How to Cut Sugar Out of Your Kid's Diet

This is weird at first, but quickly becomes second nature. It is shocking how many products have added sugar…salad dressing? Bread? Ketchup? Pasta Sauce? A lot!!! Try to choose products that do not have any added sugar. Be aware of the different sources of sugar. Interestingly enough, sugar is not usually listed on the ingredients list! Manufacturers can use multiple sources of added sugar, and will list them all separately. Your body metabolizes all added sugar the same, so it doesn’t distinguish between brown sugar and honey.

- DO IT GRADUALLY..KIDS NEED TIME

Your kids are accustomed to a certain diet, so.. start by slowly swapping out items with added sugar for ones without. Start introducing healthier choices with every meal. Swap out fruit juices for real juices or a whole fruit. And importantly, talk to your kids about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it!

- FAKE STUFF? NEEDS TO GO!

It’s important that you don’t swap out added sugars for added fake sugars. Sure, they are low in calories, but they have no health benefits. Instead, your overall goal should be to cut the sugar addiction. And, that’s what it is… an addiction! You want your child to crave what is good for them, not junk.

- LIMIT IT

When they go to a birthday party, of course they can have a cupcake. At a family dinner, it would be a DISASTER if they didn’t get a piece of Grandma’s apple pie. But on the majority of nights around, dessert is not happening. It just isn’t. A treat is just that a treat and nothing more. It should be rare and special, not something that they get every day. They will eventually get used to if if you are consistant and strong.

By Dr. T