Trick or Treat? 10 reasons why you are turning your child into an addict.

“Irresponsible parenting leads to obesity epidemic after Halloween”

Jumping on the American Bandwaggon and sending your kids out to Trick or Treat tonight? (Whatever happened to apple bobbing?). You might think that the occasional sweet won’t do any harm, but it is the common sugary foods that could be turning your child into an addict.

The Sugar Addiction

• Are you constantly tired and turn to sugar as an energy boost?
• Do you turn to sugar to improve your mood?
• Do you become irritable if you haven’t eaten and turn to sugar for a snack?
• Do you eat high carbohydrate meals (pasta, bread, cereals)?

If you answer yes to any of these you may be addicted to sugar. With current busy lifestyles we look for energy boosts wherever we can find them so that we can keep going for longer.

These can come from chocolate, energy drinks, cakes, coffee etc. We end up requiring more hits to maintain the high; this high-low cycle of sugar can make our bodies insulin resistant leading to type 2 diabetes.

Some people have become addicted to sugar as a result of trying to achieve weight loss. They have bought fat free/low fat foods as part of what they believe to be a balanced diet. However these foods may contain less fat but contain more sugar to improve taste.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” you tell your kids, but only if it is balanced. Unfortunately most breakfast cereals are not healthy (here‘s why) and the early sugar rush leads to more cravings later.

In order to eat a balanced diet we need to be more diligent with looking at food labels, any sugar has to be clearly labelled (under Carbohydrates). This will include both naturally occurring and added sugars but will give you a good idea of the foods content.

Top 10 “Healthy Foods” packed with sugar

1. Cereals – Cereals will promote themselves as being a good source of vitamin D for example, however they don’t show high levels of sugar. Balance the cereal with a source of protein or naturally slow sugar releasing fruit such as an apple.

2. Fruit juice – Nearly every conceivable fruit juice or fruit drink option is available in supermarkets, to added sugar content choose 100% juice compared to concentrate. Dilute with water when drinking.

3. Yogurt – Yogurt can be a healthy snack option, but not when it’s loaded with added sugars, those with artificial sweeteners have fewer calories. Plain low-fat yogurt topped with your favorite fruit is your best option. Tesco Low fat natural yogurt contains 7g sugar per 100g serving.

4. Granola – These may seem a healthy option, however they can be full of trans fats that can increase you risk of heart disease. Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats & Berries bars contain 8.7g per 42g serving (2 bars).

5. Tomato Sauce/ Ketchup – Sugar is a common ingredient in ketchup, but it’s the source that matters. One tablespoon (17g) of Heinz tomato Ketchup contains 4g sugar.

6. Canned fruit – It’s always a good idea to include more fruit in your diet. Canned fruit can be packed with sugars though if they are in syrup. A healthy option would be fruit canned in water/ natural juice or buying small tubs to hold your fruit in.

7. Sports drinks & Vitamin water – Vitamin water sold is stores as healthy can contain high levels of sugar, Glaceau Vitamin Water contains 23g per 500ml. Sports drinks can also contain high sugar levels, this could mean you get a sugar spike at the start of a game but then hit a low during the match. (Better to make your own).

8. Low fat Salad dressing – Light salad dressings replace the fat with sugar. Be sure to check the food label for the amount of sugar in your store-bought dressing. Hellmans Fat Free Salad dressing contains 10.8g per 100ml compared to their Caesar dressing which contains only 3.8g per 100ml.

9. Smoothies – Many shops promote their smoothies as being healthy, however their products can contain more sugar than coke. Innocent smoothies can contain over 10g per 100ml.

10. Bread – Breads typically have a touch of sugar added to them. About half of the brands we looked at had about 1 teaspoon of added sugar per slice. Be sure to read the label and ingredients for the types of added sugar.

Jack Lalanne predicted the future of sugary foods

Sugar addiction is not a new problem, back in the 1950’s Jack Lalanne confessed to being a sugarholic as a teenager and could see it becoming a prevalent problem in American society.

He recorded this video back then which is still current today

Summary

• Pay attention to the food that you eat.
• Be aware that “low fat” often means “high sugar”.
• Have some protein and fruit/ vegetables at every meal.
• Drink water as your first choice.
• Don’t go Trick or Treating.

The NHS provide a great free “sugar swap” series of ideas.

Duncan Buckmaster