Sugar is present in many of the foods your kids eat and avoiding it can seem impossible at times. Tooth decay is one of the most important reasons to remove sugar from your kids' diets. According to About Kids Health, refined sugar or sucrose should only constitute 10 percent of your child's daily diet. While eliminating all sugar from your kids' diets may prove difficult, try replacing as much of it as you can with healthier alternatives.
Step 1
Keep sweets out of your shopping cart and out of your home. If you have no cookies, cakes, chips or chocolate in your cabinets, your kids will not be able to eat them. Limiting access to these sweets is a sure fire way to help keep sugar out of your child's diet.
Step 2
Prepare healthy snacks and keep them on hand for times when your kids have the munchies. Cut-up fresh vegetables and keep them in plastic containers in the refrigerator for a quick snack. Fresh fruit, ready to eat and in plain sight, is a healthy alternative to reaching for a cookie.
Step 3
Offer your kids water to drink instead of colas and juices that are high in sugar. For a little bit of flavor, add a squirt of lemon to the water. If your kids insist on juice, water it down. Diluting the juice will lessen the sugar content, without removing taste.
Step 4
Switch to carob-based chocolates. If your child's desire for chocolate is unavoidable, especially during the holiday season, choose chocolates that contain carob instead of milk chocolate. Carob is naturally derived from the seedpods of the carob tree, and is much sweeter than chocolate. Despite its sweet taste, carob contains less sugar than milk chocolate.
Step 5
Set a good example. If you eat healthfully, chances are that your kids will choose to follow your example. By avoiding snacks that are high in sugar, and instead opting for an apple or carrot stick when you get the munchies, you will set a precedent for your kids that will help improve your health.
Tips and Warnings
- Read the labels on the different foods that you feed your children. You may be surprised when you see the sugar content of some of their favorites. If this is the case, switch to a healthier alternative that contains less sugar.
- Keep in mind that a little bit of sugar in the diet is okay. The Camas School District reports that small amounts of sugar in moderation are acceptable for children. So, do not outlaw sugar completely. Doing so can cause a power struggle between you and your kids, which could cause them to sneak the sugar when you're not looking.
Things You'll Need
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Water
- Carob-based chocolates
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