QOD: What exactly is a sweet?
Sweet foods occur naturally in nature, like fruit. Naturally occurring sugars such as fructose and lactose, found in fruit and milk, are undoctored and in their natural state.
Foods that contain added sugar (in the form of sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, or honey) are the culprits that can lead to extra weight gain if consumed with abandon. Fruit juice is a concentrated form of fruit and should be limited in its consumption. Specifically for children under age 8, limit portions of 100 percent fruit juice to 4-6 ounces.
Foods with high amounts of added sugar (more than 2 teaspoons or 8 grams of added sugar per serving) fall into the category of a sweet food and require thoughtful portion sizes and infrequent consumption. Foods containing added sugar could be cereal, flavored yogurt, soda, cookies, candy, and ice cream.
Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, September 2020
Comments