Kids want to eat foods that taste good, and parents want kids to eat nutritious foods that promote healthy growth and development.

Sugar-sweetened foods, such as cereal, can be a part of a healthy diet, providing essential nutrients and energy for school and play.¹

Is sugar safe for kids?

Parents, rest assured. Kids can safely enjoy some sugar.

Research shows that, when eaten as part of a healthy diet, sugar is not linked to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease or hyperactivity² and does not affect children's behavior.³

And sugar is not the sole cause of cavities. Carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, crackers and chips — as well as sugar — can contribute to cavities when good dental hygiene isn't practiced.⁴ So make sure kids brush their teeth no matter what they eat!

Sensibly satisfying your child's sweet tooth

When you allow kids to have some sugar, choose foods made with sugar by the company they keep.

A good guideline is to make sure that most of the sugar-sweetened foods you choose supply nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals and save less-nutritious sweet foods such as candy and regular soft drinks for occasional treats.

Keep in mind that a little sugar in foods can help the nutrition go down.¹ For instance, picky kids might be more likely to eat presweetened cereal or drink chocolate milk. They'll love the taste and you'll love the nutrients they get from these foods.

What about presweetened cereals?

Presweetened cereals can be part of a nutritious breakfast that kids will look forward to each morning. That's important because children who regularly eat breakfast are more likely to:

• Meet their nutritional needs, perform better in school and have healthier body weights.⁵
• Make healthy food choices throughout the day and be more physically active.⁵

You might be pleasantly surprised to know that presweetened cereals provide nutrients such as B-vitamins, iron and zinc but provide less than 5 percent of the sugar consumed by U.S. children.⁶ Many presweetened cereals are a good source of fiber, too (at least 3 grams of fiber, or 10% Daily Value, per serving).

Presweetened cereals help kids meet recommendations from the MyPyramid Grains group and are a tasty and convenient alternative to less-nutritious breakfast foods like donuts and sweet rolls.

• Bonus point: A breakfast that includes presweetened cereal is a great vehicle to get some nutrient-rich milk and fruit into your child's tummy, too!

References:
¹ Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2005.
² Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Sciences, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Fat, Protein and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC 2002.
³ Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation. Carbohydrates in Human Nutrition. World Health Organization, 1997.
⁴ Featherstone JDB. The science and practice of caries prevention. J Am Dent Assoc. 2000;131: 887-899.
⁵ Rampersaud MS, Pereira MA, Girard BL et al. Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:743-760.
⁶ NHANES 2001-02, USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies, version 1.0.