Only eating fruit -- too much sugar?

[Mashi]

My DS is going through what seems to be the 9 month refusal stage!  I am not overly concerned about that part, as I can see from reading posts from others that it seems to be very common. 

What I am concerned about is how much sugar he's getting as he will ONLY eat fruit.  Literally, a fruit diet!  Little Pest reaches INTO his mouth with his fingers and pulls everything else out. As in, leaving the fruit IN his mouth and pulling out the other bits!!!

I know he will grow out of it, and I'm not too concerned with the fact that he's not eating so much as I am worried that he's just packing himself full of sugar all day long. 

How much fruit is TOO much?  Should I be more insistent on veggies?  I tried yesterday and today to not offer him any fruit at all and he ate NOTHING, so by dinner time I cracked and gave him some peaches, which he slurped back as the poor little guy was starving from two days of not eating! 

I do, and always have, mixed fruit and veggies together (ie/ cauliflower and zucchini mixed with apple, to get him to eat it, but now he's even refusing things like that!!!)

[*Liz*]

Interested to see the replies here - my DS is currently living on pear  .

[~Kiki]

How about a sweet veggie? Like sweet potato? That was the only vegetable I could get my lo to eat before she really got into solids. Are your lo's on any vitamins? Also if they are still on formula or breastmilk that's really where they're supposed to get most of their nutrition until year 1. Don't stress too much about it Be happy your lo's enjoy fruits!!!

[Lissybits]

Mmmmm - what about mixing the fruit with rice and milk or natural yogurt (greek yog is yummy!)?
You could also try carrot mixed in with the fruit as that's a fairly sweet veg!

Keep offering the other foods though - he'll come round in the end

Hugs
 

[clairemk88]

Have you considered trying Baby Led Weaning?? You might find that different textures help??

Just a thought.

[Mashi]

Does anyone know if a fruit diet has too much sugar? That is really my only question!
Thanks!

[~emmalou~]

Hey hon, tbh I would have thought the benefits of fruit would far outweigh the negative sugar aspect. It will only be a short period in your los life and will change soon I'm sure. I would just exercise good dental hygiene and I'm sure all will be absolutely fine x x x x x

[Mashi]

Thanks Emma, that's what I am thinking - that the nutrients and vitamins in the fruit may outweigh the oodles and oodles of sugar, but he seems to be packing on so much weight the past couple of weeks I've got it in my head that it's just empty calories from sugar!  Always something to worry about!  I know it will be short lived, he ate such an amazing diet until the past week or so, but moms just can't stop stressing abut SOMETHING can we?

[clairemk88]

I honestly don't know whether a solely fruit diet has too much sugar or is fine, soz My gut feel would be that it's okay. However, I totally agree with emmalou as long as you're practising good dental hygiene then all will be fine. Perhaps try to steer clear of too many grapes as they've got a high sugar content.

If you decide to try not offering him any fruit again then bear in mind one piece of advice I was given, that a baby will never knowingly starve themselves. So you might find he will eventually eat something other than fruit if he really is hungry??

Hey, every cloud has a silver lining... at least he won't get constipated

Hugs x

[~emmalou~]

Tbh I don't think the sugars in fruit are like the sugars in say choccie ie not full of calories. That's why people of diets who snack on fruit lose weight rather than those who snack on choccie. Does that make sense?x.

[~Kiki]

I agree with Lis, make sure you continue to offer other foods too. Like every stage, they move on, but you want to make sure you keep trying. Don't worry about packing on a little extra love at this age. My lo was very plump around age 1, but is a tall string bean now. She's still goes through food stages, but they don't last forever. They're more eating a ton, then not eating for days. They always try to throw you curve balls

[Luara]

Mashi,

Now I understand what you said about fruit juice having loads of sugar (in my thread about the sippy cup)... I had never thought of that!

As far as I know there's no comparison between the sugar from fruits and regular sugar in terms of being harmful. Fruit sugar would only be harmful if we'd have like, really a lot, but I don't think that's your DS's case.

I think you should not worry about it at all!

xx