Most parents share a common perception that sugary foods will send their kid hypo or negatively affect their behaviour.
The perception is usually associated with the obvious choices - lollies, party foods, cordial & soft drinks etc.
And while alot of parents make an effort to chose 'healthier' choices for their children, what they sometimes dont realise is how misleading and sneaky companies can be in their marketing and packaging.
There is a shocking amount of sugar in processed foods – and some of it is lurking in places you wouldn’t suspect. They're packaged with deceiving labels - like the ones claiming to contain 'real fruit' and 'no added sugar' - products like cereals, fruit juice & poppers, 'fruit snacks', biscuits and a lot of other lunchbox snacks are usually the most biggest offenders.
In studies conducted over the last few years, it has been found that it isn't just high sugar foods that affect our children negatively, but processed foods that contain additives - artificial coloring and preservatives that can make a huge impact to the health and behaviour of children.
Behavioural changes that include:
Sleep issues such as frequent night waking or trouble getting to sleep, temper issues and/or aggression, lack of concentration, irritability, tantrums, defiance, hyperactivity & disruptive behaviours such as interrupting others, inability to sit still. Basically it can help turn your kid in to an erratic little human with up and down moods.
So how do we try and avoid this?
We can:
Try different healthier foods with our kids & involve them in cooking activities.
Still have yummy treats - but keep them as 'sometimes' foods.
Try and encourage them to drink lots of water and limit sugary drinks like cordial, juices and soft drinks.
Avoid processed foods where possible and include plenty of fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods.
Check the nutrition/ingredient labels when you shop.
Choose preservative and artificial colour free options where possible.