Paradise Greetings,
Yesterday at our Growing Healthy Kids kayaking adventure with 7 kids from the Boys and Girls Club, one of the girls arrived at the boat dock with her 23 ounce can of Arizona Southern Style Sweet Tea. As the kids and I had discussed last week in planning for yesterday's outing, I had prepared healthy snacks (albacore tuna with apples and celery, oranges, and water) for them. We suddenly had an unscripted healthier eating "Teachable Moment".
I used the can of Sweet Tea to teach the kids about how to read a food label. This drink has 23 grams of sugars per serving and there are 3 servings in one can, so there is a WHOPPING 69 grams of sugar in 1 can. I asked her how often she has this to drink and her response was 1 or 2 cans A DAY. Then I asked the kids about what vitamins, minerals, or other nutritional value is in the 69 grams of sugar.
You know what the answer is: NONE, ZIP, ZERO NUTRITIONAL VALUE! When I then explained that to have clear skin and to keep our bodies at a healthy weight (I was talking with 6 girls and 1 boy, so I had their attention on this point), you want your calories to have value and all this sugar isn't helping and contributes to many health problems.
When I see this same group of kids later this week at our next Growing Healthy Kids program, I will finish the Arizona Sweet Tea lesson when we talk about the High Fructose Corn Syrup it also contains. And yes, I will take a bag of sugar and a teaspoon with me so we can measure into a bowl what 69 grams of sugar looks like. Can't wait!!
I think I'll have big glass of water with some fresh lemon!
Growing Healthy Kids - improving the health - and lives - of children. One garden and one child at a time.
To your PERFECT health,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids
