What's the sweetest thing you can do for your newborn?
Kids are sweet -- but it should never be from the amount of added sugars they're exposed to and consume! In utero, the average fetus gets a good dose of added sugars; data shows pregnant women consume about 3 ounces daily. And according to a study titled "Added Sugars Intake among U.S. Infants and Toddlers," around 60% of infants and 98% of toddlers consume added sugar on any given day. Major culprits are processed foods, soda, desserts, snacks and fruit juice.
The repercussions are immediate and life-long. In the short term, sugar can cause moodiness and get a young 'un cranked up; damage the gut biome, trigger inflammation and harm oral health. Over time, it can lead to obesity and premature high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.
Luckily, you can reduce the health hazards that added sugar inflicts on your youngsters. A study published in Science says that kids who have a low-sugar diet in utero and the first two years of life can slash their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 35% and high blood pressure by 25%.
That means that pregnant women should avoid sweet treats, highly processed foods, and sugary beverages. And infants and toddlers should not be given fruit juices, sugary baked goods, soda, and sugar-added prepared foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees, saying children under age 2 should never have any food or beverages with added sugars. For more info, check out "Nutrition for Your Child and When to Supplement" and "How to Create a Balanced Diet for Your Infant" at iHerb.com/blog.
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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