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experiencelifemag.com
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The Sugar Question
Most parents would love to help their kids reduce their sugar consumption. Unfortunately,
food labels aren’t always as helpful for tracking this ingredient as they
are for others.
“One of the problems with the food label is that ‘sugars’
refers to both natural sugars and added sugars,” says Christine Wood,
MD, author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It! (KidsEatGreat,
Inc., 2006). “I sometimes find it more valuable to look at the ingredients
list than to see how many grams of sugar there are.”
When investigating the ingredients list, kids should not only look at how high
sugar is listed (the higher up something appears, the more of a primary component
it is), but also what kind of sugars the product contains. For example, explains
Wood, “if you see something like high-fructose corn syrup listed at the
top of the list, then you know the product has a lot of added sugar. However,
if you are looking at plain yogurt and it has its own sugars, but not any added
sugar, then that’s a good sign.” As much as possible, many experts
say, induce your kids to pick products that have naturally occurring sugars
over added ones.
Other names to watch for on the ingredients list are sucrose, fructose, corn
syrup, maltose, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, and even honey and maple
syrup: “These are sugars, too, but some are just not as processed,”
Wood says.
Drinking sugar is one of the easiest ways to overdo it. Parents can teach their
kids to beware liquid sugar from soda, juice and energy drinks, which, when
consumed in excess, can contribute not only to tooth decay, but to obesity,
mood swings, type 2 diabetes and poor bone density. Another source of sugar
to limit is processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, most breakfast cereals,
French fries and many snacks. These food sources are quickly converted to sugar
in the body, are full of empty calories and don’t satisfy hunger.
When deciding how much sugar per serving is OK, Kimberly Lord Stewart, author
of Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper’s Guide
to the Truth Behind Food Labels (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2007),
goes by the “5-gram rule.” Parents and kids should choose products
that contain between 5 and 10 grams of sugar per 1-ounce serving, plus at least
5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. “Ideally, 5 grams of sugar is
best, but sometimes that’s a little hard to find,” she says.
Looking for better ways to add sweetness appeal? Try sprinkling some fresh or
dried fruit, or adding a little pure maple syrup to unsweetened cereal. Instead
of buying commercial puddings, many of which are a mixture of sugar, oil and
milk, try treating yourself and your kids to high-quality, full-fat yogurts,
which taste creamier and sweeter. And, instead of always relying on sugar to
sweeten up baked goods or other dishes, some experts suggest substituting sweet-but-not-sugary
spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and pure vanilla extract.
Most kids will crave sugar from time to time, and it’s helpful to realize
that all sugary snacks are not created equal. For example, ice cream contains
sugar, but in contrast to the pure sugar hit of a soda, it also contains fat
and protein, both of which help to slow the absorption of carbohydrates and
keep blood sugar levels in check.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should treat your kids to ice cream every
day. When it comes to sugar, a good rule of thumb, says Mary Lou Gavin, MD,
medical editor at KidsHealth.org,
is simply this: “Less is best.” — Anjula Razdan
For more on the sugar conundrum, check out these articles in the Experience
Life archives:
“What
Sugar Problem?” (July/August 2003)
“What’s
the Buzz?” (March 2005)
“Sugar
Breakdown” (July/August 2006)
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The Sugar Question
Most parents would love to help their kids reduce their sugar consumption. Unfortunately,
food labels aren’t always as helpful for tracking this ingredient as they
are for others.
“One of the problems with the food label is that ‘sugars’
refers to both natural sugars and added sugars,” says Christine Wood,
MD, author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It! (KidsEatGreat,
Inc., 2006). “I sometimes find it more valuable to look at the ingredients
list than to see how many grams of sugar there are.”
When investigating the ingredients list, kids should not only look at how high
sugar is listed (the higher up something appears, the more of a primary component
it is), but also what kind of sugars the product contains. For example, explains
Wood, “if you see something like high-fructose corn syrup listed at the
top of the list, then you know the product has a lot of added sugar. However,
if you are looking at plain yogurt and it has its own sugars, but not any added
sugar, then that’s a good sign.” As much as possible, many experts
say, induce your kids to pick products that have naturally occurring sugars
over added ones.
Other names to watch for on the ingredients list are sucrose, fructose, corn
syrup, maltose, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, and even honey and maple
syrup: “These are sugars, too, but some are just not as processed,”
Wood says.
Drinking sugar is one of the easiest ways to overdo it. Parents can teach their
kids to beware liquid sugar from soda, juice and energy drinks, which, when
consumed in excess, can contribute not only to tooth decay, but to obesity,
mood swings, type 2 diabetes and poor bone density. Another source of sugar
to limit is processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, most breakfast cereals,
French fries and many snacks. These food sources are quickly converted to sugar
in the body, are full of empty calories and don’t satisfy hunger.
When deciding how much sugar per serving is OK, Kimberly Lord Stewart, author
of Eating Between the Lines: The Supermarket Shopper’s Guide
to the Truth Behind Food Labels (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2007),
goes by the “5-gram rule.” Parents and kids should choose products
that contain between 5 and 10 grams of sugar per 1-ounce serving, plus at least
5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. “Ideally, 5 grams of sugar is
best, but sometimes that’s a little hard to find,” she says.
Looking for better ways to add sweetness appeal? Try sprinkling some fresh or
dried fruit, or adding a little pure maple syrup to unsweetened cereal. Instead
of buying commercial puddings, many of which are a mixture of sugar, oil and
milk, try treating yourself and your kids to high-quality, full-fat yogurts,
which taste creamier and sweeter. And, instead of always relying on sugar to
sweeten up baked goods or other dishes, some experts suggest substituting sweet-but-not-sugary
spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and pure vanilla extract.
Most kids will crave sugar from time to time, and it’s helpful to realize
that all sugary snacks are not created equal. For example, ice cream contains
sugar, but in contrast to the pure sugar hit of a soda, it also contains fat
and protein, both of which help to slow the absorption of carbohydrates and
keep blood sugar levels in check.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should treat your kids to ice cream every
day. When it comes to sugar, a good rule of thumb, says Mary Lou Gavin, MD,
medical editor at KidsHealth.org,
is simply this: “Less is best.” — Anjula Razdan
For more on the sugar conundrum, check out these articles in the Experience
Life archives:
“What
Sugar Problem?” (July/August 2003)
“What’s
the Buzz?” (March 2005)
“Sugar
Breakdown” (July/August 2006)
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