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Sugar is one of our biggest enemies. It appears in almost everything we eat and drink, making it virtually impossible to avoid. But, folks, if you read my blog daily, you know just how far big business will go to keep its revenue streams flowing -- meaning foods and drinks full of sugars both natural and unnatural -- at the expense of your family's health. This blind greed is blantantly apparent in all the marketing dollars thrown at kids and parents to try the newest sugary food or drink, paralleling the rise of the obesity epidemic in this country.
Perhaps, conventional medicine is finally catching on to this blight, according to a new study that proved the obvious: The more added sugar kids get from sodas, sweets and fruit drinks, the less they'll eat the nutritious foods needed to stay healthy.
Kids appear to have an "internal control" system that limits their intake of calories, so they typically eat the same number of calories, regardless of the source, according to the lead researcher. So, when a child drinks a soft drink, he or she is replacing a potentially more nutritious food, which is why they should be getting the vast majority of their calories from foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
Scientists reviewed the diets of some 5,500 kids between 2-5, paying close attention to the precarious balance between the sugary foods they ate versus foods containing vital nutrients. Simply, the more sugar, the less fiber, protein and precious vitamins they ate. And kids who consumed more added sugars ate the smallest amounts of vegetables, fruits and milk.
The average consumption of added sugars in that 2-5 age group:
- 14 teaspoons A DAY in 2- and 3-year-olds.
- 17 teaspoons A DAY in 4- and 5-year-olds.
If you need guidance and motivation to get started, I strongly urge you to read my popular piece on reducing your grains and sugars.
Yahoo News January 17, 2005