Is Sugar Bad For Your Baby?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants from birth to 6 months of age, as it sees in breast milk a whole nutritional choice for babies this age. Indeed, breast milk contains, in addition to vitamins, minerals and other necessary nutrients for babies’ growth and physical and motor development, a good amount of antibodies and enzymes that support little ones’ immune systems and help them fight infections and illnesses.

As the name implies, exclusive breastfeeding requires from mothers not to offer their babies any other food but milk, including sugar. But, have you ever thought about the cause or the risk behind babies’ consumption of small amounts of sugar?

As you know, sugar in itself is not a real nutritious food, but an additive food, a sweetener that is needed just to give food some taste. For babies under 6 months old, sugar is not an option, especially that the milk they nurse from their mothers’ breasts, provides them with their need of natural sugar; so, why harm babies’ health and put it at the following risks?

• Sugar suppresses the immune system, leading to a drop in blood sugar levels, tiredness and lack of energy.
• Sugar reduces body tissues’ flexibility and function.
• Sugar damages baby teeth that start appearing between 4 and 8 months after birth.
• Sugar increases a baby’s risk to put on too much weight, and thus developing type-2 diabetes, heart diseases and some types of cancer.
• Sugar affects baby flavor preferences and makes him more into sweet textures and tastes, making it hard on the mother to get him introduced to different healthy solid foods later on.

So, keep your baby away from sugar side effects until he’s sixth month old. And when time comes for weaning, introduce your little one to sugar in its natural not commercial form, i.e. the sugar found naturally in fruits and some types of veggies and meats. Avoid as much as possible the types of food and drinks with added sugars, at least until your baby is one year old!

Read More: Foods To Avoid In A Baby’s First Year