Sweets for my sweet!
Your sweetie may give you a sugar rush with his or her cute antics
but you may want to hold back on giving your little one sugary treats. By delaying
the introduction of sweet foods till at least he or she’s a year old, you can help
instil healthier food habits. Also, sugar is a source of empty calories. Fulfilling
a sugar-loving child’s cravings can take away his appetite without giving him any
nutrients.
On top of that, excess sugar has also been shown to depress immunity so you may
find your child falling ill more often if he’s taking too much sugar!
Not letting baby have any sugar is easier than stopping her from getting any, especially
after she’s developed a taste for it. So here’s what you could do to help keep that
sugar craving in check.
Do:
• Serve yoghurt, cheese or fruits instead of ready-made desserts
• Check labels for hidden sugar
• Give unprocessed, unsweetened cereal instead of sugar-laden ones
• Get baby into the habit of cleaning his teeth and gums after meals.
Don’t:
• Add sugar to baby’s food
• Give sweetened juices or milk
• Offer carbonated drinks
• Offer candy, cookies or cake as rewards
• Let baby sleep with bottle in the mouth