by Karen Johnson
South Holland District Council community development officer
How many of us dive into the biscuit jar or grab a chocolate bar from the cupboard when we are feeling hungry? Who can walk past the baker’s shop without being tempted? But do we actually know how much sugar is in our food?
Families are being encouraged to sign up for a free app which tells us the sugar content of our food and drink.
The “Sugar Smart” app from Public Health England works by scanning barcodes of food and drinks and then revealing the full sugar content of them.
The app also contains hints and tips for healthier choices, plus food detective activities for children and fun mini missions for the whole family. It is hoped by raising awareness of how much sugar we eat it will help combat tooth decay, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
For example a can of cola contains nine cubes of sugar, a chocolate bar six cubes and small cartons of juice over five cubes. Experts recommend that 4-6yrs, 7-10yrs and 11+ eat no more than five, six and seven cubes respectively.
So next time you are tempted to enter the baker’s think twice and maybe the greengrocer is a much healthier option!
Search “Change4Life” www.nhs.uk/change4life to find lots of ideas to help keep your family healthy.
Also why not test your sweet tooth by giving up sugar for February and at the same time raise money for lifesaving research.
By resisting the sweet stuff for one month, you can help bring forward the day all cancers are cured with the money you raise.
For more details visit www.cancerresearch.org.
