To clear up any misunderstandings right from the start: When we talk about sugar, we mean added sugar beyond the naturally occurring sugar content. This is because starch is a completely natural component of grain, which the intestine then converts into sugar during digestion. What does not occur naturally, however, is the added industrial sugar that can be found in numerous foods (and many baby food products). Why do we deliberately avoid it?

Since newborns and young children depend on others for their daily care, the food choices made by parents are particularly important for the baby, especially once complementary foods are introduced. Before that, breast milk naturally contains all the nutrients your baby needs to grow up big and strong.

According to current scientific findings, a balanced diet is already of great importance for an infant's development in the first year of life (Source). This is because this is the phase that is considered a sensitive and critical developmental phase in terms of the prevention of diseases. Nutrition is also formative here for the later risk of illness. Therefore, the first year of life has a major impact on the entire life.

The innate preference for sweet tastes that children naturally have can be further reinforced by too much sugar. This means that parents can have a lasting impact on their child's eating patterns, thereby laying the foundation for dietary habits and preferences later in life. Let's be honest: who doesn't sometimes have a sweet tooth? Such preferences usually last a lifetime.

While poor habits in moderation do not necessarily have drastic effects, there is often a clear link between obesity in adulthood and high sugar consumption in childhood. Studies show that sugary drinks and free sugars are associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity, poor nutrient intake, reduced food variety, and potentially an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This is why it is so important not to encourage this in our children from the very beginning!

That is why you should also be careful with fruit purées: 100 ml of pure fruit purée usually contains more sugar than 100 ml of cola (Sugar and Babies).

Apart from all the long- and short-term effects on the body, there is also the old-fashioned tooth decay that sours the taste of dental visits for young and old alike. A constant supply of sugar in the mouth is the ideal breeding ground for decay-causing bacteria, even before the first little teeth break through. Regular brushing is therefore probably the best way to prevent tooth decay, along with avoiding constant contact with sugary drinks and foods.

Sure – that would certainly be the best and definitely not the worst habit! However, in everyday life (and especially with a screaming child in the supermarket), it is not always as easy to put into practice as we sometimes wish it were. That is why we have already done the work for you: No sugar is added to our fresh cereal porridges, because we rely on other flavor enhancers than sugar and salt.

Did you know, for example, that our cereals are gently roasted on-site at the farm to guarantee the highest quality? We also do not subject our porridges to dehydration, unlike conventional porridge food. This helps preserve the nutrients from the cereal better, and all that remains is the delicious, intense porridge flavor.

Of course, the whole thing can still be sweetened: The entire range of flavors from fruit and vegetables is at your disposal to "pimp" your porridge! There are no limits to your imagination, whether fresh berries, fruit and vegetable purees, or such unusual ideas as coconut flakes (from the 9th month). This way, you slowly introduce your child to various, mild flavor nuances without them consuming industrial sugar.

We have collected some of our favorite baby porridge recipes for you.