Diet & Nutrition: Linda Hsieh

Should I limit the amount of sugar my infant eats?

By Linda Hsieh

Breastmilk or an iron-fortified formula will provide your baby with most of the nutrition she requires during the first year of life. Once you begin introducing solids at the recommended age of 4 to 6 months, you will find that some commercially prepared foods are made with added salt and/or sugar. Added salt and sugar are not necessary in an infant's diet, especially before the age of one.

Foods with added sugar are considered "empty calorie" foods, meaning that they lack nutrition. Too many empty calorie foods can lead to a poor diet. And since infants have an innate preference for sweets, they will desire these foods over other, more nutritious foods. That's why it's important to introduce your infant to a variety of foods -- ideally unprocessed foods prepared without added sugar or salt -- so that they develop a taste for a nutritious, balanced diet that is the key to a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to sweets, expose your child to naturally sweet foods, like fruits. Keep fresh fruits available at home instead of offering cookies. As your baby grows, she will develop a preference for these nutritious foods.

With obesity on the rise, it's also important that parents lead a healthy lifestyle by selecting foods and snacks that provide good nutrition. Children learn by example; Studies show that when parents lead a healthy lifestyle, children do the same.

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