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Sugar
Most Americans consume too much sugar, perhaps even to the point of being addicted to it. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the average American consumes anywhere between 150 to 170 pounds of simple sugars, also known as refined sugars (this includes glucose, fructose, and sucrose) or simple carbohydrates, in one year! Compare this number to the 4 pounds of sugar the average American consumed less than a hundred years ago. Thatâs a lot of sugar in our system!
Perhaps 150â170 pounds of sugar seems like an astronomical number to you, but think about this. A typical 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams, or 10 teaspoons, of sugar. If you drink two Cokes a day, by the end of the week you will have consumed 140 teaspoons of sugar. Letâs not forget all the sugar found in doughnuts, cookies, cake, and ice cream, and the hidden sugar (sugar by different names such as high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, and sorbitol) found in salad dressings, hot dogs, canned soups, and bread.
Iâm sure you know what happens when your kids eat too many sugary snacks and beverages. They act a little crazy, donât they? Kathleen DesMaisons is the president and CEO of Radiant Recovery, a nutrition-based addiction recovery program and the author of the book Little Sugar Addicts. She has studied the relationship between sugar, health, and behavior and confirms that too much sugar changes our children (and not in a good way). Not only can excess sugar transform your cute, happy child into a teary-eyed monster, but it can also:
⢠increase the likelihood of cavities
⢠cause weight gain, because sugar-laden foods are typically high in calories
⢠increase the chance of your child getting diabetes
⢠suppress your childâs immune system
⢠promote sugar highs (and related lows)
⢠promote cravings, because too much sugar raises your blood glucose level, which triggers a spike in insulin
Soda is one of the biggest culprits in the battle against poor health because it contains so much sugar. Public health officials call these drinks liquid candy. Most boys get 15 teaspoons of refined sugar daily, and most girls about 10 teaspoons, from sweetened beverages. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, this is the maximum amount of sugar kids should be getting from foods in a day.
According to the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA), consumption of soft drinks is now over 600 12-ounce servings per person per year. Since 1978, soda consumption in the U.S. has tripled for boys and doubled for girls. Soft-drink producers understand the desire kids have for soda, so they amp up their marketing campaigns, often spending billions of dollars to advertise and promote soft drinks.
Itâs time we rallied against these companies and stopped buying sweetened beverages. Remember, you are in charge of what food and drink comes into your home. Instead of soda, drink water. Make it a priority. Keep fresh water easily accessible to your kids. Buy a water cooler or keep a pitcher of water in your fridge. Carry a water bottle around, and make your kids do the same.
While you may not need to eliminate sugar completely from your familyâs diet, the key is to eat very few processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages laden with sugar. Here are some ways to curb the sugar habit in your childâs diet:
⢠Dilute fruit juice with water or drink only 100 percent fruit juice.
⢠Replace sugary snacks such as cookies and crackers with fruit.
⢠Eat more natural foods instead of processed and packaged meals and snacks.
⢠Cook more homemade meals so you can control how much sugar is in each meal.
⢠Throw out all sugary snacks and treats and replace them with healthier alternatives such as yogurt and protein bars.
Salt
Too much salt is just as bad as too much sugar. The average American consumes
Sugar
Most Americans consume too much sugar, perhaps even to the point of being addicted to it. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the average American consumes anywhere between 150 to 170 pounds of simple sugars, also known as refined sugars (this includes glucose, fructose, and sucrose) or simple carbohydrates, in one year! Compare this number to the 4 pounds of sugar the average American consumed less than a hundred years ago. Thatâs a lot of sugar in our system!
Perhaps 150â170 pounds of sugar seems like an astronomical number to you, but think about this. A typical 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams, or 10 teaspoons, of sugar. If you drink two Cokes a day, by the end of the week you will have consumed 140 teaspoons of sugar. Letâs not forget all the sugar found in doughnuts, cookies, cake, and ice cream, and the hidden sugar (sugar by different names such as high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, and sorbitol) found in salad dressings, hot dogs, canned soups, and bread.
Iâm sure you know what happens when your kids eat too many sugary snacks and beverages. They act a little crazy, donât they? Kathleen DesMaisons is the president and CEO of Radiant Recovery, a nutrition-based addiction recovery program and the author of the book Little Sugar Addicts. She has studied the relationship between sugar, health, and behavior and confirms that too much sugar changes our children (and not in a good way). Not only can excess sugar transform your cute, happy child into a teary-eyed monster, but it can also:
⢠increase the likelihood of cavities
⢠cause weight gain, because sugar-laden foods are typically high in calories
⢠increase the chance of your child getting diabetes
⢠suppress your childâs immune system
⢠promote sugar highs (and related lows)
⢠promote cravings, because too much sugar raises your blood glucose level, which triggers a spike in insulin
Soda is one of the biggest culprits in the battle against poor health because it contains so much sugar. Public health officials call these drinks liquid candy. Most boys get 15 teaspoons of refined sugar daily, and most girls about 10 teaspoons, from sweetened beverages. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, this is the maximum amount of sugar kids should be getting from foods in a day.
According to the National Soft Drink Association (NSDA), consumption of soft drinks is now over 600 12-ounce servings per person per year. Since 1978, soda consumption in the U.S. has tripled for boys and doubled for girls. Soft-drink producers understand the desire kids have for soda, so they amp up their marketing campaigns, often spending billions of dollars to advertise and promote soft drinks.
Itâs time we rallied against these companies and stopped buying sweetened beverages. Remember, you are in charge of what food and drink comes into your home. Instead of soda, drink water. Make it a priority. Keep fresh water easily accessible to your kids. Buy a water cooler or keep a pitcher of water in your fridge. Carry a water bottle around, and make your kids do the same.
While you may not need to eliminate sugar completely from your familyâs diet, the key is to eat very few processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages laden with sugar. Here are some ways to curb the sugar habit in your childâs diet:
⢠Dilute fruit juice with water or drink only 100 percent fruit juice.
⢠Replace sugary snacks such as cookies and crackers with fruit.
⢠Eat more natural foods instead of processed and packaged meals and snacks.
⢠Cook more homemade meals so you can control how much sugar is in each meal.
⢠Throw out all sugary snacks and treats and replace them with healthier alternatives such as yogurt and protein bars.
Salt
Too much salt is just as bad as too much sugar. The average American consumes
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