Sugar and Children Under 2: What You Actually Need to Know
- annaritan
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
Sugar and your child under 2, what you need to know from a paediatric dietitian, without the overwhelm.
If you’ve ever found yourself checking a food label, looking for products that say, 'no added sugar', feeling confused about sugar, or wondering about sugar for your baby or young toddler, you are not alone.
With more baby snacks, pouches and toddler foods lining supermarket shelves than ever before, with confusing marketing and deceiving nutrition claims, it can feel hard to know what to choose, what to limit, and what really matters.
As a paediatric dietitian, this is something I talk about with families every day. So, let’s take a step back and look at what the guidelines say and how to apply them in a way that feels realistic, not overwhelming.
What do we mean by “sugar”?
Sugar is a very broad term and includes different variations with different meanings. It is important to understand the differences. "Free sugar" or "added sugar" is defined by WHO as all sugars which have been added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus sugar naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates and fruit juice. Importantly, "free or added sugar" describes the sugar that may have a health impact on the body.
“Free sugars” or “Added sugars" include:
Sugar added during cooking or manufacturing
Honey, syrups and fruit juice concentrates
Fruit juice concentrates and fruit juices
This is different from intrinsic sugar, which is found naturally in some foods and breastmilk, which is either incorporated within intact plant cell walls such as in fruits and vegetables or lactose naturally occurring in milk and milk products or in breastmilk. The lactose naturally present in breastmilk is the main type of carbohydrate infants use for energy.
Sugars naturally occurring in wholefoods, come packaged with important nutrients and play a valuable role in your child's diet, and an important source of energy for growing bodies:
Whole Fruit
Vegetables
Milk and yoghurt
Breastmilk
What do the guidelines say for children under 2?
World Health Organisation and the majority of health organisations world wide recommend limiting free sugars across the lifespan, but for infants and toddlers the advice is more specific:
👉 There is no requirement for added sugars, and intake should be avoided where possible for children under the age of 2 years
Why does avoiding sugar matter in the early years?
The firsts 1000 days, including up until a child is 2 years of age is a unique and very important time for growth and development, where nutrition has big impacts on health and wellbeing.
Taste preferences are being shaped
Babies are learning what food should taste like. Frequent exposure to very sweet foods can make it harder for them to accept more neutral or bitter flavours like in family meals or vegetables. Added or Free Sugar intake in early years has been linked to increased preference for sweetened drinks and foods in older children and teenagers.
Small tummies, big nutrient needs
Babies and Toddlers don’t eat large volumes of food. When sugary foods fill them up, it can crowd out nutrients like iron, healthy fats and protein that support growth. Unlike other nutrients, added sugar is not essential for growth or development, but can provide calories which fill tiny tummies.
Dental health starts early
Even baby teeth are vulnerable to decay when exposed to sugars regularly.
What this looks like in real life
A helpful way to think about it:
👉 There is no need to add sugar to your young child’s diet, and it’s best to avoid foods where sugar has been added.
This might look like:
Choosing plain full fat Greek yoghurt instead of flavoured
Avoiding juice, cordial and sweet drinks
Being mindful of packaged snack foods marketed for babies and toddlers
How to spot added sugar on food labels (without overthinking it)
Food labels can feel a little like a puzzle, especially when sugar shows up under so many different names.
The good news is, you don’t need to analyse every number or memorise every term. A few simple checks can go a long way.
1. Start with the ingredient list
The ingredient list is one of the most helpful places to look.
Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, from most to least. So, if a form of sugar appears near the start, it means there is a larger amount in that product.
Look out for words like:
Sugar
Cane sugar
Brown sugar
Honey
Maple syrup
Rice malt syrup
Fruit juice concentrate
Fruit Juice
👉 A helpful rule of thumb: If sugar (in any form) is listed it’s likely a food best kept as an occasional choice or avoided in children under 2 years.
Don’t be misled by “natural” sugars
Products often use wording like:
“No added sugar”
“Made with real fruit”
“All natural”
But these can still contain concentrated sources of sugar, like fruit juice concentrate, or fruit juice.
👉 For children under 2, it’s helpful to look beyond the front of the pack and check the ingredient list.
Check the nutrition panel (but keep it simple)
On the nutrition information panel, you’ll see “total sugars." there is no requirement in Australia to list added sugars separately on the nutrition information panel
This includes both:
Naturally occurring sugars (like lactose in milk or sugars in fruit)
Added sugars
There is no food label law or requirement in Australia for food producers to list added sugars separately on the nutrition information panel. Because of this, the number alone doesn’t always tell the full story.
👉 This is why the ingredient list is often more useful when you’re trying to limit added sugar.
Compare similar products
If you’re choosing between two options (for example, kids yoghurt) for your child under 2 years, a quick comparison can help.
Look for:
Products with no added sugars in the ingredient list (remember to look for fruit juice or fruit juice concentrate which are another name for added sugar)
Shorter ingredient lists with recognisable foods
Often, the simpler option is the better one.
Myth Busting: “Is fruit too high in sugar?”
This is one of the most common concerns I hear and such an important one to clear up.
The short answer: No, whole fruit is not something you need to limit because of sugar.
Fruit contains naturally occurring sugars that are intact within plant cells walls and packed with other important nutrients that have health benefits like:
Fibre
Vitamins (like vitamin C)
Antioxidants
Water
Why added sugar is different
When sugar is added to foods:
It’s often in higher amounts
It’s easy to overconsume
It doesn’t come with the same nutritional benefits
What this means for your child
👉 Offering fruit daily is appropriate and encouraged👉 Fruit can be part of meals and snacks👉 You don’t need to limit fruit out of concern for sugar
A toddler who enjoys fruit is not “having too much sugar”, they are eating in a way that supports their nutrition.
A gentle note on fruit juice for children under 2
Fruit juice is different to whole fruit.
Even though it may seem like a healthy option, juice:
Contains concentrated sugars
Lacks fibre
Is easy to drink in large amounts
This is why guidelines recommend avoiding juice in young children, even if it’s labelled as “natural.”
A reassuring note for parents
If your child has had a bite of cake at a party, or you’ve relied on a convenient snack when you needed it, you haven’t done anything wrong.
These recommendations are not about being perfect. They are about what happens most of the time.
What matters most is:
✔ Building a pattern of mostly whole, nourishing foods
✔ Offering variety
✔ Supporting a positive relationship with food
Simple ways to keep sugar low (without overthinking it)
Offer whole foods first at meals and snacks
Choose plain versions of yoghurt and cereals where possible
Avoid juice, cordials or other sweetened drinks for children under 2 years of age
Check ingredient lists for added sugars (like syrups or concentrates)
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