Maybe you just can't break away from the cookie jar or maybe your kids always seem to find the hidden bag of candy. Either way, sugar addiction is real.
Today in Canada, children are consuming 115 grams daily versus adults at 85 grams (1). Interestingly this seems to be on the decline in Canada, whereas in the United States, sugar consumption is significantly greater.
However, according to the World Health Organization, ideally, only 5% of your daily caloric intake should come from sugars, totaling roughly 25 grams per day for children (2). Yet according to statistics, the majority of us are consuming at least 3 times the recommended daily amount. It seems like we have a bit of a problem here.
Before we continue, it's important to distinguish between added sugars, that are highly processed, and sugars occurring in natural whole foods. Whole food sugars from fruits and vegetables are not comparable as they contain fiber and many beneficial nutrients that support health. Processed and refined sugars, on the other hand, are void of nutrients and can contribute to adverse health effects.
The effects of sugar on kids
Kids are more at risk of excess sugar consumption as they are exposed to high sugar foods more frequently and are commonly the prime targets of food advertising campaigns.
Children are also more susceptible to the damages of high sugar consumption and may often experience altered behavior as well as outbursts due to the severe fluctuations of blood sugar. Rates of obesity have skyrocketed among children and adolescents putting them more at risk for chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, hypertension, and even cancer (3).
Sugar has become a social part of our society, making it difficult to avoid at gatherings such as birthdays, school events, and holidays.
Here at Vitasave, we believe that as humans we should enjoy life to the fullest while living up to our highest potential.
Of course, we don't suggest you swear off all social interactions or never eat sugar again. But we do want you to be educated about the effects of regular overconsumption of sugar.
So how can you satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your health? Let us introduce you to SmartSweets.
SmartSweets is a Vancouver based company that was founded with the mission to create the first candy you can feel good about.
SmartSweets gummies are plant-based and certified Gluten-Free and non-GMO. They are also free of sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners and flavours. Their sweetener of choice is stevia, which is derived from a plant and does not affect blood sugar, which is why it is considered safe for people with diabetes (4).
As the Standard American diet emphasizes foods high in sugar and low in fibre, SmartSweets provides the nutrition you are missing in a candy. So you can enjoy your candy, without the guilt or sugar high!
The best part? They just launched a new flavour that makes us think of fuzzy peaches but without teaspoons of sugar in every bite. Need we say more?
Peach Rings Candy
Fuzzy peaches, anyone? These Peach Rings Candy may be one of their biggest crowd-pleasers yet, combining natural peach flavour with prebiotics and coconut oil to feed your good gut bacteria.
SmartsSweets only use stevia and natural fruit as sweeteners, which totals to just 3 grams of sugar per bag. In addition, with the commonly low intake of fruits and vegetables in the Standard American Diet, their high fibre content provides a significant nutritional boost. You can feel good about these sweets which supply 28 grams of fibre per bag in the form of tapioca, rice flour, pectin, and chicory root. And, of course, no chemicals, preservatives, or artificial ingredients added, ever.
Kick the sugar, and keep the candy with SmartSweets!