Reducing your little ones' sugar habits is not always easy. For this reason, here at Appy Kids Co, we will continue to create smarter food choices that will be loved by children and trusted by parents to help manage sugar intake. Here are a few reasons why cutting down sugar has its benefits for your little ones.
What you need to know
Dentists say that the sugary food and drinks we give our children are one of the main causes of tooth decay. What really happens? - as we eat, the bacteria in our mouth will break down the sugar, and as a result, acid is produced. This is the first sign and stage of tooth decay, as the acid dissolves our teeth surface.
Half of children's sugar intake will come from the unhealthy drinks and snacks they have. This will include fizzy drinks, sweets and chocolate, and much more. Most tooth decay in children under the age of 6 years old is untreated and 1in 4 of 5-year-olds will have on average 3 or 4 teeth affected.
Some tooth decay can be very painful over time, studies show that over 100 children a day have their rotten teeth taken out in hospitals. Also, according to the NHS, every 10 minutes a child will have a tooth removed.
Some tips for cutting back
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that we reduce our children's sugar intake to below 5% of total energy intake.
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Most of the sugar intake for children comes from everyday drinks and juices that have a lot of sugar. It is suggested to swap these for drinks and juices that are sugar-free or have 'no-added sugar'.
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Children aged between 4 and 6 should have no more than 19g of free sugars a day, this is equivalent to 5 sugar cubes.
We know how important a healthier lifestyle is to parents and customers and finding ways to reduce our children's sugar intake is a step in the right direction in warding off diet-related diseases.
What do you swap for your children? Let us know!