Reducing Sugar, and Low GI food intake for children and your family

One of the most challenging things parents will face, is raising children to be free from the traps of sugar. Noticeably, the world has changed since my childhood, and sugar seems to be everywhere, in most foods, and under the disguise of various names/labels.

Our bodies were never meant to consume such large amounts of sugar, and the consequences of doing so affect the entire body. Excess sugar leads to many poor outcomes, from dental caries, to gut bacteria overgrowth, and of course behaviour and mood imbalances.

Why is low GI an important term for our children?

Consuming low GI enables the body to stabilise blood sugar levels and insulin production. Did you know that we can train our body’s insulin production and keep it in shape through the food choices we make, and the timing of our meals and snacks. Insulin is a hormone which ‘responds’ or ‘reacts’ to what we eat, and when we eat. Over eating and excessive consumption of sugar will lead to insulin being less responsive, thereby less effective. Just as relevant, under eating can switch our bodies into starvation mode, reduce our metabolism, and lead to unstabilised blood sugar levels.

It is extremely important, not only for children but us adults as well, is to ensure meals and snacks are timed according to your body’s needs. Hunger, no matter how brief, causes a drop in blood sugar levels which snow balls by the mid afternoon. I call this the ‘afternoon blues’. But symptoms can mimic mild anxiety, stress, and behavioural outbursts. As parents, regulating children’s meals and providing low GI diets can dramatically modify many behaviours and encourage relaxed and happy children.

other benefits of a low GI diet

Adopting a low GI diet has been shown in studies to increase the amounts of essential nutrients consumed during the day. The reason for this is that most of the ‘go to’ high GI foods are heavily processed and therefore void of nutrition. When we think carbs, we need to think whole grains and fibre. These foods will regulate our insulin levels, sustain our energy throughout the day, and lower our blood sugar levels. Just as importantly, whole grains and fibre rich foods will provide amazing health benefits based on the minerals and nutrients that they contain.

Consuming brown rice, whole grain breads and pastas, quinoa and whole grain, unprocessed breakfast cereals are essential for maintaining adequate levels of magnesium. Magnesium is required in our bodies for many things, especially for relaxation and a balanced mood.

Another important nutrient found in whole grains is fibre. Fibre is every man, woman and child’s best friend. Yes, without fibre in the diet we all will suffer constipation, haemorrhoids, bloating and digestive discomfort. When it comes to reducing sugar, fibre will regulate insulin and reduce blood sugar levels.

Breakfast

Insulin ‘training’ begins from the time you wake up. We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Research has shown the consumption of a good breakfast will:

• increase fibre and whole grain intake

• improve cognition and memory in children

• is associated with a more positive mood

• supports physical and mental wellbeing

One of the most powerful things you can do to reduce your family’s sugar intake, and regulate mood, behaviour and energy levels is to choose whole grain, sugar free breakfast items. Shockingly, in some brands one cup of breakfast cereal can have up to 19 grams of added sugar!

Instead of reaching for the popular box of children’s cereals, try the following:

• make up your own sugar free granola / muesli

• buckwheat pancakes

• whole grain toast with avocado or egg

As a bonus for your wise food choices, a good breakfast will increase satiety (sense of fullness) throughout the day, which will decrease hunger and over eating.

how much sugar can we eat?

Once digested, sugars and starches provide 16kj of energy per gram. The World Health Organisation recommends no more than 10 percent of you daily kj requirements to consist of sugar. For an average person, 40 to 50 grams of sugar (or 10 to 12 teaspoons) per day would be the limit.

One teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams of sugar, and one can of soft drink contains around 40 grams of sugar.

So determining how much sugar you consume takes a bit of work, especially when consuming processed foods and drinks. Start by being realistic about when and how you put sugar into your body, and allow sugar to enter your children’s diets. Take a stocktake and then you can visualise where to start in revamping your families diet.

A good food detective knows how to read labels and identify hidden sugars. Bread, crackers, dressings and sauces, yogurt and bottled drinks all contain sugar, and you will be amazed by the variations between different brands.

Once you are ready to tackle the issue and reduce your sugar intake, use the following tips for success.

Top Tips to Reduce Sugar

• Food swapping

There are many ways to make nutritional ingredients taste fun and exciting for children. By ‘swapping out’ the high GI ingredients (cane sugar, honey, white processed flour) and ‘swapping in’ the low GI foods (coconut sugar, barley malt, wholemeal flours, quinoa, barley grains, brown rice) we suddenly have done double the work in the one move and are well on our way to being SUPER PARENT.

food swapping box

• coconut sugar (light) brown sugar still can be swapped ¾ cup coconut sugar for one cup sugar in recipes

• did you know all recipes will work with reducing the sugar, start experimenting

• applesauce or a table spoon of honey is enough to make sweet tasting banana muffins

• using very ripe bananas will reduce the need for sugar at all

• use sugar free products when choosing cocoa, cooking chocolate, cereals, drinks

• muesli and granola do not need sugar and can be sweetened with coconut, goji berries, sultanas or pear. With dried fruit, it only takes a very small amount to dramatically sweeten the dish whilst adding fibre.

• agave, barley malt, rice syrup, maple syrup can be used in cooking and are lower GI to processed sugars and cane sugar. They come with added antioxidants.

• apple sauce (with no added sugar, or home made) can be used instead of a half cup of white sugar in baking recipes.

• processed dates can be swapped ⅔ cup for every cup of sugar

• what is Rapadura? This is unrefined cane sugar, which means it retains its vitamins

• have you tried this? cut fruit for a fruit salad, and squeeze some lemon over the top. The acidic lemon juice reacts with the fruit sugars and makes the fruit taste sweeter.

