugar, as well as other carbohydrates, is associated with cavities in children, and adults.

How Much Sugar is OK for Kids?

According to the World Health Organization, everyone should restrict their consumption of added sugars -- such as those not naturally present in foods like 100 percent fruit juice and plain milk -- to below 10 percent of their total calorie intake. For example, a moderately active 7-year-old who requires about 1,600 calories a day is allowed up to 40 grams of added sugars each day, the equivalent of 10 level teaspoons of sugar.

Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, is a Kaboose.com medical advisor and the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby andToddler (Alpha, 2005).  

RELATED FEATURES:

Organic Food: Worth the Price?

Fruit Calculator for Kids

Eat Fruit Many Ways

Busy Mom's Guide to Managing the Morning Rush