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sugar swaps

We wouldn't let our kids eat sugar straight from the sugar bowl. But we tend not to think about the sugar hiding in the other things they eat and drink.

Excess sugar can mean excess energy which in turn can lead to stored fat in the body and diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

To prevent this, many families are making Sugar Swaps. They're swapping food and drink with added sugar for stuff that's lower in sugar or sugar free.

As a guide, how much sugar should you look for in foods?
High is more than 15g sugar per 100g Low is 5g sugar or less per 100g

Here are some easy swaps that mean that kids can enjoy their food without taking in too much sugar.

Drink swap
Switch from sugary drinks to no added sugar drinks such as water, milk (ideally semi-skimmed - but remember children under 2 need full-fat milk), unsweetened fruit juice or even sugar free fizzy drinks.

Snack swap
Choose snacks without added sugar such as fruit, unsalted nuts, breadsticks, rice cakes or toast, instead of sweets, biscuits, chocolate, cakes and pastries.

Food label swap
When shopping compare food labels and switch to the one that's marked lower in sugar or sugar free. Some packaging uses a traffic light system, which makes it even easier to choose food that is lower in sugar. Go for more “greens” and “ambers” and fewer “reds” in your shopping basket.

Breakfast swap
Switch to lower sugar cereals or other breakfast options like fruit or toast (but if you spread on jam or honey, make sure it's a thin layer!)

Dessert swap
Switch from sugary desserts like chocolate, biscuits and cake to less sugary desserts, like yoghurt or fruit. Or compare the labels on two desserts and choose the one with the lower level of sugars.

See how many sugar swaps you can make in a week.