By Alana Gold, Registered Dietitian

It's Valentine's Day—a day of sweet love and sweet treats! From a box of chocolates to cinnamon hearts, our kids will likely indulge in sugar-laden sweets this Valentine's Day. With over-consumption of sugar linked to childhood obesity, tooth decay and poor nutrition should parents worry about their kids’ sugar intake on such holidays? Maybe not—if your child truly eats sugary sweets only as a seldom treat. However, statistics show that sugar-laden drinks and sweets have become an everyday staple in our children’s diets.

Read on for the 411 on sugar as well as recipes for healthier Valentine treats for your little sweets.

Consider the following facts:

• The average North American consumes approximately 20 teaspoons of sugar per day.
• In the past 25 years, soda consumption has doubled. One 20 oz. soda contains 17 teaspoons of sugar and 250 calories.
• Candy consumption increased by 50% between 1980 and 1995.

Tell me about sugar
White table sugar is called sucrose and is derived from the sugar cane or the sugar beet. It is easy to tell if a food item contains white sugar; when reading a label, look for words ending in the suffix “ose”, such as high fructose corn syrup, maltose and sucrose. Honey and brown sugar are also a form of sugar. If an ingredient label lists any form of sugar as one of its first three ingredients, it is probably loaded with calories and is not a healthy choice. Instead of refined sugary foods, let your children enjoy the healthy natural sugars found in fruits and 100% fruit juices.

Sugar and obesity
Calories from white sugar are often referred to as “empty calories" because the sugar has been refined and stripped of the natural minerals present in sugar beet or cane. When we eat refined white sugar, such as candy or pop, it rapidly enters the bloodstream causing your blood sugar levels to spike. To lower your blood sugar levels, your body secretes a hormone called insulin. If you eat too much refined white sugar on a regular basis, your body begins to secrete too much insulin.

Excess insulin can result in excess weight gain. So, with sugar consumption rising, our kids are becoming insulin-secreting machines, contributing to the epidemic of childhood obesity. Obesity can also increase your child's risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. For more information on childhood obesity, click here.

Sugar and tooth decay
Did your mom used to tell you to stop eating candy because it would rot your teeth? Well, she was right! Studies clearly show that refined sugar is one of the factors that promote tooth decay. Even with preventive measures such as fluoride toothpastes and fluorinated water, our kids are getting cavities from drinking soda and eating candy all day long. To prevent tooth decay, try limiting sugary snacks and avoid prolonged sugar levels in the mouth.

Sugar and poor nutrition
Enjoying sugar-laden drinks and sweets on occasion is a part of everyone’s childhood. The problem arises when children begin filling up on sugary sweets on a regular basis, leaving little room for optimal nutrition sources such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and milk. In fact, studies clearly show that as soda consumption has increased, milk consumption has decreased. With kids drinking less milk, their calcium intake has dropped. This puts them at an increased risk for osteoporosis, a disease that leads to fragile and broken bones. In another study from Tulane University, researchers found that children who eat a lot of sugar consume significantly less protein, vitamin E, B vitamins, iron and zinc. Teach your child the 80:20 Rule – if you eat healthy 80% of the time, you can enjoy treats 20% of the time.

Healthier alternatives for this "sweet day"
This February 14th show your kids you love them with healthier sweet treats!

• Bursting with love cookies
• Valentine's day sundae
• Heart-shaped sandwich
• Sweet cinnamon pudding

References