As a parent, you’ve probably had your share of supplying the postgame treats. Was it chips or maybe some cupcakes and Capri Sun beverages? If so, any health benefits the kids derived from their sporting exercise were instantly negated.
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Newswise reported on a new study by Brigham Young University that shows just how detrimental postgame treats — usually loaded with sugar — are to a child's health. The number of calories children consume from those post-event snacks far exceeds the number of calories they actually burn playing in the game.
Sugar has been shown to be more addictive than cocaine. According to the report, the average amount of sugar consumed postgame was a staggering 26.4 grams, while the daily recommendation for children during a 24-hour period is 25 grams.
America’s children are facing an epidemic of obesity and their diets are to blame. Junk food addiction is real. The more processed and fast food children (and adults) eat, the more they crave it.
A single week of bingeing on fast foods will destroy appetite control, making you more likely to eat more junk food, even if you’re full. Your body knows how to naturally regulate how much you eat, but food manufacturers have figured out a way around that, which keeps you coming back for more.
Fortunately, bad habits can be broken. The fewer sugary treats, drinks and processed and fast foods you eat, the less you will crave them. And conversely, the more “real” foods you eat, the more you will make healthier choices.
But, when it comes to figuring out what’s healthy and what’s not, don’t rely on the FDA.
FDA rules stipulate that food can only be marketed as healthy if it meets certain nutritional standards. Snack foods cannot contain more than 3 grams of total fat per serving, and only 1 gram of that can be saturated fat.
Therefore, Pop-Tarts and Frosted Flakes qualify as “healthy,” but salmon, avocados and raw nuts do not because of their fat content. That’s because FDA rules do not take (bad) sugar or (good) healthy fats into account, which is wacky by anyone’s standards.
“If you build it, they will come,” a popular quote from “Field of Dreams,” also applies to adopting healthy lifestyles. If you stock your kitchen with whole, nutritious food, your family will choose healthier options.
Before taking treats to a group, check to find out if there are food allergies. Sweeten with natural sweeteners like stevia or raw honey — never sugar or artificial sugars like aspartame. In fact, rip that off your list and just quit buying sugar. Ditch the sugary drinks and push water.
Here are five healthy, kid-friendly snacks:
In a hurry? Grab a bag of organic fruit and some cheese sticks.
How about veggies with hummus, guacamole or a keto ranch dip? Kick it up a notch and bring on some smiles by cutting the veggies into funny shapes.
Kids will eat almost anything on toothpicks. Alternate fruit and cheese cubes or assorted fruit with a yogurt or cream cheese dip. Apple slices with a peanut butter dip are also a good combo, as are chocolate-covered strawberries (make it dark chocolate, though, and avoid milk chocolate altogether).
Fill celery sticks with nut butter and sprinkle with raisins for “ants on a log.” Better yet, set everything in the middle of the table and let the kids make their own.
Make some yummy keto (gluten-free, sugar-free) baked goods using bananas instead of flour, including cookies, bread or these delicious banana muffins.