How Much Sugar Should a Toddler Eat Per Day?

Consider Caloric Needs

• Since toddlers are still growing and developing, it is important that they meet a healthy caloric intake. According to KidsHealth, toddlers need between 1,000 and 1,400 calories a day, depending on their activity level, size and age. Some days, a child may feel like eating more, while other days he may not be hungry at all. Instead of worrying about whether your toddler finishes each meal, look at his caloric consumption over the course of a week to ensure that he's getting enough to eat overall. If you have concerns that he's not getting enough to eat, it may be time to make an appointment to discuss your concerns with the toddler's pediatrician.

Teach Toddlers Proper Nutrition

• Though they are not growing as rapidly as they were in their baby stages, toddlers still have nutritional needs that must be met in a healthy way as they become accustomed to a new array of food choices, each with different tastes and textures. Rather than focusing on whether your toddler is getting a specific amount of sugar in his daily diet, offering him a wide variety of healthy whole food options ensures that he gets the caloric intake he needs through nutritious foods versus empty calories like fats, sugars and processed foods.

Consider the Source of the Sugar

• According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, heavily processed foods are loaded with sugars. Many foods such as bread, jarred pasta sauces and cereals have added sugars to make them more appealing. Be wary of products labeled organic and natural. They too can be loaded with added sugars. These excess sugars can be harmful to your toddler's health. Excess sugar can depress the body's immune system, reduce white blood cells' ability to kill germs by 40 percent, and even deteriorate behavior, attention span and learning ability.

Reducing Your Toddler's Sugar Intake

• According to the USDA's ChooseMyPlate website, sugars are considered to be empty calories, which add no nutritional value to a child's diet. Empty calories from sugar can be found in soda, fruit punch, candies, cakes, cookies, pies and ice cream. While the site notes that the occasional empty calorie splurge is OK, most of these foods should be omitted from your child's diet and replaced with healthier options like water, cereals with no added sugars and plain yogurt with fresh fruit. The USDA's MyPlate food guide icon depicts a healthy meal for your child, which consists of fruits and vegetables, protein and grains such as brown rice, served with low-fat and fat-free milk or water.