Making the switch

    5 Comments   

*48 hours sticky post. Scroll down for new entry*

FREE is such a powerful word. To us moms, the word FREE will definitely trigger some sort of response in us. Show us FREE SUGAR and we’ll rush like crazy as that means somebody out there is distributing COMPLIMENTARY sugar!

But I’m keener on the words SUGAR FREE.  And that means NO ADDED SUGARS. Give me all the FREE SUGAR in the world but I DON’T WANT to have any added sugars in Ethan’s growing up milk. I met with a friend of mine and her 2 year old daughter recently. She is the cutest little girl ever but she has ‘rotten’ teeth. Her beautiful smile was marred by what is left of her teeth. Sweet and sugary stuffs do that to your kids’ teeth and I’m determined to keep Ethan’s milk teeth for as long as possible until the day the tooth fairy decides that it’s time to go under the pillow :D

I used to give Ethan the growing up milk (GUM) that apparently contains the HIGHEST amount of added sugars based on the calculation in www.semakgula.com.my. I panicked when I found out that I was actually feeding him up to 13 tablespoon of added sugars every day! Just as I was ready to switch his GUM, I was told that they have now come out with a ‘No Sucrose premium formula’ so I stayed on with that GUM. But today, I was curious and checked the carbohydrate and found out to my horror that it is STILL THE SAME! Check that with the added sugars calculator and the result is no less horrifying than the previous reading!

If you refer to my post here on how to calculate the added sugar in any Growing Up Milk, you’ll be as horrified as me too.

I saw this ad recently. It touches on the 7 smart steps to reduce sugar intake.

#1 Drink plain water instead of sweetened drinks.

Oh yes. We drink plain water ALL the time! Those eateries that offers refills on their carbonated drinks is a No-No for us. Good aye?

#2 Limit your intake of sugar, condensed milk and sweetened creamer to just one teaspoon.

We drink plain water so our sugar intake is definitely limited. We drink tea without adding sugar so…

#3 Avoid or reduce the amount of sugar in cooking

I cook like 3 times weekly and during these days I’ll definitely cut down on sugar. Even when I boil barley, the sugar added is minimized.

#4 Avoid consuming sweetened snacks and drinks

We snack on fruits! Fresh juicy fruits!

#5 Replace snacks such as snacks, cakes and ‘tong shui’ (sweet soup) with healthier picks such as fruits

Okay, as written on #4, we snack on fruits! BUT…. We all love our favourite Snowflake desserts and THAT is quite a challenge to give up BUT we will cut down. Once a week should be fine. No? Once a fortnight can? >_<

#6 Read the ingredients on the labels. Avoid food and beverages which list sugar and added sugars at the top of the list

I’m such a champion at reading labels on food now.

And

# 7 Choose products which are labelled with ‘less sugar’, ‘sugar free’ or ‘no added sugar’

The word sucrose, glucose syrup solids or corn syrup solids are tattooed in my head now as added sugars.

Ethan’s previous Growing Up Milk with that ‘No Sucrose’ claim does not necessarily mean ‘no added sugars’ as proven by the carbohydrate count. This is because anything higher than 11g-12g for ‘carbohydrate per serve’ indicates the presence of added sugars. Don’t believe? Taste your kid’s milk. Your tongue won’t lie.

I’ve done so much to adhere to #1 to #5 and even #6 & #7 that it will be such a waste to splurge on added sugars in growing up milk.

I don’t want to procrastinate any further. I’ve finally made that switch. Ethan is on Anmum Essential now as that is the only growing up milk that really has no added sugars. Tooth fairy will have to wait a little bit longer :D