As a child, my world was small, and all I cared about were things that made me happy and important, including, of course, sweets. I now understand that sweets did not contribute much in terms of vitamins, but their psychological benefits were unquestionable. It worked as an ice-breaker at social events. A simple candy transformed a miserable afternoon, made an ‘awful’ day in school ‘okay’.
I realized a little late in life that for children, the pleasure of sweets is so intense that it becomes a large part of their life. My sister always carried a little, green container, always filled brimful with sugar. As a child she loved to eat sugar out of it. No spoons needed. Sweets were extremely important to her as a child, as they are for most children.
Like any other parent, I was also worried by my children’s fascination for sweets. Even small celebrations, like a birthday panic, caused panic. While in the US, I, like many adults there, believed sweets and chocolate were tantamount to poison, to be strictly rationed or, better still, dispensed with altogether. I now ask myself: was it good parenting to avoid sweets altogether without questioning my assumptions?
I agree with Mark Twain that: “the trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain’t so.” This is certainly true when it comes to our reaction to the sweet stuff. The main factor in here is the psychology of fear. All parents are concerned about their children’s well being, and anything that might even remotely harm their child is a no-no. I was no exception. Especially, at a time when sugar was demonized and obesity was a constant threat, not to mention the horrors of teeth decay. I even frowned upon friends and family members who liked to give children sweets as a treat.
I have become a bit wiser with time. Perhaps I should reconsider my fear and revisit some of my moral concerns about sweets: look at the facts, weigh up the health risks and then decide if I still want to hold back the sweet stuff from my children and grandchildren. According to American researchers, there is a close relationship between children and sweets. Children have a biological proclivity towards sweets, and importantly, it’s related to their growth rate.
Geneticist Danielle Reed of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia believes that, “The relationship between sweet preference and growth makes intuitive sense because when growth is rapid, caloric demands increase. Children are programmed to like sweet taste because it fills a biological need by pushing them towards energy sources." Isn’t this amazing!
Children take such pleasure in their lollipops and candies. It’s unfair to spoil their fun
I am sure quite a few parents will be alarmed by Reed’s findings. Hold on parents, nothing to panic about yet. There is more to the report. The findings of the same report published in the journal Physiology & Behavior also mentions that sweet preferences decline with children´s physical growth, eventually stopping as they enter adolescence. (So parents, you might finally breathe a sigh of relief.) But the question remains: Is it good for a child’s overall health? This is an obvious question because when it comes to deciding on sweets, obesity, hyperactivity and tooth decay, are never far from a parent’s concerns.
When it comes to obesity, scientists have been unanimous for the past decade: sugar alone will not make you fat. The Encyclopedia Of Nutrition And Good Health (2003) states: "Sugar is not a leading cause of obesity”. But I can see further concerns. ‘What about hyperactivity?’ you may ask. Parents often talk about the "glucose rush" their children experience after eating sweet stuff.
Interestingly enough, no study has found conclusive proof of connection between sugar intake and disruptive behavior in children. Rather, a 1990 study at the University of Wisconsin indicated that sweet food had a calming effect on troubled children and adolescents. Surprised? I was too. Then again, think a bit and you may recall many instances of offering sweets to crying children, whereupon, they instantly broke into a wide smile.
Yes, tooth decay is one area in which sweets do much harm. Sugar is a fermentable carbohydrate that sticks to the teeth, and will cause their decay. The key factor is the length of time the carbohydrate is left in contact with the teeth. Experts advise that it is better to eat sweets quickly and brush on a regular basis.
Despite these findings, some parents will continue to believe all sweets are bad for their children and ration them strictly. I take a simpler view: children love sweets and we should celebrate their enthusiasm open-heartedly; while at the same time make sure they come to no harm. Children take such pleasure in their lollipops, candies and chocolates; it is unfair to spoil their enjoyment with our unfounded beliefs. Amid all the concerns about sweets, children are being robbed of one of their greatest pleasures.
I often imagine how wonderful it would be if adults were able to recapture some of their own enthusiasm for sweets and give sweets to children with love in their eyes and hearts. Accusations made against sweets in nutritional terms, that they represent "empty calories" do not hold much ground because a child knows that the calories derived from sweets are not empty. They are full of joy. So let them eat it.
usha@pokharel.net
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