29/07/2025
๐๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐ I ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ญ
๐๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ข. ๐๐บ๐ญ๐ข ๐๐ช๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ . ๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฐ
๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐บ ๐๐ข. ๐๐ข๐ป๐ช๐ญ ๐. ๐๐ช๐ญ๐ท๐ข
Munching, decaying. One bite of a mint candy and a tenfold for a chocolate chip. It may sound or taste harmlessโ harmless enough to form as a habit. And this habit becomes part of one's daily routine. However, beneath all the sweetness and satisfaction, one factor lies evidently: sugar addiction.
Without a doubt, Filipino culture normalizes sugar as a staple. Not only in meriendas, but also in celebrations, holidays, and daily traditions. From simple birthday treats, such as candy loot bags, to Noche Buena tables stacked with sweetened fruit salads, leche flan, and ube halaya; sugar is laced into the very essence of Filipino festivity. In correlation, a study of Amarra and de los Reyes (2024) examined national consumption statistics for Filipinos between the ages of 7 months and 18. Surprisingly, the median daily intake of sugar is over 25 g, and among urban children in the wealthiest quintile, it peaks at 54.7 g. The overall sugar intake varies from 5.3% to 30.9% of daily energy intake. What does this imply? This issue sparks a sense of urgency. When sugar consumption becomes unrestrainable, it is no longer a treat; it becomes a threat.
Not only that, sugar is not solely consumed through sugary foods but it may be invisible in many of these goods. To illustrate, "vitamin-fortified" snacks, flavored milks, cereals, and powdered juices. Continuous exposure, along with the cultural acceptance and the availability of school canteens, normalizes a situation wherein consuming excessive amounts of sugar is the norm rather than the exception.
What is even more pressing is its impact on children's development. According to a health article by Begin Health, Inc. (2022), younger children exposed to incessant amounts of sugar may result in rewiring a childโs gut-brain connection, weakening a childโs resistance to it. As such, when there is excessive sugar-intake, the body begins to rely on it for emotional regulation and energy spikes. These factors contribute to mood swings, irritability, and dependence. What more if a child grows up, eating and consuming without any limits? Over time, this creates a cycle which is difficult to assess and break, notably on adolescents or even students who consumed sugar-laden snacks or meals at home.
Come to think of it, some of these habits are not deliberateโ these are inherited or conditioned by the environment. A child influenced by such intake will likely carry this pattern until adulthood. Furthermore, if no interventions are done earlier, it is harder to reverse it. This is why, every bite, every step matters consciously. Simply choosing water over sweetened drinks or even adding vegetables or whole grains to meals influence us holistically. And simply staying physically active can aid and reshape long-term unhealthy habits. In schools and homes, we can advocate for healthier approaches like eating fresh fruits, such as bananas or pears as snacks, replacing overtly sweet desserts with fruit salads, or adding leafy greens including malunggay or talbos ng kamote on soups. It is not about cutting sugar off entirely; it is about exercising control.
Surely, sugar can be oneโs best friend, a coping mechanism, or a source of solace. However, comfort should not come at the expense of oneโs health. It is logical and better to rethink our choicesโ to avoid blameful consequences and cultivate mindfulness. In the end, the food that we eat and the lifestyle we live out determines our future day by day.
Hence, if what we eat becomes a source of temptation, how do we anchor ourselves to what is good for us?
