We are surrounded by sugar
Are you a parent of a toddler or child? If so, do you think you have a healthy environment set up at your home for your child to grow? Look around, if you are still using refined sugar, have packaged juices stocked, and place candies in your child’s lunch box, we don’t think that your child is growing in a healthy ecosystem.
Sugar is now a bane of the present world. While once it was used in all sweets and dishes, especially the Indian ones, nowadays refined sugar along with simple carbohydrates are the major reasons for most of the chronic diseases. In fact, the sugar has not left even the innocent childhood alone.
Our kids are living unhealthier childhood than ours
According to a report by WHO, 14.4 million kids in India are said to be suffering from excess weight. These days, we can witness that a lot of children are suffering from diseases that were once specific to adults, viz., obesity, impaired glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.
Another study done by Fortis Hospital’s SRL Laboratories was done for 3 years on 17,000 school-going children. It revealed that 66 percent of children in India have abnormally high blood sugar levels. Shocking, isn’t it? These high sugar levels are said to cause type-2 diabetes in children.
If you are thinking that the uncontrolled and unhealthy sugar intake is going to cause only health-related issues in children, you are wrong. It also contributes significantly to behavioral issues apart from basic health issues like blood sugar or decay of teeth. Refined sugar intake is a significant contributor to your child’s behavior and activity levels. When your child consumes refined sugars, there is a sudden spike in blood sugar levels. Once the glucose levels begin to fall, there is a release of the hormone “adrenaline,” which can contribute to hyperactivity in children. This, eventually, will lead to fatigue, dizziness, shakiness, and altered thinking in children. Therefore, it is wise to create a sugar-free ecosystem for your child as soon as possible.
How to create a sugar-free ecosystem
Are you wondering how to change your ecosystem into a sugar-free one? Worry not, we have your back.
Home
The first ten years is very crucial for a child. What you habituate a child to eat sinks in deep. In fact, when asked about their most favorite dish, many adults tell one of the signature dishes from their childhood. Therefore, it is vital to keep your home not only sugar-free but also as healthy as possible. Introduce your children to fresh fruits, homemade juices without any added sugar, plain milk, etc. instead of canned juices, soda, and cold drinks.
When treating your child for good behavior, cook them a wholesome meal with their favorite vegetables instead of giving them a candy or ice cream. One important struggle that most parents will face when it comes to keeping their home sugar free is making relatives and grandparents not introduce sweets or candies to their children. Make a polite yet stern statement against gifting sweets to your children.
School
When it comes to keeping sugar free, it’s not as easy as the previous step. Talk with the management of the school and ensure that the school canteen serves healthy food. School canteen is no place for sugary drinks, cookies, candies, chocolates, white bread, and other items made of refined flour. Also, have a discussion with parents and teachers to ensure that there is uniformity in the lunch boxes if children are getting food from home. If the school is serving the lunch, ensure that it is healthy and wholesome, so your child will not end up feeling hungry and eating junk during breaks.
Public places and parties
While traveling or eating out, plan for it well. You can check websites like Yelp and Zomato to pick restaurants that have healthy food options. Even while you are on a flight, ask for whole grain stuff. During birthday parties that you host, come up with creative food with limited or no sugar and other refined products options. Opt for whole wheat pasta and pooris. Completely ban soda irrespective of whether you are traveling or not.
Generally, sugar activates our brain’s reward center just like how addictive drugs do. What’s more, it provokes similar cravings and withdrawal symptoms as well. “Research shows that sugar can be even more addicting than cocaine,” says Cassie Bjork, R.D., L.D., founder of Healthy Simple Life. Therefore, feel free to give your suggestions for the menus to be modified in restaurants and flights. Only if we all speak out, we can make a difference in creating a healthy ecosystem for our children and raise sugar-free kids.