Question
Dear doctor, brown sugar and white sugar both have high sugar content. If we don’t give the baby sugar water, is it appropriate to use regular sugar instead?
Answer
Brown sugar refers to unrefined cane sugar, which retains the vast majority of the components in the sugarcane juice, including vitamins and trace elements such as iron, zinc, manganese, and chromium. Its nutritional content is much higher than that of white sugar. Drinking a moderate amount of brown sugar water can be beneficial for children’s health, such as regulating the spleen and stomach, and supplementing trace elements. However, excessive intake may lead to weight gain in children and dental damage, such as tooth decay. Therefore, it is recommended to control the intake of sugar water and avoid overindulgence.