Navigating sugars for kids: What’s safe and what to avoid

As a child nutritionist, I get a lot of worried parents messaging me that their child has had a slice of cake at a birthday or is suddenly wanting to eat cookies and they get worried that they have ruined all their hard work of staying off sugar.

When it comes to offering our kids sugar, there is a lot of debate and noise around it. So many elders in the family love having those moments with their grandkids sharing a biscuit or having some chips or they urge you to add some sugar in the food otherwise baby won’t eat. As modern parents, we know we want to limit sugar but then we also know sugar is deeply woven into our culture so it does become hard to navigate it mindfully, especially during those rapid growth years. Let’s first understand the basis, sugar isn’t the villain we make it out to be. It is a form of carbohydrate that provides quick energy, which growing babies need. In the first year of life, babies triple their birth weight and their brains and organs develop at a rapid pace. Breastmilk and formula contain a natural occurring sugar called lactose, which fuels this growth while delivering essential nutrients. The body thrives on carbs, but the key is of course the source and amount.

A study published in 2025 in the journal science looked at the effect of reducing sugar in the first 1,000 days- from pregnancy to age 2 and found huge benefits. Kids with lower sugar exposure during this time had a 35% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, a four-year delay in diabetes onset, 20% lower chance of high blood pressure and 30% less obesity risk. These numbers clearly highlight how early habits will shape lifelong health.

Excess sugar can lead to mood swings, hyperactivity, and tantrums. I have seen it directly with many clients. Excess sugar can also lead to long- term preference of sweet foods, gut imbalances which can then lead to allergies. Dentists also warn about tooth decay when too much sugar is consumed.So, what types of sugar are out there, and which are okay for little ones? Let’s break it down.First, there are natural sugars that are found in whole fruits and dates.

These are the best options to offer your baby when they start solids because it is packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals that slow absorption and prevent blood sugar spikes. Till 2 years, stick to these options only and no added sugar. Post 1, a bit of raw honey and maple syrup can be offered. Options include mashing a date into oats or pureed fruits with yogurt.

Post 2 years, you can introduce a bit of added sugar in the form of jaggery or coconut sugar.

These as part of balanced meal can bring some sweetness and also offer some minerals like iron and potassium and are less processed than white sugar. The key is to not fully restrict our kids but offer more balanced, nutritious options. Make a homemade cake with jaggery or a ice cream popsicle with some honey. If we develop their taste buds from an early age for these types of foods, it is more likely it will last.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says to limit added sugars to under 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) daily for kids over two.Refined sugar like white, brown or high fructose corn syrup found in cereals, cookies, biscuits, juices. Try and avoid as much as you can because they really don’t have any benefit. Always check the labels as white sugar can have many other names. Of course if you are out and your child wants to have it once in a while it is okay. As long as it is not a staple in their diet, because the fact is sugar isn’t going anywhere. When looking at packaged foods aim for less than 4 grams of added sugar per 100 grams.Artificial sweeteners are the new rage. This is where we need to get cautious for kids. Options like aspartame, sucralose, or stevia are marketed as zero-calorie options and used to label packages as no sugar, but research on kids is concerning. Studies show they can disrupt the gut microbiome and lead to digestive issues, increase more cravings for sugar and confuse the body’s insulin response. For toddlers, whose gut and brain are still developing there is no proven benefits of offering these.

End of the day, if its synthetic and not natural food then its better to not offer it as it can disrupt the body in ways we might not even know yet. Skip them entirely.The takeaway? Balance is everything. Sugar does bring joy, think Diwali sweets or birthday cakes, but moderation builds healthy habits. For kids post 2 you can even teach them hacks when having sugar. Like never have it on an empty stomach and have some protein like nuts, egg, or cheese to create a spider web to catch the sugar. And after that, get them to move quickly to get the sugar to be used by the muscles. Simple habits can set them up for life.