Mixed messages about sugar consumption are everywhere.
Recently, the Royal Society of New Zealand tried to add some clarity to the debate.
Its scientists reviewed research around the consumption of sugar in New Zealand, finding there was a strong link between sugar consumption, increased body weight and tooth decay.
There was also a high association between a high intake of sugar and obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart disease and gout.
Australian author Sarah Wilson has made a career out of her I Quit Sugar programme, which is based on her own experience of giving up the white stuff. She has now turned her attention to helping reduce children's sugar intake.
In her latest book, Kids Cookbook, she focuses on helping parents find options to enable children to eat sugarless snacks, treats and meals so there is not enough room left for the ''sugary stuff''.
''The simplest advice I can give: when choosing what to eat, go for the version of a food with the least number of ingredients.''
Wilson suggests children be weaned off sugar slowly, with absolutely no fuss, so sugar is not stigmatised.
To do that, parents need to be prepared and not buy packaged food, and are encouraged to get their children involved in supermarket shopping, growing vegetables and cooking.
Meals should include plenty of protein, fat and as many vegetables, especially leafy greens, as possible, she says.
In an extract from Kids Cookbook, she suggests why children should be sugar-free and provides a few handy recipes, including a reduced-sugar version of children's all-time favourite, tomato sauce.
Sarah Wilson asks, should my kids be sugar free?
Yeah, she reckons so.
Let's start here. Kids aged 4-8 should be consuming no more than three teaspoons of sugar a day. These are the recommendations from the World Health Organisation.
That sounds reasonable, and manageable, right? Well, here's the scary truth.
A large glass of apple juice contains 8-10 teaspoons of sugar - the same as a can of Coke.
The average bowl of cereal has 3 teaspoons of sugar.
A slice of white toast with jam has 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Our kids are eating 3-4 times the recommended daily intake, and that's before they leave the breakfast table!
Tomato sauce is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to hidden sugars. In some cases, it's 50% sugar! Try this homemade tomato sauce for a flavoursome yet familiar version of something every kid loves.
Homemade tomato sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Makes 500ml
Ingredients
2 440g cans whole peeled tomatoes (or 675ml passata)
onion, chopped
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp rice malt syrup (or 2 tsp granulated stevia)
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
1. Bring all the ingredients to the boil in a saucepan, crush the tomatoes with the back of a spoon, then stir to distribute the spices. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 50 minutes or until the sauce reduces by almost half and is quite thick.
2. Blend with a hand-held blender or in a food processor. If the sauce is still a bit runny, return it to the heat and reduce for a little longer.
3. Divide the mixture into two 250ml sterilised glass jars and store in the fridge for up to one month.
Tricky tip: You can also make this in a slow cooker. Cook all the ingredients on high for 2-2½ hours. After blending, you might want to return it to the cooker for another 30 minutes, without the lid, to thicken it.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes 250ml
Ingredients
1 cup homemade tomato sauce (see above)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp chilli powder
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients and store in a sterilised glass jar in the fridge for up to one month.
Nourishing nachos. Photos supplied.
Nourishing nachos
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
4-6 pita wraps, cut into ''chips''
olive oil, to drizzle
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 400g can red kidney beans, drained and well rinsed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup mixed parsley and coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 avocado, halved and deseeded
1 cup crumbled feta
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt, to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Method
1. Preheat the oven grill to 180degC. Place pita ''chips'' on a large tray in a single layer and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Grill for 3-4 minutes, turning halfway, or until lightly browned.
2. Mix the chopped tomato, beans, onion, herbs and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and set aside.
3. Mash the avocado, feta and lemon juice together in a separate bowl and sprinkle with a little salt.
4. Place a layer of the pita chips on a large ovenproof plate or in a large casserole dish and lightly sprinkle with about half the cheddar cheese. Follow with the bean salsa mix and the remaining cheddar cheese.
5. Grill for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. Scoop on to plates and top with avocado and feta mixture.
These are the perfect grab-and-go snack. Keep a few on you or in the car in a resealable bag for when the kids are asking for a treat.
This recipe contains ½ teaspoon of added sugar per serve so only enjoy it as an occasional treat.
Pumpkin ginger spice granola bars.
Pumpkin ginger spice granola bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Makes 16
Ingredients
2 cups roughly chopped mixed almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and pepitas (preferably activated)
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut flakes
5 Tbsp chia seeds
½ cup coconut oil (or butter, or a mixture of both)
¾ cup rice malt syrup
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves (optional)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160degC. Line a rectangular baking tray with baking paper. Combine the nuts, oats, coconut flakes and chia seeds in a large bowl.
2. Stir the coconut oil, rice malt syrup, pumpkin puree and spices together in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and stir into the nut mixture until well combined.
3. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden and firm to touch in the centre.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing into bars. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for 1-2 weeks.
Tricky tip: For extra protein, feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of protein powder to the dry mix. For a gluten-free option, replace oats with puffed quinoa or puffed rice.
