Children love sugar, and why not? All the foods they love eating are loaded with sweetness. However, according to statistics, across the world people are eating far too much sugar every day. The average daily added sugar intake for children and young adults aged 2-19 years is 17 tsp or 71 grams, coming mainly from sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and sweet snacks.

Added sugars, according to experts, are causing various lifestyle diseases like heart attacks, type 2 diabetes, liver issues, etc. And so, to combat the large amounts of sugar being consumed daily, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends less than 10 per cent of calories from added sugars for those two years and older and no added sugars for children under the age of 2 years. Similarly, the American Heart Association recommends that children consume no more than 25 grams or 6 tsp of sugar per day, and also recommends no added sugar under the age of 2 years.

According to experts, it is important to reduce sugar to promote a healthier lifestyle and prevent diseases, with the help of a few easy steps, which include:

Doctors say most children do not eat enough fresh produce which includes fruits and vegetables daily like apples, carrots, broccoli, bananas, and peppers. Whole fruit and vegetables are packed with water and fibre, which help kids to feel full. Also, studies say chewing is an important part of satiety and so including more fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks can help them get over sugar addiction.

Even though it is tough in some households, the more you can cook for your family at home, the more control you have over the foods that you eat. Restaurants mostly add sugar and preservatives to enhance the taste of the foods on their menu. But these additives are not necessary for making foods taste good.

Children love drinking sodas, sports drinks, lemonade, fruit punch, energy drinks, and 100 per cent fruit juice – all of which are packed with sugar.

Just avoid these and make the kids drink mostly water or plain low-fat milk. Eat whole fruit, like an apple, instead of drinking apple juice.

Simple swaps and food combinations help you turn your child’s foods from sugar bombs to nutritional powerhouses – without sacrificing flavour. Among a few things, you can do include combining food groups like pairing protein like peanut butter and celery or cheese and apple. Such pairings do provide a kick of sweetness with satiety.

Also, choose a no-sugar-added option for spreads and cereals like putting smashed banana or nut butter on toast instead of jelly or picking a lower-sugar cereal option.

Whether it is the crunch or the taste, all kids love crackers and chips. Since they are loaded with salt, sugar, and carbohydrates - crackers and chips ultimately break down into sugar and also get stuck in the tops of your teeth for long periods of time.

And so, to replicate the same taste, you can bake, or air fry fresh vegetables topped with their favourite herbs and spices at home to reduce the consumption of sugar and carbs.

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