We all know the list of those foods that are harmful to our children's health. We refer to them as "junk" food. This is a battle most families fight living in today's fast food environment. The obesity rate of children has tripled since the 1980s and today's children and teenagers are showing signs of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and pre-diabetic symptoms.
The problem is that we don't want to put our kids into a food "prison" and insist they only eat certain foods, but their future health is at stake if they eat a steady diet of junk food. Often the "bad" foods are not easy to identify and can be filled with fat, sugar and sodium, yet have labels that indicate they are healthier, such as "high fibre," "low in sugar," "no trans fats" and "lean protein." These statements may be true, but what they are not telling you is they are loading you with other harmful ingredients, such as artificial colours, sweeteners and preservatives.
The next time you're at the grocery store, keep in mind these healthy tips:
We live in an addictive, competitive and somewhat confusing food environment today. Manufacturers entice us with tasty foods that are pseudo-healthy. Read the labels before putting these foods into your precious children's bodies. Treat their bodies with the respect they deserve so they can be healthy inside and out.