Taking the kids on a trip this Memorial Day weekend? Are you packing up snacks and drinks?  Sounds like a great opportunity to talk about kids and Too Much Sugar!
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Yakima Has A Rep

Yakima has carried a reputation as a city whose residents carried a little too much weight. That includes our kids.  Keep that in mind as you pack those snacks.  Summer is coming and now would be a good time to get the kids on a healthier snack path.
You don't need to wear a white lab coat in order to connect the dots between sugar consumption and obesity, diabetes, dental hygiene, and liver health.

Sugar Triggers More Than Just Physical Ills

Ask any mom or teacher and they'll tell you that too much sugar poses problems beyond physical health.  In addition to childhood obesity, sugar has been linked to a rise in emotional disorders, behavior problems, and learning issues.

 

The truth is, most parents have no idea just how much sugar their child is consuming each day and it could be impacting more than just their waistline.

Sugar By The Unhealthy Numbers

So parents, here's a start list for your consideration/
Bloomberg Moves To Ban Sugary Drinks In NYC Restaurants And Movie Theaters
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Sugar is in kid’s drinks
Capri Sun (1 pouch) = 18 grams
Gatorade (20 ounces) = 36 grams
Apple Juice (8 ounces) = 26 grams
Sprite (12 ounces) = 33 grams
Chocolate Milk (12 ounces) = 33 grams
Coca-Cola (12 ounces) = 39 grams
Mountain Dew (12 ounces) = 46 grams
Sugar is in kid’s snacks
Fruit Snacks (1 pack)- 12 grams
Yoplait Yogurt (6 oz container) = 26 grams
Nutri-Grain (1 bar) = 13 grams
Pop-Tarts (1 pastry) = 17 grams

Heart Association Set The Limit

The Harvard University Institute of health In a scientific statement published in Circulation writes, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that children ages two to 18 should limit their added sugar consumption to less than six teaspoons (25 grams) per day, and sugary beverages should be limited to no more than eight ounces per week.
Just 25 grams...now knowing that, look back over the drink and snack list and see just how easy it is for kids to blow past the healthy limits.  Maybe keep that in mind as you and your kids prepare to pursue a different path to good health starting this Memorial Day Weekend.

 

See How School Cafeteria Meals Have Changed Over the Past 100 Years

Using government and news reports, Stacker has traced the history of cafeteria meals from their inception to the present day, with data from news and government reports. Read on to see how various legal acts, food trends, and budget cuts have changed what kids are getting on their trays.

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