How sugar can affect academic performance

By Grace Canada DO you know that sugar can indirectly contribute to malnutrition in your child? Sugar supplies calories without nutritional benefits, and robes body stores of vitamins and minerals for its utilisation. In addition, there is strong evidence linking sugar with diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and overweight in adults. When eaten frequently, sugars, especially those that are sticky or stay in the mouth (chocolate and sweets) for a period of time, are associated with tooth decay and gum diseases in all ages, and eventually loss of teeth. In children who are sensitive to sugar, it is likely to cause lack of concentration and other behaviour problems. Your child may have behaviour problems, and you may attribute it to their being a bad child, whereas without you knowing the cause is excessive sugar. Yet many parents introduce high levels of sugar in their children's diet as early as three months of age. Usually the sugar is introduced in juice, milk, or water. Being that sugar is addictive, some children get so addicted to it that they refuse to eat regular food unless it is fortified with high levels of sugar. This often results in some babies and older children becoming dangerously undernourished. As such excessive sugar may compromise your child's potential for growth, development and school performance. If your child is hooked on sugar, it is strongly advisable for you to wean them off it gradually. Considerations l Sugar is obtained from several sources. Some are obvious and others not. Most obvious source are spoonfuls added to milk, tea, juice, porridge and some ready to serve cereals. The hidden sugar is found in processed refined foods and beverages. These are cakes, biscuits, white bread, doughnuts, yoghurt, fruit-yoghurt, ice cream, sodas, fruit drinks, all coral drinks, jam, marmalade and others. For example: Sodas, all colas, and fruit drinks, contain approximately 120-132 Kcal per 300ml. Ice cream, contains 60 kcal per 100 gm. Biscuits contain 32 kcal a piece. Table sugar contains 60 kcal per tea spoon. Whereas the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Kcal for children aged four to six years of age is 1,300 - 2,300. The maximum allowance from sugar is 130-230. Since the taste for sweet foods and beverages is acquired, avoid introducing sugary foods or drinks in your child's diet at any age. l Do not bring home sodas, colas, fruit flavoured drinks, biscuits, cake, doughnuts, ice cream, jam, jelly. Instead buy fruit, groundnuts, simsim seeds, sugarcane, for your child to snack on. l For children who are already addicted to sugar, cut down on fruit that contains high levels of sugar such as watermelon and pineapple. Replace these fruits with apples, pawpaw and banana. Gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add to the child's food or drinks by half a teaspoon until you wean them off sugar. l Do not feed babies on sugar water, sweetened fruit juice, tea, or milk. A baby's stomach is small, if you feed the baby with sugary liquids, there will not be room for food. In addition they may refuse to eat regular food unless it contains high levels of sugar. It is better to introduce fresh fruit such as mashed pawpaw, banana, or fresh unsweetened pineapple juice in your child's diet. For babies remember to introduce one fruit at a time. l Honey, and glucose are sugars. l Bear in mind, there is a difference between being a good parent and simply spoiling your child. You cannot substitute sugars or toys for quality time spent with your children. Ends