As parents, we all want to make the best choices for our little ones, especially when it comes to food. But one thing that often catches people out is free sugars – this is a term that’s been in the news a lot lately (especially in relation to baby food pouches) and it really confuses people. So this blog aims to address – what free sugars are and why we should be mindful of them?
What Are Free Sugars?
Free sugars are the sugars added to food and drinks by manufacturers or at home, as well as those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices, fruit concentrates and purees. Unlike the sugars found in whole fruits and milk, free sugars are not bound within the food’s structure, making them much easier for the body to absorb.
Why Does It Matter?
The NHS recommends that free sugars should make up no more than 5% of daily energy intake. This means that:
- Adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, (roughly equivalent to 7 sugar cubes).
- Children aged 7 to 10 should have no more than 24g of free sugars a day (6 sugar cubes).
- Children aged 4 to 6 should have no more than 19g of free sugars a day (5 sugar cubes).
- Children aged 2 to 3 should have no more than 14g of free sugars a day (3 and a half sugar cubes).
- Children aged 1 should have no more than 10g of free sugars a day (2 and a half sugar cubes).
There’s actually no official guideline limit for babies under the age of 1, but the NHS recommends that sugars should not be added to food or drinks given to babies. Additionally, they suggest the frequency and amount of sugary food and drinks should be as low as possible.
See more here: Sugar: the facts – NHS
Because free sugars are absorbed quickly, they don’t keep little tummies full for long. Eating too much sugar can contribute to people having too many calories, which can lead to weight gain and eating more calories than you need. Sugar is also one of the main causes of tooth decay and in the UK we have a severe problem with young children’s dental health.
Sugary foods are often less nutritious, offering little in the way of fibre, vitamins or minerals – and can displace more nourishing options in a child’s diet.
Additionally, as young babies and children’s eating patterns develop young, having too many high sugary foods from a young age can encourage eating lots of sugar as we get older too.
Read more about sugars in my blog.
Simple Swaps to Reduce Free Sugars
- Choose whole fruit over purees or fruit pouches to keep the sugars naturally bound.
- Avoid pureeing foods for too long and mash, mince and chop foods instead for baby instead.
- Focus on plenty of savoury foods, instead of relying just on sweet options.
- Avoid sweetened or sugary drinks and instead offer milk and water as daily fluid options
- Avoid sugary foods for babies and toddlers and focus on plain, natural and home cooked foods wherever possible.
- Check labels—while products may claim to have “no added sugar,” they may still contain high amounts of free sugars so check the 100g column for how much sugar a product contains and check my label reading guide to see what to look out for.
- Opt for lower-sugar snacks (for children over 1) like plain yoghurt, fresh fruit sticks, crackers and peanut butter, veg sticks and hummus or porridge bars instead of sweetened snacks like fruity yogurts and chewy fruit leathers.
- Check out my blog on how to deal with sugars, cakes and sweets for young children.
I hope this helps to explain free sugars, I have a blog coming which answers some of your questions on Baby Food Pouches too!