Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates, which are an important energy source for the body, come in two forms: simple sugars like fructose, glucose and lactose; and starches or complex carbohydrates, which are found in starchy vegetables, grains, rice, breads and cereals. While carbohydrates in the form of whole-grains are needed for a healthy diet, refined sugars may contribute to obesity. Avoid refined sugars that are found in foods like cookies, cakes, candy and gum because they provide excess calories and are of low nutritional value. Kids need to limit their intake of refined sugars found in frozen pizzas and microwavable foods as well as sugary sodas and other sweetened drinks.
  
  

Recognizing Sugar

• An important aspect of creating sugar-free diets for kids is being able to recognize and locate the sugar in food. Ingredient lists on food labels need to be read, as they indicate the types of sugars added. If sugar is listed among the first ingredients then the product is high in sugar. There are a variety of names for sugar, including corn syrup, sweetener, dextrose, fructose, glucose, white sugar or confectioner's sugar. Read the label to determine the total amount of sugar per severing and buy foods that specifically say sugar-free or no-sugar-added.
  
  

Other Tips

• Buy healthy cereal options and avoid sugary and frosted breakfast cereals. In addition, avoid adding sugar to hot cereals like oatmeal or cream of wheat. Children do not need to totally avoid desserts. Instead, they should eat healthy options like fresh fruit instead of pastries, pies and other sweets. Fresh or frozen fruit is a better option than the canned varieties, especially when packed in syrup. Although some juices are 100 percent fruit juice, kids should drink it in moderation. For example, kids under 7 should drink 4 to 6 oz. of juice, and older kids and teens should have no more than 8 to 12 oz.
  
  

Sugar-Free Recipes

• Kids can continue to eat tasty snacks and desserts. Use an apple, banana, red and green seedless grapes, pineapple, yogurt and shredded coconut to make fruit kabobs. This recipe only takes 15 minutes to prepare and is low in calories and contains natural sugars. Instead of serving kids fruit juices, try making a berry smoothie, which is a healthier and more nutritious option. Use 1/2 cup of either fresh or frozen raspberries and strawberries, fat-free yogurt and skim milk. When baking, use natural substitute sugars like molasses, honey or pure maple syrup. Although added sugars can enhance the taste of foods, it should be eaten in moderation.