Sugar and kids: How to Cut back without the tantrums
9 Nov 2026
Everyone knows that kids love chocolates, candies and biscuits and the reason they like it more is because these food items are sweet in taste, if you give sweet treats to your child everyday, it becomes an addiction and future the child will demand more and more sweets. And most of the packaged and processed foods are added with a lots of sugar which cannot be avoided.
So when a child eats a sweet treat as it is high glycemic index snack, there is rapid spike in the blood sugar levels as well as a surge in the dopamine levels.
The rapid spike in blood sugar causes a crash later which leaves the child Irritability, fatigue, and sudden cravings.
When something is completely restricted and out of bounds, it is viewed by the brain as a loss of autonomy and scarcity is artificially applied to the item. This phenomenon is called the “restricted access effect” in the field of pediatric psychology.
Restricting a child’s access to cookies doesn’t stop them from loving sweet foods; it increases their focus on cookies. The cookie transitions from a regular food to a precious commodity that can never be had.
If children are fully deprived of sweet foods in their home environment, then they lack the ability to understand their satiety with respect to sweet foods. Once placed in a situation where the restrictions are partially lifted, such as birthdays, play dates, or school, they will often overindulge themselves.
Make them understand that these chocolates, candies, cakes are sometimes or fun foods and not everyday foods.
In most of the households it is seen that, the child is told “If you finished this vegetable, you will get a chocolate”. Studies show that children become less fond of the vegetable when they are forced to eat it. This is because now the vegetable is just one more hurdle between them and the dessert they want to enjoy.
Always remember if you want to give sweet treats sometimes, always serve it with pair of protein or fat. For example, nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds. If they are full before eating a sweet the chances of eating more decreases automatically.
Next mistake is giving the packaged and processed foods to the kids, where there is lots of added sugar, In the foods like breakfast cereals, flavoured yoghurt, fruit juices and even ketchup that is served with lots of evening snacks, these all foods all loaded with sugar. So always make sure to check the packaged food labels.
You can always swap the refined sugar with dates or banana.
When you stop using dessert as a bribe, talk about food in terms of fuel rather than "good" or "bad," and make smart swaps gradually; sugar loses its superpower. Focus on real balance over perfection, and remember that long-term healthy habits are built one everyday meal at a time.