Excess sugar can lead to a rise in cortisol levels in the body making it difficult for children to pay attention during mentally challenging tasks orretain information when taught something. 

Sugar can suppress the child’s immune system which can make him/her more susceptible to cold, flu, etc. This can increase absenteeism and affect academic performance. 

There can be arush of adrenalin in children with sugar leading to hyperactivity, crankiness, and thus difficulty in concentrating. 

Research indicates that when children consume more of sugary beverages in childhood, they have poor memory function in their adult hood in comparison to children who have not had too much sugar.  

Add fruits to the diet as fresh juices, fruit salad, milkshakes, etc. Dried fruits can be added to smoothies, trail mix, or eaten as whole. This reduces cravings for sugar. 

Replace refined sugar with organic jaggery or powdered dates in recipes.  

Foods like ketchups also contain high invisible sugar, replace themwith salsa or freshly prepared chutneys. 

Foods like mayonnaise, canned fruits, packaged fruit juices, processed foods, ready to make foods, etc. contain high levels of sugar. They are to be restricted or avoided. 

Avoid stocking the pantry with chocolates, chocolate spreads, soft drinks, etc. If they are out of a child’s sight, they are less likely to ask for them. 

Always read food labels. Sweet foods obviously do contain sugar, but savoury foods also contain high amounts of sugar. Terms like maltodextrin, sucrose, high fructose corn syrups, barley malt, etc on the ingredient list also indicate sugar indirectly.