Cutting down sugar from food is a constant concern for parents. Most types of food present in the market – be it sweets, candy bar, or even bread, sauces or crackers – all of them contain sugar in varying quantities. Parents need to be aware and be conscious of this as it will help them make sure that their children do not have too much sugar in their diet.

Sugar is found in almost all the different types of food available today, and in many of them the sugar is ‘invisible’. We know that sugar is bad but trying to make sure that a child does not consume too much of sugar is pretty much impossible. Sugar as such is not bad as it is needed for a wide range of bodily functions. It is when the quantity exceeds what is needed by the body that it starts to emerge as a problem.

Excess sugar in a child’s diet causes a lot of harm to the health of the child. Obesity, hyperactivity, tooth decay and in some cases even diabetes. Sugar is also known to cause an imbalance in the immune system thus making children fall ill more quickly than others.

Ways to cut down sugar

Drinks

Fizzy drinks and juices have a high quantity of sugar and unwanted calories. These will definitely not add to any quality or health content of food to what a child consumes. Fruit juices also contain sugar but they also contain vitamins which help in growth and development. The key would be to cut down on sugary drinks and encourage children to drink water and milk and homemade fruit juices with no added sugar. These are tough to follow when you start, but with some patience and boundaries you can incorporate this practice slowly into their daily routine. Cutting down on sugary drinks will definitely go a long way in developing a kid’s health.

Reducing processed food

Processed foods come in different shapes and forms and are convenient. But they also come with tons of extra sugar. It is important that parents read the food labels and understand what they stand for. Cooking from scratch may be time consuming, but the health benefits cannot be ignored. Help your child reduce consumption of processed food by giving them new food habits.

Increasing fruits and vegetable intake

Some children shun fruits and vegetables, some are picky eaters who do not want to eat anything. It can be very difficult when parents try to change food habits. Being persistent in healthy food habits will help. One can be creative and try and include fruits and vegetables in meals. Cutting them into cute shapes may get kids interested and want to try them out. Fruits and vegetables contain water and fibre which helps the kids to feel full after a meal.

Changing snacking

There is a lot of sugar in cookies and other usual snack items. Changing the concept of snacks – introduce nuts, fruits, veggies, and homemade dips. If one is to plan ahead and become conscious of bringing about change in the food habits, kids will start to enjoy them in no time.

Treats

You don’t need to completely cut out sugar from your children’s diet. Give them occasional treats as well. Ice cream and milk shakes are treats which children enjoy – these can be made at home in a healthy way. You can reduce or cut down the amount of sugar in milk shakes – add fruits and convert them into a healthy and tasty treat.

Talking about healthy food

Introducing a new way of life – changing habits and brining in new ones always take time. Kids might find it difficult to follow. Before one even plans to initiate them, it is good if parents take some time to talk to children about the effects of food, how it affects their body and their development, what are the harmful effects of sugary and junk food etc. When children realise how harmful excess sugar can be, most of them will be open to trying and incorporating healthy changes in their food habits. Initiating them properly into a healthier way of eating is a required step.

Trial and Error

There is no one size fits all approach that will work for all children. You can follow the general tips and suggestions and modify them to suit your own family environment. Simple things can be planned to help children modify their food habits. Things need not be changed all in one go, make the transition gentle. Start with one or two meal plans that will have reduced sugar and then continue the routine till they have accepted this practice. Then go to the next meal. If one type of meal plan does not work for your family, change the method and adapt those that suit your family needs.

As parents, being creative can go a long way in helping children adopt a healthy lifestyle. Give time for children to get used to this new food plan and inform them about the benefits of the new dietary habits. Help children make informed decisions and they will definitely make healthy food choices.