2. Be a Food Detective!

Learn to identify hidden sugars on labels. Sugars occur naturally in foods, but are also added a number of times during the canning, processing and packaging of foods, much in the same way as salt is added as a preservative.

Some ingredients to watch out for are (of course sugar), glucose, surcrose, maltose, corn syrup, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, hydrolysed starch, lactose, mannitol, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, galactose, polydextrose, sorbitol, zylitol, maltodextrin, turbinado and honey.

When we read some of those ‘chemical’ sweetener names, it is motivating for some home cooking. Many of these ‘sugars’ or ‘chemicals’ are likely to be causing behavioural changes in your children. One of the best things I did with my son years ago was to experiment with his food. I simply swapped the bought baked goods with home made ones (yes it was a challenge).

I noticed a dramatic difference to his coping skills when he was tired, or when things didn’t go his way. Generally, he was better able to manage his emotions especially during times of fatigue. Whilst children are individual, and will react or not react to different food additives, being a food detective means investigating and determining what are your child’s food triggers.

One quick strategy I use for food shopping on the run is to look at where sugar sits in the order of ingredients on the label. For instance, if purchasing dark chocolate for cooking and not sure which one is healthier? The higher the cocoa the lower the sugar is a good general rule. Take a couple of dark cooking chocolate packets and compare the ingredients list. You will see some will have sugar as the second or even first ingredient, meaning that sugar is the predominant ingredient in that product. Others may show sugar towards the middle or end. Whilst it isn’t as detailed as reading the quantities it is great for when you are in a hurry or when your little one/s need to be shuttled out of the store.

I must stress, always avoid high fructose corn syrup. Research studies around the world have demonstrated the adverse affects of this additive. This sweetener not only is a high GI food additive, but has been proven to reduce the body’s natural stomach hormone which tells your brain that you are full and to stop eating. This chemical has been therefore linked with obesity and over eating disorders.

3. Teach the value of privileges (over expectations).

Sugary treats should not be expected, but seen as something to look forward to at special occasions. Set the tone for your children’s education into the world of food. Although young now, repetition and simple education on the facts of sugar will eventually form stable opinions and awareness in the minds of your children. It is amazing how intelligent is the mind of a child! Their young minds are so open to new things. Which is why advertising is so potent for them.

Over the years, children have always fascinated me in how naturally they comprehend things which are good and logical. That includes healthy eating and good nutrition. Your children will love hearing about their body being like a car, and the food is the fuel. Too much bad food causes problems with the car and it can't work as well. If it is normal in their world, if they know that special food is a treat ad desert is not for every day, they will keep that for life.

4. Revamp your pantry! Have you ever looked inside your pantry and thought, “what is that?” Switching to a low sugar or sugar free diet can only be successful if you have done the ground work first. That is, have stocked the pantry with the ‘swap’ list items, quality breakfast foods, ingredients to whip up a last minute batch of home made healthy snacks or treats, and an emergency quick fix snack.

Yes, all of us need this emergency snack for those low times as a pick me up, or an attack of the sweet tooth. Let’s face it, we all have those moments. My favourite emergency sweet snacks (which are not that sugary and certainly not bad for you) are:

• trail mix (made with pepitas, sunflower seeds, raw coconut, raw cacao nibs, and goji berries)

• bliss balls (again full of seeds and raw cacao, plus a little barley malt or rice syrup).

Each of these work to appease a sweet tooth whilst providing protein (for blood sugar regulation), minerals (for relaxation), and are very filling in tiny amounts. Which is great.

5. Set an example

Again, what is normal and common place to children is what they will adopt. Snack on raw veg yourself if that is something you would love your kids to eat. Give it time and persist because once it has become a habit you will never look back.

Hide away the adult section of your pantry, meaning the really sugary treats such as last valentines day chocolate boxes and soft drink, and consume these when the kids are in bed. They honestly don’t need to know! And this is one thing you don’t need to share. Yes we may be setting a false example of a parent who never eats bad foods, ever, but I am sure we all do this in other areas. How many of us trick our children into thinking we have never said a bad word in our whole lives!

6. Easy Access

Make alternatives readily available, and this will create opportunities for children to develop self modified behaviours. When they open the fridge, let them see a ready to go plate of chopped celery, carrots, grated cheese and sultanas.

At the risk of sounding dull, I remember one of my favourite afternoon treats as a child was to eat frozen green peas from a mug. I called them green ice blocks (or was tricked into naming it that). As funny as it seems now, I actually still love green peas! What a great idea it was. Sure as children we did eat sweet treats, it is comforting to know that we also ate plenty of fibre and nutrient rich vegetables. My introduction into food taught me that consuming fresh vegetables a couple times per day was and is normal. Thanks mum!

7. drink for hydration only!

When thirsty, drink water and expect your children to do the same. ‘Fizzy drinks’ are for parties only, and fruit juices should be fresh, void of added sugar and watered down for young ones. Drinking water for hydration is something which must be taught in our younger years. I see many adults in clinic who, like me have to train themselves to reach for water throughout the day. If this is not something which we grew up doing, it becomes something to master later in life.

This leads me to my last topic on early introduction to food. And going back to the beginning with a baby’s first food experiences. Here lies a golden opportunity to set your child’s natural food cravings for life, based on some of the latest research which is emerging into the value of flavour and texture of baby foods.

The research demonstrated some amazing things, showing that toddlers who consume foods which are savoury (not always sweet) and have texture (not always pureed) made different (much healther) food choices later in life. We don’t know exactly why, but it seems as though a young child’s brain forms a different idea of food when they are able to hold their own food, experience the textures and taste savoury flavours.

What can I do as a parent? Make as much home made food as possible and never assume food needs to be sweet for children to enjoy it.