Too much salt and too much sugar. We consume them in excess and this can affect our health and especially that of the little ones. Therefore, ignoring the recommendations of the World Health Organization in this regard does not seem the most sensible. And yet it was what the European Commission intended to carry out, a proposal that has finally been halted in the European Parliament.
The Commission, as our colleagues in Vitónica told us yesterday, had proposed that sugars could continue to represent up to 30% of the energy contribution of baby food, compared to 10% that WHO establishes as a maximum. In fact, the Organization notes that to obtain greater benefits it is recommended to reduce the consumption of free sugars to less than 5% of the total caloric intake, both in adults and children.
There is talk of free sugars, which are all the sugars that manufacturers, cooks or consumers themselves add to the food or beverages to be consumed, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and sugars. juices and fruit concentrates.
And of course, if they work for adults, it is very important that these recommendations (along with others related to salt, fats ...) are fulfilled in children, since in the first two years of life optimal nutrition drives growth healthy and an improvement of cognitive development, as well as a reduction of the risk of overweight and obesity and to develop certain diseases in the future.
If these limits are set for free sugars, it is because they increase the risk of tooth decay and an excess of calories from foods and beverages with a high content in this component also contributes to weight gain and increases the risk of obesity.
How can we reduce sugar consumption?
WHO recommends reducing sugar intake limiting the consumption of foods and beverages with a high content (sugary drinks, soft drinks, sweets, sugary snacks ...) and eating raw fruits and vegetables instead of industrial snacks.
Of course, among the "practical measures" that institutions can take, he points out that trade, food and agricultural policies should promote healthy eating. As for sugar and saturated fats, the continuation and increase of products containing them should be discouraged, in addition to encouraging the reformulation of the ingredients of these food products so that they contribute less.
But not everyone seems to agree with these WHO guidelines, and in the European Parliament they have ruled against reducing the sugar content in baby foods up to 305 MEPs. Luckily, for us and our children, they have won the votes in favor and the levels of sugar accepted in these foods must be checked, which, until now, populate pharmacies, supermarkets and pantries of European families.
Among other developments that could appear in the legal provision to be approved, it is prohibited as a precaution innovations in food that are not yet sufficiently studied, such as nanotechnologies.
Also, in the labeling and marketing of processed foods for infants it should be made clear that these products are not suitable for use by children under six months of age nor should they weaken the recommendation of exclusive feeding by breastfeeding during the six first months of life
The next step? That the legal text be revised to rewrite it and adapt it to WHO recommendations. And already put to ask, that these recommendations are also met in the rest of the food, for the entire population. It seems more complicated, but certainly reduce the amount of sugar in children's meals like tarritos, cereals, porridge ... it is a first step that we as parents love.
