Kids are crazy about sweet things and nothing can spoil their mood when it comes to eating candies and cookies. If they were allowed to eat all the sweet things they can find in a house, they would do that without any hesitations. That is exactly why this fact cannot but puzzles the parents nowadays and they are interested to find out, what sweet products are good for their kids and whether they are harmful to their health or not.
Do Kids Really Need Sugar?
Do kids really need sweet products or it is just a mere whim? Experts have found out that sugar that is contained in candies and other sweet products, is a very important source of carbohydrates. There are two types of these nutrients, namely simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, such as dextrose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose are contained in honey, fruits, and sweet products. These substances are absorbed in the small bowl. Complex carbohydrates, in their turn, are contained in vegetables, bread, cereals, and other products. They affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, helping the body get rid of cholesterol and other harmful substances.
Doctors across the globe underline that the growing organism of a child needs carbohydrates to produce energy and get vitamins and microelements. A kid’s body does not require sugar as it is sold in the supermarkets, because it is rich in calories that do not contribute to the development of a child’s organism but may affect the increase of weight.
When Should a Child Start Eating Sweet Products?
Experts admit that kids do not need any sugar until they turn one year old. As they grown up, the amount of sugar in their daily diet may be increased. Thus, kids from 1 to 3 years old are allowed to consume 40 g of sugar every day, while kids from 3 and up to 5 years old can consume about 50 g of the product. To replace sugar, kids may be offered different sweet products, including jams, marshmallow, fruit candy, marmalade, pastille and what not. Kids above 3 years of age may taste cakes, muffins, cookies without cream or with light cream. You can also offer them ice cream. It is not recommended to offer your child chocolate until 3 years old, because it can trigger an allergic reaction and undesirable gastrointestinal disorders. Is your kid older than 3 years? Then you can offer him/her white or milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is allowed after 5 years old.
Speaking about candies, caramels, chewing marshmallow etc., it is desirable to offer these sweet things to the kids, who are 4 years of age and more. This is because they may trigger a choking hazard.
What About Honey?
Honey is the product, which is recommended to kids older than 3 years old, but only if they are not subjected to allergic reactions. Honey is a naturally sweet product, rich in vitamins and nutrients, which has a positive effect upon all the systems of the human organism. The product improves the immune system, activates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and even helps the organism resist the negative effects of the viruses contained in the atmosphere. This product can be consumed on a regular basis, but you should still watch the reaction of your kid’s organism to it.
