Parenting Tip of the Day: Watch the sugar

December 1, 1:07 PMParenting ExaminerTerreece Clarke

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Though I'm writing this with the holidays in mind, this is actually a good tip for any time - watch the amount of sugar your family ingests. According to the American Dietetic Association, the average American child already consumes two to three pounds of added sugar per week -- more than double the USDA recommended limit of one pound per week. Rises and falls in sugar levels can have a big effect on anyone's day. Think about how much trouble you have making it through the day when you're tired, hungry and cranky, lacking any umph in your step. Now imagine your whole family going through the same thing.

On great thing about being a parent is you have gatekeeper status on the foods that come into your house. While we need to keep an eye on  the obvious sources of sugar - cakes, candies, etc., we must be especially viligant with foods we don't necessarily associate with high amounts of sugar, i.e. juice drinks, baby food, spaghetti sauces, etc.

So this holiday and beyond, keep your family on the level and avoid high doses of sugar.