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We are aware of the harmful effects of consuming too much sugar. Sugary foods and drinks are becoming more and more accessible and available – we find them in tuck shops, lining the shopping aisles, at restaurants, parties, movie houses…the list is endless! For parents trying to raise healthy children, it can be challenging to keep meals and snacks healthy. The following tips can assist you in offering healthier alternatives:

Reading Labels

The key ingredient to check is the total sugar. Five grams of added sugar is equivalent to 1 teaspoon. Therefore, just a quick look at a “healthy” drinking yoghurt indicates that it contains approximately 54g of total sugar. This works out to be roughly 11 teaspoons of sugar, per serving!

According to the South African legislation, for a product to be considered sugar free, the food must contain less than 0.5g of sugar per 100g. Be careful of the claim “no added sugar” as it doesn’t always mean that the food is completely sugar free or necessarily low in sugar. It just states that no extra or additional sugar has been added. We are fortunate that our food labelling regulations state that if a label makes the ‘no added sugar’ claim it may not have syrups such as honey, molasses or even fruit juice concentrate used to replace sugar.

Home is where the heart is

One of the best ways to provide healthy sweet treats for your children, is to make them at home. Here are 3 simple and easy recipes to consider. They are all added sugar free. The sweet flavour from these treats comes from fresh fruit. Fresh fruit does contain sugars, but the benefit is that these sugars are housed in a food matrix that contain fibre. The sugar from fresh fruit it its whole form, digests slower and releases glucose at a slower rate into the blood which keeps the blood glucose (sugar) levels more stable. This is better for regulating energy levels, mood, concentration and overall health

 

Healthy snacks that you can make are the following:

 

 

Easy delicious healthy creations to prepare in a flash

 

Granola Cups

(Makes 12)

2 ripe Bananas (180g)

1 tsp. Almond Essence

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

125g Rolled Oats

Cooking spray

 

For the Topping

1 Small Banana (90g)

6 tsp. Peanut Butter

180g Plain Low-Fat Yoghurt

1 Medium Nectarine (180g), Sliced

Preheat oven to 180°C. In a bowl, mash banana until smooth. Add pinch of salt and almond essence and mix well. In another bowl, mix the oats and cinnamon and then add the banana mix. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until oats is well coated. Line a muffin tin well with cooking spray. Using your fingers, press and line the walls of each muffin holder with mixture. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until cups are golden and brown. Remove from oven and cool. Fill 6 cups with a spread of 1 tsp. Peanut Butter each and top with Banana slices. Fill the other 6 cups with 30g plain yoghurt and a few slices of Nectarine over the top. Keep chilled before serving.

Nutritional Information per serving: 479kJ Energy 17.4g Carbohydrate 2.8g Protein 2.8g Fat 2.0g Fibre 120mg Sodium

 

Apple & Cinnamon Date Balls

(Makes 14-16)

1 ½ cups Pitted Dates

50g Raw Almonds

1 cup Dried Apple Rings

1 Tbs. Chia Seeds

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil

1 Tbs. Cinnamon

¼ cup Un-Sweetened Desiccated Coconut

Blend all ingredients except the Desiccated Coconut into a food processor until well combined. Scoop 1 Tbs. of mixture into your hands and roll into a compact ball. Roll the ball in the Desiccated coconut and set aside. Repeat until all mixture is used and 14-16 balls are shaped. Leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

Per Date Ball Serving: 340kJ 9.2g Carbohydrate 1.2g Protein 4g Fat 1.5g Fibre 120mg Sodium

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream

(Serves 1)

1 small Frozen Banana (90g)

1 Tbs. Peanut Butter (Sugar Free)

1 Tbs. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Cinnamon

60ml Almonds Milk (Unsweetened)

1 Tbs. Stevia or Xylitol

1 Tbs. Desiccated Coconut (Unsweetened)

1 tsp. Crushed Peanuts, to serve

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Freeze for an hour before serving. Serve topped with crushed peanuts and enjoy!

Per Serving: 1289kJ 21g Carbohydrate 8.3g Protein 18.7g Fat 5.4g Fibre 187mg Sodium