The theme of the harm of sugar has been simmering among parents. On the one hand, glucose is needed in the children’s menu, as it charges little restless kids with energy. On the other hand, a lot of sugar makes the impossibility of monitoring the condition of the teeth and internal organs – all this makes us worry and seek among sweets such that you can eat without harm for health.
For children up to 3 years – according to scientists – it is not worth to give the sugar as your daily intake of food already contains it ( fruit, juice, vegetables, cereals, pastry, bread), and as kids treats can serve raisins, dried fruits, honey. And for children over 3 years instead of lollipops and candy its better to offer:
Dried fruits
It’s the first thing parents think about it as an alternative to sweets. The dried fruits have a beneficial effect on bowel function, gently cleansing it, and increasing metabolism. Some of them are quite inexpensive, they can be used in cooking. The main thing is to learn to choose clean, whole, but, at the same time, not too glossy and perfect.
The dried fruit contains a lot of sugar, so it should not be consumed by the handful – 1-2 pieces instead of candy. Also, do not buy exotic fruits, as non-local products can cause allergies for children.
Jam
Homemade jam, though, and contains a lot of sugar, but the parents are confident in the quality of the raw material from which it was prepared. Especially if it’s jam was cooked using the right recipes with the fast heat treatment, and therefore, in this jam, there is a lot of vitamins. Bought jam contains colorants and preservatives, as well as a loading dose of sugar, it is obviously not for baby food.
Honey
Honey is allergenic product, therefore suitable for adult children. Honey is very useful – it increases the appetite, strengthens the immune system, calms and helps the body to cope with illnesses. It is desirable to replace at least part of the sugar, used for desserts with honey, but you should remember that at high temperature useful properties of honey “burn” – so store it correctly.
Chocolate
Chocolates are loved by all children, and unlike adults, for them is useful only milk chocolate because the cocoa content is too high in the black can overexcite the nervous system of a child or cause allergic reactions. Should not be allowed to eat chocolate uncontrollably, better melt tile, and dunk in the melted chocolate dried fruits.
Marmalade
Fruit purees plus gelatin or agar-agar is useful and tasty. Pectin, which contains marmalade, improves the work gastrointestinal tract. These sweets is suitable even for Allergy sufferers.
Marshmallows
This low-calorie treat, therefore, it is possible to allow it to your children. It is easily digested and contains no fat. You can cook marshmallows at home using egg, sugar and fruit (Apple) puree. But if you buy marshmallows at the store, it is best to prefer white without additives and dyes.