EXAMPLE PAGE - GUIDE - BTU - Flipbook - Página 94
Ingredients
to Avoid
Serving at
Breakfast
Added Sugar and
Sweeteners
Since the foods provided at school can impact the overall quality of students’ diets,
it is important to always provide nutritious food choices. Below are five examples
of ingredients that may cause harm to consumers, and can easily be replaced by
ingredients that have nutritional benefits.
Sugary breakfast cereals, chocolate milk, granola bars, flavoured yogurt and syrup might
be requested by students at the breakfast club. Unfortunately, all of this added sugar in
our diets can have negative effects on our health. Obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay
may be the obvious effects, but there can be secondary effects as well. Eating too many
sugary foods leaves less room for more healthful choices that can provide vitamins and
minerals that the body needs.
Are artificial sweeteners better? Despite being calorie free, studies show a strong
correlation with obesity and other related diseases. Artificial sweeteners such as
aspartame and sucralose have been linked to behavioural problems, hyperactivity, and
allergies. For some sensitive individuals, artificial sweeteners act as a nervous system
irritant adversely affecting mood and energy.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Hydrogenated Fats
(or Trans Fats)
•
Use natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup or molasses;
•
Serve fresh, whole foods instead of packaged foods;
•
Look for foods that have sugar as the third ingredient or lower;
•
Stay away from foods that say “low calorie” or “diet”.
Due to the many negative health effects associated with hydrogenated fats, foods
containing them should not be served at the breakfast club. Hydrogenated fats are
created when a liquid vegetable oil is turned into a solid through the hydrogenation
process. During this process, a nasty by-product called trans fats is created. Foods
contain trans fats in order to increase their shelf life and make foods more palatable.
Unfortunately, there are a number of downsides to trans fats in food. Because the
fats have been altered, the body metabolizes them much more slowly. This increases
the low density lipoproteins (the bad ones) which keep excess cholesterol circulating
in our blood. Trans fats can also negatively impact our bodies’ immunity, increase
inflammation, and they have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
•
void foods that contain hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil, modified oil
A
or shortening. Examples include: margarine, chips, deep fried foods, baked goods,
crackers and cookies.
•
hoose nut butters that only contain nuts. Mainstream nut butters and cocoa
C
spreads that have more than one ingredient typically have modified oils and a lot of
added sugar.
