Glossary · Food categories
Added sugar
Sugar added by the cook or the maker, such as table sugar, honey and syrups, as opposed to the sugar already in whole fruit or plain milk. Before age 2 the simplest plan is to skip it altogether, and after that to keep it small and occasional.
What counts as added sugar
Added sugar is any sugar put in by the cook or the maker: white and brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, date syrup, and fruit juice concentrate used to sweeten. The sugar already inside whole fruit, plain milk and plain yogurt is not the part to watch. Honey waits until after the first birthday, and after that it still counts as added sugar. Ingredient names ending in -ose, like dextrose, or words like glucose syrup are sugar too.
By age
Before age 2, the simplest plan is to skip added sugar altogether. After that, keep it small and occasional, so most of what your child eats and drinks is unsweetened. Birthday cake is still part of growing up. When cake is just cake, not a prize and not forbidden, it's easier for everyone to keep it in proportion.
Where it hides
- Flavored yogurt, breakfast cereals and cereal bars.
- Fruit snacks and gummies.
- Pasta sauce, ketchup, baked beans and bread.
- Juice, juice drinks, flavored milk, soda and sweet tea.
Easy swaps at home
- Read the ingredients list. The earlier sugar shows up, the more of it there is.
- Sweeten oatmeal and yogurt with mashed banana, grated apple or a pinch of cinnamon.
- Make water and milk the everyday drinks.
- Keep dessert out of the prize system, and serve sweet foods with meals rather than as all-afternoon nibbles.
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References
Related terms
Miriel uses this concept across food scans, meal plans, and AI Coach responses where it is relevant to a child's profile. For the underlying clinical and scientific basis, see the research page.