It becomes a difficult task to control the sugar intake of your child because it is everywhere. Almost everything that a kid loves to eat has sugar in it. Not just in candies and chocolates, sugar is also present in juices, breakfast cereals, flavoured yogurts and many more. It is hard to keep children away from candies, cookies, muffins and cakes.
Consumption of added sugar is very harmful. It will definitely lead to the problem of tooth decay but it is also ups the risk of obesity, hypertension, fatty liver and diabetes. Encouraging children to eat healthy is not easy. Swapping chocolates for vegetable may seem impossible. You need to find some clever ways to decrease sugar intake of your child.
Here are some steps which every parent can follow to cut sugar from their kid’s diet without letting them notice it.
Be creative
Appearance of the food can make a lot of difference. Adding chocolate syrup or extra sweet treats is not the only way to make food more attractive and tasty. Try to make the food more appealing. If you will serve only vegetables then it will definitely become boring. You can use various techniques to make food more attractive. Try different shapes like stars or smiles with the help of a cookie cutter. Try to mix different recipes which can excite the kids to eat. Use colourful vegetables to add bright colours to your recipe like peas, carrots, spinach etc. You can add healthy elements to your kids’ favourite foods which will make them eat vegetables as well.
Avoid sugary drinks
Fizzy drinks are high in sugar and unhealthy as well. Carbonated soda, energy drinks, flavoured water and squash- they all are high in sugar. You should stop your children from consuming them. Do not buy them or hide them from your children. You can give fresh juice to your child but don’t add sugar to it. Also encourage your kids to drink more milk and water. Drinking more water is a healthy habit and will also eliminate excess sugar consumption.
Don’t make dessert compulsory
Parents are responsible for their kids’ eating habits. So, it is in your hands to control the sugar intake of your kid. Do not make sweets compulsory after dinner. It will help in cutting down sugar significantly. If dessert is a must in your daily diet then change it immediately. Children will eventually develop a habit of not eating dessert. Add more fruits and salad to your dining table and make healthy eating a habit.
Reward them wisely
Some parents use sweets as a reward for kids, which is not the right way. This will turn into a habit after some time. Reward your kids wisely and give them things which are useful for them. Do not use cakes and cookies to motivate them to study. This will only increase the consumption of sugar indirectly.
Increase protein intake
Protein balances calcium levels in the body and helps in developing fat-free muscles. A balanced level of protein in the body reduces the cravings for sugar and simple carbs. Some protein rich foods are eggs, almonds, oats, milk etc.
