The Impact of Sugar in a Child’s Brain

We all know that sugary snacks can give a quick burst of joy. For children, that excitement may last only 20 minutes – but what happens inside their brains during and after that sugar spike? At Vegemi, we believe that helping children understand how food fuels their brain isn’t just about healthy eating, it’s about better learning, calmer moods and stronger lifelong habits.

What’s happening in the brain?

Within just about 20 minutes of consuming a sugary snack, a child’s blood glucose rises rapidly. The brain, an energy-intensive organ using roughly half of the body’s sugar energy according to Harvard Medical School, enters a state of high alert.
Soon after, though, a “crash” can follow: glucose levels drop, neurotransmitter communication becomes less efficient, and attention, mood and memory can all be impacted.

New research from University of Adelaide shows that in children, the impact of high sugar (especially when paired with high-fat foods) includes inflammation in the hippocampus – the region key for memory and learning.

The difference a balanced snack makes

On the flip side: when a child snacks on something balanced, e.g. think fruit paired with protein or fibre – they maintain a more steady blood-sugar curve. That supports stable brain energy, better concentration, calmer behaviour and more efficient learning.

When children’s brains are fuelled steadily, they’re more likely to:

• Stay focused during lessons or playtime
• Manage mood swings and outbursts more easily
• Retain new information and solve problems more fluidly

Why this matters for learning & growth

These everyday choices add up. The young brain is highly plastic and, as the Adelaide research points out, vulnerable—“hard-wired” preferences and patterns may form during these critical periods of development.
If a child frequently experiences sugar spikes and crashes, that can translate into more variable attention, mood shifts, difficulty sustaining effort and possibly a preference for high-sugar rewards over nutrient-rich foods.
By contrast, choosing nourishing snacks supports not just immediate focus but longer-term brain health and performance.

How Vegemi brings this to life

At Vegemi, we translate these scientific findings into fun, engaging tools for kids, parents and teachers. When children learn how food fuels their brains, they don’t just eat better—they learn better.

Quick Tips for Parents & Educators

• Offer a “sweet treat” after a balanced snack, rather than as the first choice.
• Pair fruit with protein or fibre (e.g., apple + nut butter) to slow the sugar rush.
• Encourage water as the go-to drink; reserve sugary or juice-based drinks for occasional use.
• Make talk about food and brain power a regular conversation: “This snack will help your brain stay steady so you can concentrate on your game/lesson.”
• Use fun visuals: show kids how the brain “lights up” with focus when it’s fuelled steadily, vs. how it “dims” when it’s on the sugar-rollercoaster.

When children learn how food fuels their brains, they don’t just eat better—they learn better.
Let’s help our young learners develop snack habits that support steady minds, calm behaviour and thriving growth.

References

https://www.adelaide.edu.au/research/news/list/2024/09/09/unpacking-sugars-effects-on-kids-brains

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005691?