Guest Post: Limiting Sugar by Robin Green

Since my daughter was very little she would tell me her favorite foods are sweet. She would rather fill up on candy than healthy foods. I hoped she would not inherit my love for sweets! I have tried to encourage healthy eating – fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, by showing her that healthy food is good too.

 I went into her room one morning after she left for school, saw all the “snacks” she had consumed after I went to bed and realized I had to get serious about limiting the availability of sweets in our home. Don’t get me wrong, we still have sweets on special occasions and enjoy a chocolate bar every now then. Just like my daughter I love sugar. I’ve always been the kind of person who could eat ice cream and cake instead of dinner. I’ve never craved what I consider a healthy snack. I’ve always had a love affair with sugar.

Unfortunately for me and my daughter, sugar can do some pretty terrible things to your body.
Sugar causes :

• weight gain
• depresses the immune system
• contributes to premature aging
• contributes to cavities
• causes yeast growth in the body
• and much more. 

Obviously limiting how much sugar we eat is in the best health interest of our kids and us. Limiting sugar intake doesn’t mean giving up all the things you love or that your kids want. There are several natural sweeteners that can take the place of sugar and they don’t carry the bad side effects of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Stevia, agave nectar and raw honey can all be used in baking to replace sugar. It may take some practice and effort on your part, but the benefits of limiting sugar are worth the effort.

 Good luck!


Robin Greene, a mom, kindergarten teacher and freelance writer for My Baby Clothes dot com. Check out the cutest baby clothes, tutus and baby hats at very affordable prices.