Reading Labels Sugar and Kids

Written by Tonya Reynolds on Feb 21, 2012 6:17 pm

So, you’ve probably started looking at your labels now. When I look at the labels of my children’s food, I notice a considerably higher sugar content. Now, this does have to do with the fact that the foods and drinks my children consumer has a mixture of natural sugars and added sugars. I now go to the ingredient list to see what all is included there. You want to obtain your sugars naturally. There is a big difference in the nutritional value of natural sugars, as compared to added sugars. Added sugars have “empty calories” There isn’t any vitamins or minerals that we gain by added sugars.

Empty Calories=Extra Weight

The easiest way to add natural sugars to your diet and cutting out added sugars is fruit.

-Instead of syrup or honey on your waffles and pancakes, try fresh fruit and a dollop of vanilla yogurt.

-Add fresh fruit to your cereal. Whether you like hot or cold cereal.

-Keep healthy snacks available instead of eating sweets.

-Take the skin off a banana and freeze it. They are a great snack to have instead of ice cream.

-Cut out fruit drinks, sodas, lemonade, tea, etc. Enjoy the drink for its natural flavors, not for the sugar that is added.

Did you know…..

Our kids get 29 tsp of refined sugar per day!

Sugar provides short-term energy and pleasure.

Sugar has our body storing excess carbohydrates as fat because of constantly high insulin levels.

1/3 of our nation’s children and teens are overweight or obese. High sugar diets are often the cause.

Sodas and even fruit juices contain around 10 tsps of sugar and 150 cal.

Children’s cereals contain 52% more sugar than adult cereal with less protein and fiber.

After kids have sugar, the children experience a rapid rise in their adrenaline which causes their hyperactivity. Yale University of Medicine found twice the amount of adrenaline is released in children’s bloodstream compared to adults.

Besides all this, tooth decay is also a big problem with all the sugar drinks and foods our children are eating today.

Think naturally! Implement more natural fruits and vegetables in your diet.