Do Kids Eat Too Much Sugar??

As parents, we try to encourage healthy eating and with the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, serving sweets comes with a feeling of guilt. Should sweets be limited or eliminated from our child’s diet? For the purpose of this , sweets are foods like typical cookies, chocolate bars, sweet pastries and candy. There are many differing schools of thought when it comes to feeding sweets to children. Sweets are not entirely responsible for the obesity epidemic we are facing. Fatty foods contribute much more to obesity than sugary foods because fatty foods have twice the calories of sugary foods per given amount. Sweets are however a contributing factor to dental problems in children. The following are some helpful tips when it comes to serving sweets to young children.
Outlawing sweets completely does not teach children the right lessons for later in life.
Depriving children of sweets often leads to curiosity and a fascination with that food. This will only create cravings for what they are not allowed to have and make them want it even more. The more a parent makes an issue of it, the more it becomes an unnecessary battle. Find a middle ground when it comes to sweets.
Make sweets a treat, not a reward
A treat is something that is given once in a while for a special occasion like a birthday party or celebration. You don't want to give sweets the "power" of being a reward. This power can heighten the importance of such foods.
Help them grow up with a healthy relationship with food
Talk to your children about eating sweets in moderation and explain to them why it is important to limit sweet consumption. Children who learn the importance of eating a balanced diet will be better-equipped to manage their own diet as adults.
Be a discriminating grocery shopper
Always check the label of the sweets you bring into the house. The more sweets that are available at home, the more your child will want and eat them. Avoid products that have sugar or other sweeteners high on the ingredient list. To find out if a food has added sugar, look at the ingredient list for sugar, corn syrup or sweetener, dextrose, fructose, honey, or molasses. When purchasing breakfast cereals and cookies try and ensure sugar or its other forms are not the first ingredient.
Control portioning and frequency of sweets
As parents, we determine how much and how often sweets are served to our children. Set limits to the amount of sweets they are allowed to have to ensure they are not binging. Limit deserts to once or twice a week and serve them in a smaller bowl. Make desert a special occasion instead of a routine and when eating out, share a desert as a family.
Healthy foods can be a “sweet” snack too!
There are many healthy foods that are sweet too! Serve dried fruits such as dates or raisins. Fresh fruits such as strawberries and apples are a wonderful sweet snack. Be a role modelWalk the talk! Children are like sponges and copy everything parents do. They learn eating habits from the adults in their lives. Eat the way you would like them to eat so they can learn what a good diet is.
Form good dental habits
Most importantly, ensure you insist that your child brushes their teeth after eating sweets. A sweet tooth can become a decayed tooth if good dental habits are not formed early on. The thing to remember is that eating any food in moderation is healthy. Eating too much of any food is unhealthy. It is important to limit the amount of sweets your children eat and most importantly, help them build a healthy relationship with all foods.
Last but not least get in the kitchen and cook with them!
When a child expresses their creativitity with their food they will be more likely to eat it. Let them have fun with food and develop a love for cooking. Cooking is a life skill they need once they are out in the big world!

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Yours in good health,
Lori