Parents need to be extra careful when they’re looking at kids’ food labelled “low in sugar,” a new report suggests.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a report on sweeteners, adding non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners are a part of our diets, and at least one in four children in the U.S. consume these types of sweeteners.
But experts argue there is still not enough research to determine what sweeteners can to do a child’s overall health.
READ MORE: Artificial sweeteners are tied to long-term weight gain, diabetes risk, Canadian docs say
“We need more research into the use of non-nutritive sweeteners and the risk for obesity and Type 2 diabetes, especially in children,” Dr. Carissa Baker-Smith, lead author of the AAP policy statement, said in a statement.
“Considering how many children are regularly consuming these products — which have become ubiquitous — we should have a better understanding of how they impact children’s long-term health.”
The other issue, authors added, is that parents simply can’t tell if a product has a sweetener. Often, products that use artificial sweeteners may use labels like “low sugar” or even “no sugar” on their packaging, referring to refined white sugar.
What are sweeteners?
Registered dietitian Anar Allidina of Anar Allidina Nutrition tells Global News that sweeteners are food additives used to simulate a sense of sweetness.
“The overuse of sugar in the Western diet has been shown to contribute to excess weight, which can lead to further health risks such as diabetes and heart disease,” she explained.
“In the last few decades, researchers have found and developed new ways to sweeten our food without the actual use of sugar.”
Sweeteners are characterized into two main branches, she added: nutritive sweeteners and non-nutritive sweeteners.
“Nutritive sweeteners are digested in the body and provide calories,” she said. “Non-nutritive sweeteners have no calories and are not digested.”
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Non-nutritive sweeteners, on the other hand, are produced by scientists — these are called artificial sweeteners.
Sweeteners can be 10 to 100 times sweeter than sugar
“We are unsure of the max amounts as well, which may be problematic if these sweeteners are used consistently over a long period of time,” she told Global News.
Some sweeteners, she added, are 10 to 100 times sweeter than sugar.
“Regular consumption of these sweeteners results in children getting used to too much of a sweet flavour,” Qureshi said. “Instead, turn to naturally sweetened foods such as fruit.”
Allidina says these sweeteners can be found in a variety of products children consume, including everything from Jell-O to some juices like Sunny D to ice cream. Other items include pop, cereal bars, yogurt and more.
She says anytime you see labels like “low sugar,” “reduced sugar” or “no sugar” should be a red flag.
“Technically, artificial sweeteners are not sugar and sometimes food companies mix them with real sugar to decrease the total sugar in the food.”
When your child loves sweetness
But some children just love sugar and sweet-flavoured food and often, parents struggle to remove it from their diet. And when sugar or sweetness is hidden, it can be even harder to monitor what your child eats.
“Navigating sugar with kids is tricky, but not impossible,” Allidina said.
“Skip the artificial stuff — especially for kids. We get the sweetness but with 0 calories, which can lead to more sugar cravings to fill the void.”
Parents should also focus on introducing whole foods without packaging or wrappers.
“These foods include, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and lean protein as much as possible.”
READ MORE: What happens to your body when you stop eating sugar?
And besides carefully reading labels, look at the ingredient list.
“Try to stay clear of foods that have sugar listed as the first three ingredients – sugar has many names,” Allidina continued. “If these foods are your kid’s favourite, you can still offer it but less frequently.”
When you can, be a role model yourself. “If your child sees you consuming soft drinks and sugary foods daily, then you need to change,” she stressed.
“Remember, kids learn by example. So make sure you are doing your part.”
Sometimes, though, you can’t escape sugar. Children end up consuming sugar at school or at birthday parties with friends. It’s important to look at a child’s diet overall, Allidina said.
“Start with simple swaps such as replacing or diluting juice for water or milk and cut back on the frequency of sugary treats.”
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