Harmful Effects of Sugar-Salt for Infants: Debates often arise in homes about when, what, and how to feed young children. While grandmothers rely on past experiences, doctors provide guidance based on scientific knowledge. The issue of salt and sugar is similar. Doctors clearly state that infants should be given neither salt nor sugar until they are one year old, but older adults often refuse to accept this.
These days, such arguments occur daily between Rama and her mother-in-law. Ever since Rama's nine-month-old daughter started eating solids, this debate has continued. The doctor advises against giving salt and sugar. But the child's grandmother believes that, why and how would a child like food without taste? Rama's argument is simple: "How can a child miss something they've never tasted?"
This debate isn't just in one family, but is common among every new parent and grandmother. So what's the truth? Let's find out why doctors advise such a strict stance on salt and sugar.
Why shouldn't salt be given?
In a conversation with India Today, Dr. Rajiv Chhabra, Chief Pediatrician at Artemis Hospital in Gurugram, explained that young children's kidneys are not fully developed. If they are given too much salt, their bodies cannot excrete it, and this can prove detrimental to their health. Early salt intake deters children from natural tastes. Later, they begin to dislike fruits and vegetables less and develop a preference for salty foods. Excessive salt also removes calcium from the body, which can weaken bones. Doctors say that breast milk or formula provides babies with sufficient sodium, so there's no need for additional salt.
Why shouldn't sugar be given?
Dr. Parimala V. Thirumalesh, Senior Consultant at Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, explains that introducing sugar early in life can habituate children to a sweet taste. This can lead to a reduced appreciation for natural flavors, such as fruits and vegetables. Sugar can also harm children's teeth and gums, even leading to cavities before their baby teeth emerge.
Furthermore, rapidly rising blood sugar levels can make children irritable, disrupt sleep, and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes in the long run. According to Dr. Chhabra, if children consume less sugar during the first 1,000 days, the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure in the future is significantly reduced.
Why do elders consider this important?
Grandmothers often say that children were given salt and sugar in earlier times. However, the difference is that the food of those times was mostly organic and unprocessed. Nowadays, packaged foods already contain hidden salt and sugar, posing a double risk for children.
What is the right approach?
Doctors recommend that children be kept away from salt and sugar until they are two years old. It's best to replace them with the natural sweetness of fruits like bananas, mangoes, apples, and the authentic taste of vegetables. These can be gradually introduced in small quantities after 12 months, but they should not become part of a child's main diet. Giving salt and sugar to a child isn't just a matter of taste; it's also a matter of health and the foundation of their future.
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