We have all read the articles that too much sugar can lead to obesity and we are aware that it plays havoc on our health, especially on our children.

 

And while many of us try to at least reduce the amount of sugar our little one’s consume, by cutting out sweets and processed foods, do we really know how much they are actually eating?

 

A lot of the sugar that our kids eat is actually hidden, making it hard to limit their consumption, so it is important to be vigilant about they are allowed eat.

 

Look out for the following ingredients

Sugar comes in a variety of different names making it hard to know what is sugar and what isn’t. When you are reading labels, keep an eye out for the following ingredients which are all added sugars: sucrose, glucose, honey, hydrolysed starch, corn syrup and invert sugars.

 

Look out for the order of the ingredients

It is important you also keep an eye on how each ingredient is placed in the list. Those with the highest quantity are usually placed at the top of the list.

 

Know the foods that contain sugar

While most of us are aware that sweets, candy, fizzy drinks and processed foods contain a lot of sugar, bear in mind that it is also in foods that we consider healthy: yoghurts, sauce jars, cereal bars, certain breads and certain cereals. Some low-fat products are also high in sugar.

 

What should you do about it?

When we think about it, our kids are eating an awful lot of sugar on a daily basis, even if we are limiting their sweet consumption. And, while we don’t suggest you completely cut foods with sugar in them out – this will be an impossible task - you can limit what they do eat. One of the easiest ways is to cut down on buying ready-made meals, making your own foods, like pasta sauce or bread from scratch and replacing unhealthy snacks with fruit sticks.

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