Kids Devouring Too much sugar - A simple solution for parents

BBC News released an article yesterday focusing once again on SUGAR and the amount that kids across the country are consuming for breakfast.  On average most children are eating 1/2 the recommended amount of sugar at the start of their day in their breakfast cereals and juices while others are eating over the recommended amount. Not only is this setting the stage for long term health issues including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol and cancer but it is also increasing the risk of children developing rotting teeth early in life.  

Here is an example of a typical breakfast kids may
eat that would be considered healthy:

1 bowl of cheerios - 4.4g sugar
100ml of skimmed milk - 5g 
250ml of freshly squeezed orange juice - 20g
1/2 small banana - 6g

Amount of total sugar = 35g of sugar or just over 8 tsp. of granulated sugar

This is the shocking truth hiding behind the food that we eat.  This is why many parents are starting to find simple ways to reduce their intake of these harmful sugars by teaching their children how to read labels, to look for added sugar in the ingredients lists and keeping the cereals as special treats only bought on occasion.  

This is a great start but there is so much more we can do to fight this war on SUGAR.  To start parents need to make healthy food choices for their kids and themselves when they are out shopping and focus on real food that is rich in protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other supportive compounds to promote growth, development, cognitive health, heart health and aid the weight loss struggles many of us face today.  By removing products that contain added sugars and replacing them with healthier options we can begin supporting our long term health and the health of the next generation.

So what should be our focus for a healthy breakfast?  One that focuses on a healthy source of protein, fat, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other supportive compounds.  We need to think about the food we eat as information for our bodies that allows us to thrive throughout the day. Here are some of my healthy and simple recipe ideas that all kids young and old will love.

Three ingredient pancakes
Makes 9-10 medium sized pancakes

3 large banana
6 organic or free range eggs
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. ground flaxseed (linwoods brand found in all grocery stores)
(great source of omega 3 fatty acids ideal for heart health & breain health as well as weight)

Directions
- Mash the banana in a bowl and whisk through the eggs and the cinnamon
- Heat a pan over medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side
- Serve with 1-2 tbsp. of natural bio live organic yogurt and 1/2 cup of blueberries
- 1/2 tbsp. 100% maple syrup buy here

These are simple and easy to prepare - they can be made in large batches, frozen and then taken out every morning for breakfast

Note: You can also make these more like traditional pancakes by adding in 4 1/2 cups of plain oats ground into flour in a food processor or large blender, 1 1/2-2 cups of unsweetened almond milk/coconut milk or organic milk and 3 tsp. of baking powder (this will make 24-30 pancakes) Mix these ingredients with those above and cook the same 2-3 minutes on each side until you see bubbles forming.  Serve with your natural bio live yogurt, berries and maple syrup (optional)

Soaked Scrumptious Oats
Serves 2 little ones 

1/2 cup of plain oats
3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk/coconut milk or organic milk
2 tbsp. ground flaxseeds
1 tbsp. ground sunflower seeds (or whole if you kids like nuts and seeds)
1 tbsp. ground almonds (or whole if your kids like nuts and seeds)
1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1 tsp. of raw honey 
1/2 organic apple grated (non organic apple peeled and grated)

Directions
- Mix all of the ingredients into a jar or bowl and combine until smooth
- Place in the fridge overnight
- In the morning losen with a bit more milk and top with optional 1 tbsp. bio live plain yogurt

Savoury Breakfast

If your kids enjoy eating eggs, omelettes, frittatas and vegetables then this would be an excellent start to the day providing them with a great source of protein, fibre, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals to help their body grow, repair, rejuvenate while also supporting optimal health. 

Fat doesn't make us Fat - Sugar does 

One of the leading doctors in the UK who is supporting the truth about FAT is                          Dr David Unwin who has evidence that cutting down on sugar, grains and carbs in all its forms and replacing it with healthy fats, proteins, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits lowers levels of diabetes and obesity.  He was on Monday nights Food Unwrapped Episode which correlates nicely with this article by BBC on Sugar and our Childrens health. 

Written By: Debbie Vanderboom, Nutritional Advisor

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