A lollipop is a sweet that consists of a hard disc or ball of a sugary substance on the end of a stick.
Sherry Coleman-Collins, a registered dietitian, states that the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests children ages 2-8 consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar daily which excludes naturally-occurring sugars found in fruit and milk.
Coleman-Collins says that children under two must avoid added sugar altogether as it is easy to get six teaspoons of added sugar even without consuming candy as it is already added to crackers, bread, and pasta sauces.
Candy causes tooth decay and most likely eating more sugar has led to increasing rates of childhood obesity and diabetes. Eating too much sugary food for kids can change their perception of how food tastes.
Elaine Taylor-Klaus, a parenting coach, says that chemicals are not good for the body but it is okay to have them sometime but don't make it part of one's habit and aim to make healthy choices, per Kars4Kids Parenting.
Eating lollipops is harmful to the health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average percent of total daily calories in 2005-2008 from added sugars was 16% (average intake of 362 calories) for boys and 16% (average intake of 282 calories) for girls aged 2 to 19 years.
Cleveland Clinic states that when sweet foods are used as rewards, young ones may assume that such foods are more valuable than other foods.
The body is always in need of sugars to produce the energy required for motion and activity. However, people, most especially children, should rationalize the consumption of sweets to prevent harmful effects.
One of the published studies in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology by Jarmila Hojerova et al., is urging candy makers to remove two blue (Brilliant Blue (E133) and Patent Blue (E131) )food colors from hard candies and lollipops as they pose a serious health risk to children, per Confectionery News.
Lollipops are left in the mouth for a long time so the colors stand more possibility of entering the bloodstream. Such colors have been found to disrupt cell metabolism upon entering the bloodstream.
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Can choke to death
Children usually run around with a lollipop in their mouth which can be very dangerous as they can be choked by it and their throats will feel severely bad.
Straws are also a known perpetrator, as are sticks and pencils too.
The injury to the soft palate or the back of the throat is fairly called Oro-pharyngeal injuries with kids.
Reports in the US of injury to the carotid artery which results in stroke in children following injuries to the side of the palate and back of the throat.
According to Hello Motherhood, one of the major dangers associated with lollipops is the choking risk they pose as toddlers suck on the lollipop too hard that it can be lodged in their airway and lead to choking.
Related Article : How to Keep Your Children From Eating Too Many Sweets
