How to Eat Flan Without Gaining Weight

Parents whose children love flan should note that flan typically contains twice as many calories as milk — and most of those calories come from sugar. A medium-sized flan cup contains about 100–120 g of sugar, equivalent to roughly three teaspoons.

Children should only eat 2–3 small flans per week.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that added sugar make up less than 10% of total daily calorie intake. For an average adult consuming about 2,000 calories per day, this means no more than 30 g of sugar daily. For children, the recommended limit is even lower — around 19–24 g per day.

That means a single flan can contain up to four times the amount of sugar a child should have in one day. So yes — eating too much flan can lead to weight gain and obesity.

However, weight gain doesn’t happen immediately after eating a few servings. The risk comes when a child eats flan frequently over a long period, especially if they lack physical activity or have an unbalanced diet.

Flan cannot replace milk or other nutritious foods, since children need a wide range of nutrients for proper growth. Parents should let their kids enjoy flan in moderation — ideally no more than three small or medium cups per week — and pair it with healthier foods such as yogurt or fruit.

Additionally, flan can create a false sense of fullness, so it’s best to serve it 1.5–2 hours before or after main meals. Eating it right before mealtime can make children lose their appetite and skip essential foods.