Sydney, Jul 30 (The Conversation) Concerns about the amount of fruit children should consume often stem from the claim that fruit is "bad" due to its sugar content, a notion popularized by the "sugar-free" movement. This movement suggests that sugar is associated with weight gain and diabetes and advises avoiding numerous favorite children's foods, including bananas and berries. However, much like other diet industry claims, this one lacks solid evidence.
Naturally Occurring vs. Added Sugars Sugar, in its essence, isn't inherently detrimental, but the kind of sugar consumed matters. Thankfully, whole fruits contain naturally occurring sugars that are healthy and provide children with necessary energy. These fruits are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C, E, magnesium, zinc, and folic acid. Virtually all fruits, including bananas, berries, mandarins, apples, and mangoes, are beneficial.
The insoluble fiber in fruit skins aids regularity in children, while the soluble fiber in the fruit's flesh helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels by absorbing "bad" cholesterol, thus reducing long-term risks of stroke and heart disease. In contrast, added sugars, which contribute calories without nutritional value, are considered "bad" sugars and should be avoided. They are prevalent in processed and ultra-processed foods popular among children, such as candies, chocolates, cakes, and soft drinks.
Added sugars are often hidden in seemingly healthy packaged products like muesli bars and concealed under 60-plus different names in ingredient lists, complicating their identification.
Sugar, Weight, and Diabetes Risk No substantial evidence supports the claim that sugar directly causes diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease without links to sugar consumption, whereas Type 2 diabetes generally results from excess body weight, impeding the body's efficiency, rather than sugar intake.
Nonetheless, diets high in added sugars, typical in many processed and ultra-processed snacks, can lead to children consuming excess calories and unnecessary weight gain, potentially increasing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. Conversely, research indicates that children consuming more fruit tend to have less abdominal fat. Studies further suggest that fruit can decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, with one study revealing that children consuming 1.5 servings of fruit daily had a 36% lower chance of developing the condition.
Nutritional Deficiencies Diets high in added sugars can also cause nutritional deficiencies. Many processed foods offer little to no nutrition, which is why dietary guidelines advise limiting them. Children filling up on such foods are less likely to consume vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats, resulting in diets deficient in fiber and other crucial nutrients needed for growth and development. Yet, such "discretionary foods" make up a third of Australian children's daily energy intake.
My Advice? Give Kids Fruit in Abundance There's no need to limit the amount of whole fruit children consume—it is nutritious, satisfying, and capable of protecting their health. Fruit also helps prevent cravings for processed, calorie-rich packaged food with low nutrition. However, be mindful of juiced and dried fruits, as juicing removes fiber and drying removes water content, making these easy to overconsume.
Current nutritional guidelines recommend two servings of fruit daily for those aged nine and older, 1.5 servings for children aged 4-8, one serving for ages 2–3, and half a serving for ages 1-2. Nonetheless, these guidelines are outdated and in need of revision. We should focus on reducing added sugar consumption by minimizing processed food intake, not fruit. By learning to rely on "nature's treats," we can keep unhealthy sugars out of children's diets. (The Conversation) NSA NSA
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
