It’s never easy, especially around this time of year. When there’s so much in the way of delicious sweet treats, and you’re looking for ways to protect your health, as well as ensure that your children have a healthy diet and lifestyle, cutting out sugar needs to be priority number one. But how is it possible to minimise sugar in your life? Is it to do with the lifestyle choices, is it to do with the food you eat, or is it to do with mindset?
Reinforce The Message Early
It’s a difficult battle, especially when your children are forever looking for a sugary treat as a reward. Perhaps their grandparents are also keen to give your child plenty of sugary treats. But as any top dentist would tell you, sugar isn’t just incredibly unhealthy, it’s the perfect way to rot your teeth. When your children are growing, they need healthy bones and we are are not helping by giving them sugar as a reward for every little thing. It’s important to reinforce the message that sugar is bad, which is difficult when children are so young, but we can find other alternatives. Something like fruit, or a slightly sweet treat can tip the balance. But the real solution is to be strict. In one respect, this can mean children will go find sources of sugar somewhere else, but when you have control over the situation at home, at the very least, you’ll know they are being healthy on your watch. And if you need dental care, be sure to get your teeth troubles sorted in Shrewsbury for the best services.
Start Reading Labels
It’s all about looking for the hidden sugars. When we buy something like apple juice, which we think is healthy, when it’s made from concentrate, this packs quite a sugary punch. The same goes for drinks like squash or even flavoured water. We have to start reading labels to see how much sugar is in these things. When you look for something like orange juice, which you think is healthy, it’s important to remember that due to the processing, the fibre gets removed, meaning that the glass of orange juice is pure sugar. It’s far better for your child to have an actual orange with the fibre intact.
Focus On Feeling Full
If you and your children feel full after eating a healthy meal, there is less temptation to top up your tummy with a sugary treat. Foods that contain protein and good fats can make you feel more satisfied, which will reduce your hunger. If you increase protein in your diet by approximately 25%, you could reduce your food cravings by roughly 60%. And if you worry about the battle against the fat, it’s important to remember that with healthy fats, this doesn’t cause weight gain. Carbohydrates are what will result in you gaining weight.
And let’s not forget, as parents, we need to set the standard. When we begin to become the blueprints of health our children will get the message sooner or later. When we try to minimise sugar in our lives, we will feel the benefits, more energy, fewer cravings, and a better quality of life.
