Sweet foods and drinks are loved by many people, especially children. However, giving children sweet foods or drinks should actually be limited, especially those high in sucrose. The reason is, this type of sugar can have a negative impact on the health of the baby.
It is normal for children to like sweet foods or drinks. Ice cream, soft drinks, sweet drinks with fruit or chocolate flavor, as well as canned foods are easier on their tongues.
Not infrequently children tend to be more voracious in consuming these foods or drinks when compared to the food made by their mother. Have you experienced the same thing?
If so, you need to limit the provision of sweet foods or drinks, yes. This type of food will generally cause your little one to consume more sugar or sucrose than he actually needs. This can adversely affect their health later in life.
This is the Difference between Sucrose, Fructose, and Glucose
Before knowing the health effects that lurk your little one if he eats too many sweet foods or drinks, you need to know that there are 3 types of sugar that are consumed almost every day, namely glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Here is the explanation:
Glucose
Glucose is the simplest form of sugar. Glucose is very easy to digest, because the molecule does not need to be broken down again and is directly absorbed into the bloodstream. Glucose can be directly converted into energy in the cells through the help of the hormone insulin.
Compared to fructose and sucrose, glucose has a less sweet taste. Generally, glucose is found in high-carbohydrate foods, such as bread, rice, and corn.
Fructose
Fructose is a type of sugar that is often found in fruit, honey, and some tubers. When compared to other types of sugar, fructose has the sweetest taste.
Even so, fructose does not directly raise blood sugar levels. The process to make it a source of energy is relatively more complicated because it must be converted into glucose first in the liver.
Sucrose
Sucrose is another name for sugar that we consume every day. Sucrose is a combination of 2 molecules, namely fructose and glucose. Since sucrose is composed of glucose and fructose, the taste of sucrose is somewhere in between, being sweeter than glucose and less sweet than fructose.
When sucrose is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream, the body will prioritize the use of glucose first, because the process is easier. Meanwhile, fructose will be stored first in the form of fat.
In addition to the sugars above, there is also a type of lactose sugar which is a combination of glucose and galactose. These sugars are naturally found in breast milk or animal milk products, but can also be found in processed foods or drinks.
Lactose can be a source of energy for children and is known to have a good effect on children's metabolism. In addition, lactose in the food or drinks consumed by children can increase the number of good bacteria in the intestines and optimize the absorption of other nutrients, such as vitamin B12 and calcium.
Impact of Excess Sucrose Consumption on Children
Of the three types of sugar above, sucrose is a sweetener that is often added to packaged foods or beverages. When consumed in excess by children, the negative effects are:
Cause tooth decay
Sweet foods are not very friendly to children's dental health. Too often consuming foods or drinks high in sugar can cause tooth decay. The reason is, the remaining sugar that accumulates in the crevices of the teeth will mix with oral bacteria.
If you don't clean it regularly, this can cause your little one to experience toothache or cavities. If cavities are not treated immediately, it is not impossible that your little one will experience tooth decay that requires his teeth to be extracted.
Increase the risk of obesity
As previously explained, the fructose in sucrose tends to be stacked first by the body as fat. This fat should be an energy reserve for children.
But, unfortunately, the sugar in children's foods and drinks can be many times more than the child's actual energy needs. As a result, most of this sugar will only become a pile of fat and make children obese.
This condition should not be taken lightly, Bun. If not treated immediately, obesity can interfere with your little one's daily activities and put him at risk of suffering from various chronic diseases later in life, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Reduce the intake of other nutrients that the body needs
Foods high in sucrose or sugar usually have a good taste, so your little one can't stop eating them. This will certainly make him full, even though the food made by Mother has not been touched at all.
If this happens continuously, the intake of other nutrients needed by the Little One's body will decrease, because he does not want to eat the healthy food that Mother gives him. In fact, healthy food with balanced nutrition is very important to support growth and development.
In fact, children aged 2–18 years are recommended not to consume more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of granulated sugar per day. Meanwhile, children under 2 years are recommended not to get added sugar at all.
Seeing the information above, it is important for mothers to limit their little one's sugar intake, especially from packaged foods or drinks that tend to contain a lot of sucrose.
So that you can easily control how much sugar enters your little one's body, as well as reduce his desire to snack on sweet foods or drinks, it's a good idea if you make him a healthy sweet snack at home.
However, if you still have problems controlling your little one's sugar intake, you should consult a doctor to get the right solution.