Eating sweets does more than just hurt children’s teeth!

The six deadly sins of sweets

During the Chinese New Year, children will inevitably eat more candies, cream cakes, biscuits... Many parents know that these beautiful and sweet foods will damage the baby's teeth. Little do they know that eating too much sweets will have adverse effects on the baby's overall health. According to relevant research at home and abroad, eating too much sweets will not only damage teeth, but also affect emotions, sleep, and visual development. The following are the "six sins" of sweets summarized by pediatric experts.

1. Prone to dental caries

The sucrose in sweets promotes the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth, decalcifies and softens the teeth, and causes tooth decay. Experts' advice: From infancy, do not give your child sweetened drinks or beverages, but let them drink more plain water; try not to eat processed snacks such as candy and cakes; brush your teeth in the morning and evening, rinse your mouth after meals, and clean your mouth in time after eating sweets.

2. Obesity and malnutrition

Eating too much sweets can cause obesity and even lead to metabolic diseases such as diabetes. Sweets can also consume vitamins in the body, reduce the secretion of saliva and digestive glands, increase stomach acid, and cause indigestion. Children who eat too much sweets will also become picky eaters and suffer from malnutrition. Experts suggest: Do not give children sweets before or after meals, but eat some fruits between meals. However, do not eat too much fruit.

3. Affect mood and sleep

Too much sugar entering the blood will stimulate the child's central nervous system, causing symptoms such as irritability and lack of concentration. Eating sweets before bed will affect the baby's sleep and have a negative impact on growth and intellectual development. Expert advice: Do not eat sweets two hours before bedtime. If the baby cries because he wants to eat, you can drink a small glass of milk before bedtime to help him sleep.

4. Sugar that affects visual development

Eating too much sugar will increase the blood sugar level in the baby's body, which will correspondingly reduce the osmotic pressure of body fluids, causing the lens to bulge and deform, and the refractive power to increase, which can easily lead to myopia. In addition, eating too much sugar will lead to a decrease in the calcium content in the child's body, which will reduce the elasticity of the developing sclera of the outer wall of the eyeball. If you don't pay attention to eye hygiene, it is easy to form myopia in children. Expert advice: If you want your baby to have good eyesight, you should eat less sweets and eat more foods rich in B vitamins, such as egg yolks, carrots, animal livers, etc.

5. Reduced immunity and prone to allergies

The latest research from Weill Cornell University in the United States points out that sweets can affect the function of white blood cells and changes in blood vessel walls, reduce the body's ability to resist disease, and make it more prone to inflammation, allergies and other problems. Experts suggest: Be sure to provide children with a diverse diet to ensure balanced nutrition. Eating more green vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach can help improve immunity.

6. Affects taste development

If children eat too much sweets, their taste buds will change and they will lose interest in bland foods. Expert advice: Let children enjoy the natural taste of food, and do not stimulate their taste buds with overly sweet, fresh or salty foods too early. Let them learn to accept nutritious but bland foods.