You've heard it a hundred times before: "You are what you eat."
And in an age where unhealthy food is far more accessible than their healthy counterparts, that old saying couldn't be more accurate. Experts agree that junk food is a huge contributor to the sky-high rates of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressures, and even stroke. And for children who do not always understand the effect of junk foods on their young bodies, junk foods may seem especially appetizing.
As parents, it's always a struggle to determine which food would be beneficial to the little ones. And to help you out, check out this list by Food Network's Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D of seemingly healthy foods, which actually aren't.
1. Veggie Puffs - They may contain the word "veggie", but it doesn't mean they're good for your kids. These crunchy puffs are mostly made of refined grains, specifically corn flour, soy flour, and rice. And while they contain a list of vegetables (in powder form), they provide way less than the amount of vitamins and nutrients than an actual serving of veggies. They may be a good alternative to your kids' usual cheese puffs, but just know they don't actually count as vegetables. Little one craving for something crunchy? Try serving kale chips instead. They're tasty AND healthy.
2. Kids' Yogurt - While regular yogurts contain mostly milk and live active cultures, which provides calcium and immune system-supporting probiotics, many yogurt brands that are kid-specific pack on the sugar (2 teaspoons for a tiny 2.25-ounce serving), tons of artificial flavors, and even food dyes like Red #40 and Blue #1. If you're really keen on giving them yogurt, go for the low-fat variant and stir in their favorite jam or fruit preserve.
3. Fruit Snacks - Again, don't let the "fruit" part fool you. They may be called fruit snacks, but their main ingredients are sugars - concentrated fruit juice (which is actually just sugar), sugar, and corn syrup, to be exact. Add that to a mixture of artificial food colorings and flavors, and you have yourself a candy with a healthy-sounding name. Give your kids real fruits instead.
4. Muffins - Sorry to burst your bubble, but they're no healthier than doughnuts. Store-bought muffins contain sugar, bleached white flour, and oil... which makes them no less than a cake. Instead, you can make your own muffins using whole-wheat pastry flour. It's also a sneaky way to get bananas, applesauce, and zucchini into your children.
5. Cereal Bars - When you're running out of time, you're most likely to grab a cereal bar for your child. After all, its package says it contains whole grain and real fruit. That's the same thing they'd get from a bowl of cereal, right? Wrong. The "fruit" in most cereal bars is nothing more than sugar with some fruit juice (more sugar). In fact, a regular-sized bar has at least a tablespoon of sugar in it.
6. Juice - This childhood-staple drink isn't as healthy as you thought it was. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limiting juice intake for kids, 6-8 ounces a day for children up to 6 years old, and 8-12 ounces a day for kids ages 7 and older. Beware as well for sports drinks. It is cited as one of the sugar-sweetened drinks that add unnecessary extra sugars to children's diets. Does your kid play sports with lots of downtime? Give them water instead.
