Sugar has not been shown to cause hyperactivity, diabetes, obesity, or chronic diseases later in life. Sugar is linked to tooth decay, but good dental hygiene, proper bottle-feeding practices, and adequate fluoride intake will reduce the likelihood. Bottles of milk or juice, or a pacifier dipped in honey, should not be used to put a baby to sleep, because prolonged contact with their natural sugars can cause tooth decay. Artificially sweetened foods should be avoided because they lack the calories that growing babies need. Babies need sodium in moderation.
Salt also increases the palatability of some foods.
Although the amount of sodium in the diet of a small percentage of adults is related to high blood pressure, the sodium content of an infant's diet has not been shown to cause high blood pressure in later life. Even though healthy infants can tolerate a range of sodium intakes without apparent ill effects, moderation in sodium intake is urged. Choose foods with iron, zinc, and calcium. Infants are born with enough stored iron for four to six months. After that, iron is more likely than any other nutrient to be lacking in the infant's diet.