The Sneaky Truth About Sugar: How It Impacts Kids and Where It’s Hiding

As a mom committed to non-toxic living, one of the biggest and most persistent battles I face is sugar. It’s not just in candy and cupcakes—it’s hiding everywhere, even in the foods marketed as “natural,” “organic,” or “vegan.” And while I’m not militant about never letting my kids have anything sweet, I’m deeply intentional about minimizing added sugar in their daily lives.

Why I Care About Sugar

Research shows that added sugar, especially in the early years of brain development, can have lasting negative impacts on children's cognition. A 2024 systematic review published in Nutrients confirmed that chronic sugar intake is linked to poorer executive function, memory, and overall cognitive performance in children and adolescents. A 2015 study found that adolescent rats who consumed high-sugar diets showed impaired learning and memory. A third study showed that the adolescent brain is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of sugar compared to adults.

This science reaffirms what I feel in my gut: we need to be vigilant about protecting our children’s brains from toxic, processed ingredients—especially added sugar.

Added Sugar vs. Naturally Occurring Sugar

Let’s be clear: I’m not anti-sugar—I’m anti-added sugar.

I’m completely okay with naturally occurring sugar in fruit. Whole fruits come with fiber, water, antioxidants, and nutrients that help the body absorb and process sugar in a balanced, healthy way. What I’m avoiding is added sugar—the kind that’s sneaked into products to enhance flavor, extend shelf life, and make us (especially kids) want more. 

That’s the sugar that spikes blood sugar levels, fuels inflammation, and can negatively affect brain development.

The Many Faces of Sugar

Sugar is sneaky. It shows up under names that sound healthy, neutral, or even natural. If you’re scanning food labels, here’s what to watch out for:

Sugar’s Many Aliases:

• Cane sugar

• Brown rice syrup

• Evaporated cane juice

• High-fructose corn syrup

• Dextrose

• Maltodextrin

• Fructose (when added—not from whole fruit)

• Glucose

• Sucrose

• Barley malt

• Agave nectar

• Coconut sugar

• Corn syrup

• Fruit juice concentrate

• Carob syrup

• Malt syrup

• Raw sugar

• Maple syrup

• Honey (yes, even this)

• Molasses

Some of these are technically “natural,” but natural doesn’t always mean non-toxic, especially when a product is highly processed or includes multiple forms of hidden sugar.

Greenwashing and Sugar

Just because something is labeled organic, vegan, or all-natural doesn’t mean it’s free of added sugar. That’s why reading the ingredient list is essential. I’ve seen too many “healthy” snacks with five different types of sugar listed under feel-good labels.

And don’t be fooled by “fruit snacks” or “fruit strips” if they don’t list fruit juice concentrate as the second or third ingredient—but natural flavors  just sugar in disguise.

What I Give My Kids Instead

We aim to avoid added sugar, but we’re okay with whole, naturally sweet plant-based options. Here’s a list of snacks my kids love that don’t contain added sugar:

• Dates
  

• Prunes
  

• Dried mangoes (unsweetened)
  

• Dried apricots
  

• Unsweetened fruit pouches (we use Serenity Kids and Plum Organics—always organic, because I want to reduce pesticide exposure and support more transparent growing practices)
  

• Natural fruit fizzy drinks (with no added sugar)
  

• Fruit strips made from real fruit, not concentrate
  

• Greek yogurt (unsweetened) – I flavor it with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg
  

• Unsweetened applesauce – just apples, no sugar added
  

• Fresh fruit – blueberries, grapes, bananas, and watermelon (even though I personally can’t stand watermelon, they love it!)
  

When it comes to fruit juice, we only do 100% apple juice, and I always water it down—at home and even at birthday parties. We completely avoid fruit punch, lemonade, and artificially colored or flavored drinks.

Home Cooking = Sugar Control

Another key to reducing sugar in my family’s diet? Home-cooked meals.

I’m spoiled that my husband cooks most of our food, and it’s one of the main ways we avoid the hidden sugar and toxic additives that sneak into processed and restaurant food. You’d be surprised how much sugar is in something as basic as a store-bought tomato sauce or salad dressing.

Cooking at home means we’re in control of the ingredients—and that means less sugar, less inflammation, and fewer behavioral spikes in our kids.

Sugar at School and Special Events

My attempt to limit sugar hasn’t been without challenge. It’s deeply ingrained in kid culture—from snack time at school to party favors to sports practices. I’ve even had to talk to my sons’ teachers and ask them to limit sugary snacks, especially since we don’t send them to school with any. One teacher even admitted that it’s hard because sugar is everywhere, and other kids bring it constantly.

But when it comes to special moments—like birthdays—I try to strike a balance. For my kid's birthday, I recently had a discussion with my husband about including cake or cupcakes. We compromised and found a Black-owned bakery, Tickled Sweet Bakery, that makes custom cupcakes sweetened with monk fruit instead of cane sugar. A win for celebration and health!

What the Research Says: Sugar and the Brain

Numerous studies have shown that added sugar doesn’t just affect our bodies—it has lasting effects on the brain, especially in children:

• Adolescent rats fed added sugars showed memory problems and increased inflammation in the hippocampus.
  

• Fructose-sweetened beverages were associated with brain inflammation and poorer learning in young rodents.
  

• Preschool children consuming more sweet bakery goods and candy had lower verbal IQ and full-scale IQ scores.
  

The takeaway? The younger the brain, the more impact sugar can have. That’s why it’s so important to build habits of whole, nourishing food now—not later.

This journey isn’t just about cutting back on sugar—it’s about empowering my kids to grow up feeling good in their bodies, thinking clearly, and making thoughtful choices. I’m teaching them early how to fuel themselves with real, nourishing food and how to recognize the marketing tactics that make unhealthy options seem healthy. Now, when they beg for snacks, they proudly say, “Mommy, it doesn’t have any added sugar—it’s a fruit!” 

The choices we make today are shaping their brain health, behavior, and lifelong relationship with food.