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November 22, 2000

Meal Planning, Food and Diet

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Question from Quincy, California, USA:

How many “sugar-free” type foods should be incorporated into an eight year old’s daily diet? I realize they won’t have the impact of regular sugar food items, but should they be consumed every snack or mealtime?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

I think a good way to evaluate a food is to categorize it into one of the food groups. If it ends up in the sweets group, that is a food that contains mostly sugar and fat (even if it is artificial sugar) and does not contribute many nutrients needed for health and growth. A sugar-free pudding has more value than a sugar-free soda or candy since it has milk in it. There are no hard and fast rules, but I would not suggest having a sugar-free item at every meal or snack. These foods tend to take the place of more healthy choices such as fruit, vegetables and milk.

JM