Eating the children’s sweets and biscuits is one of many reasons for weight gain.But is having sweets in the house for the children completely necessary? Nowadays, children seem to have sweets on a daily basis, whereas for my generation they were a weekly treat to be bought with pocket money.
There is serious concern about the extent of children’s eating habits which lead to decayed teeth due to the increase in sugar in their diets. Mums feeling guilty about being out at work all day feel tempted to bring home a bag of sweets, but is it really going to benefit the children? Why not try a comic, some fresh fruit, or just go home and give them your undivided attention? Many parents would like to assume that the first set of milk teeth does not matter.
However, if you have a child with a set of rotting milk teeth, this can lead to damages to the second set of teeth still to come through. Eating sweets can lead to excess acid in the mouth, which can erode the enamel coating of the teeth, causing pain.
I was shocked when my nine-year-old needed two fillings in his baby teeth and I asked my dentist what I needed to do to avoid this in the future. She said that her best advice was to limit sweets to weekends or special occasions and to make sure that he brushed with fluoride toothpaste every day. But her best piece of advice for both children and adults was that if you are unable to brush after eating sweets, you should rinse the mouth with plain water, and to get into the habit of having water after sweets.
So, if keeping sweet treats in the house for the children is the reason for your failing to meet your weight loss goals, save sweets for a family Friday treat, when everyone can enjoy them guilt free!
Recipe of the Week
Blackened Snapper – Cajun Style
Serves 6
Ingredients
6 skinless red snapper fillets — about 170 g each
2 tbsp blackened spice seasoning blend
30g unsalted butter — melted
90 ml lemon juice
Method
In a well-ventilated area, heat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat 10 minutes, until very hot. Pan is correct temperature if a drop of water evaporates almost immediately when dropped on surface. Sprinkle seasoning over both sides of fish to coat well. Cook fish in hot pan 2-3 minutes, until bottom is dark brown. Without spilling butter into pan, carefully drizzle 4 g butter over each fillet. Gently turn fish over. Carefully drizzle blackened side of fish with remaining butter. Cook 2-3 minutes, until underside is dark brown and fish is opaque throughout. Serve immediately drizzled with lemon juice.
Ask Alva
I spend long hours in the office, at a desk job. I am overweight. For the past month I have tried to change my diet pattern and have included a lot of vegetable salads and reduced fats and fried food. However, I have a big tummy. Though I have managed to lose a couple of kilos but the tummy does not seem to reduce. Could you suggest some ways by this can be reduced? Would walking help? Angela
Working long hours at a desk job makes it very easy to put on weight, and even harder to get it off! You are starting in the right direction to lose weight. I always recommend taking at least 5 portions of fruit or fresh vegetables every day. You really need to cut out fried food — and steamed vegetables retain much more of their flavour and, more importantly, more of their natural goodness. Walking regularly is a very positive step. Don’t overdo it, but start by taking a walk either first thing in the morning, or in the evening when it is cooler. Begin by walking briskly for 20 minutes every day and try to build it up to 30 minutes after a couple of weeks. Eventually you should be able to speed up to a jog. If you e-mail me at: [email protected] [email protected] I will send you my special fact sheet on getting the most out of walking.
For all your weight concerns and questions e-mail Alva Carpenter at:
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