Mother bans children from eating birthday cake because 'sugar has same effect on brain as cocaine'

Tonia Buxton explained why her children are never allowed to eat ‘sweet treats’

A mother who revealed that she’s banned her children from eating any foods that contain harmful sugar - including birthday cake - has incensed parents online.

Tonia Buxton, a food author, cook and mother of four, appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss the anti-sugar policies that she maintains in her household.

Comparing sugar addiction to cocaine, she explained that she won’t let her children have sweet treats as they would be left wanting another “hit”.

“Once you have one, sugar has the same effect on the brain as cocaine. So, it’s a hit,” she said.

“So once you have one, they go crazy, they’re running around and then they’re coming down and then they want more, and another hit and another hit, so you’re better off not having any and having something that’s better for you.”

Amanda Jenner, a parenting expert who appeared on the talk show alongside Ms Buxton, disagreed with this point of view.

She stated that she thinks it’s ok to treat your children, as long as parents do so in moderation.

Ms Buxton’s opinion on the matter has sparked a debate online among parents, many of whom disapprove of an outright ban on all sugary products.

“Omg really??? This is getting stupid!!!” one person tweeted.

“That’s the excitement of going to [a] party as a kid the cakes and sweets, didn’t have them everyday at home.”

Another person wrote: “Oh for goodness sake everything in moderation and get them moving.”

However, other people took Ms Buxton’s side, stating parents should reduce the amount of sugar their children consume amid the current childhood obesity crisis.

In March, Public Health England stated that both children and adults in Britain regularly eat too many calories a day, with health officials saying that obesity had become “the norm”.

The organisation informed restaurants, retailers and manufacturers that they need to cut a fifth of the calories from popular food products by 2024.