We adults have an ambiguous attitude towards goodies: on the one hand we know more or less accurately that they are harmful to health, on the other, we have some permissiveness regarding their consumption by children.
In Peques y Más, we have an entry regarding the null nutritional value of sweet or savory sweets, and we know that although they can be considered food, Your empty calories don't help you eat properly. Sometimes I wonder why it is hard for us to call things by name, or why we are reluctant to speak clearly. Why don't we say that goodies are dangerous? They are why in addition to sugar They contain various types of gums and mucilages that adhere to the teeth facilitating the appearance of caries, also because (in the case of pastries, ice cream or chocolates) the amount of saturated fat increases the risk of obesity and arteriosclerosis; and of course salty snacks (and their high levels of salt) are detrimental to blood pressure.
This is stated by pediatrician Ana Martínez Rubio, from the Beds Health Center (Seville), who also relates these foods to the habit of 'pecking' between meals. A habit that does not respond to the signals that our body sends to warn that 'it is already well: it is not necessary to eat more'.
Is it normal for sweets and candies to be so present in infant feeding?
Children who snack on buns, grandparents who give candy every day, parents who give cake, custard or stuffed biscuits as a habit for dessert ... No one is surprised at this behavior, but we do not stop to think that in times of famine it could be normal to give away food to the children, and the sweets conveyed somehow 'honey', the situation has changed.
'Bah, total is just a candy! Let the child eat it.' Let's add the amount of goodies that under similar arguments children get to eat in a week, Isn't it excessive?
According to the Kidmed study, 99% of Spanish children drink sweets and sweets daily. Even several times. And almost nobody seems to care about it
The sweets are cheap and we find them almost anywhere (the super, the large area, the candy store, the bar, the newsstand ...). But parents have our own criteria, regardless of the availability of these products, right? How about we exercise it?
Educating children
Children should learn little by little that desires cannot be fulfilled immediately and thus be better prepared to withstand the difficulties of adult life.
Ana says that 'When rewarding with sweets becomes a habit, taking them can become addiction'. On the other hand, are we unable to teach children that they can tolerate a little hunger? It crashes a lot at a time when there are children who cannot feed themselves well due to the situation of their families, others believe they must be chewing constantly.
When my children say 'I'm starving', I answer that 'starving' is something else, they eat five times a day ... it's not necessary anymore.
Remember that the sweets are in the red zone of the nutritional pyramid, the frequency with which we can take them is 'rarely' or never. It is better to 'not deny, not offer', but if we deny, let us explain our reasons, and lead by example.
After eating sweets you have to brush your teeth well. And when the kids decide to spend their pay on these products, let us remind them that in this way they do not get durable 'goods', perhaps it would be better to save for things that take more advantage of them.
In short, eating a lollipop on a special occasion is one thing, letting children abuse candy is exposing them to health risks.
Images | Eden, Janine and Jim, Branden Via | Family and Health in Peques and More | Before offering goodies to an allergic child, check the composition well (and ask their parents). Are goodies that do not cause cavities healthy?
