Any families cut out sugar? What changes did you notice?

[Naturelover5]

Shit sick of people (grandparents looking at you!) constantly giving my kids treats. So many playdates & sleepovers this summer, most have copious ammounts of sweets & fizzy drinks. Kids playing with neighbours kids, my lovely neighbour gives them ice cream, lollipops, cola so I need to do the same when they're playing here... Sleepovers so hard to police when they're not in ours..
Anyway today I have decided to cut of sugary treats & drinks. They can have popcorn as a treat & if they're anywhere near me they need to ask me before taking a treat or say thanks I'll save for later if it's something they really want...
I'm interested in how the decreased sugar will benefit... I'm addicted do haribo so I'm pleased to be cutting out... They will of course be allowed treats at special occasions etc it's just that treats have become a daily norm not a treat if that makes sense & it was never like that in our house before, I just want to tighten the reins.

People will step up their campaign as a result.

You think they get too much sugar now? The moment anybody hears you don't want them to be given any, it'll be four times the amount.

The kids themselves will also become obsessed.

Told my mum my plans last night, she wasn't impressed! She was saying "the odd treat does a little one no harm". She's the worst culprit, any night she babysit or they sleepover it's biscuits, haribo & ice cream at 10pm & the routine continues after breakfast...

Cutting out sugar reduces inflammation so can only be a health benefit. There are plenty of sugars in fruit, carby food without adding to it. As a grandparent I respect my daughters wishes regarding healthy food for her daughter and there are plenty of alternatives to sweets, cake and biscuits.
I do feel is best not to make an issue with the children, the less a deal we make of removing sugar the easier it is for a child to accept it.

My DC is nearly two and a half and has never had sugar (other than naturally occurring in fruit) they have a dairy allergy so it’s been pretty easy to avoid but people are desperate to give them sugar. Grandparents etc can they just have this/that 🙄 I only have one but I’ve noticed he’s a great eater, sits and finishes all meals/loves veg and oily fish etc, also v rarely ill, sleeps well, very even mood presumably from no sugar highs/lows but this is just speculation on my part. I feel for you though it is so tough when people are so keen to stuff them with sugar, I don’t think we would have been able to avoid without the allergy excuse!

No issues with natural sugar from fruit..

Cutting out additional and excess
sugary treats isn't at all the same as actually cutting out sugar entirely.

There is a lot of added sugar in so much; cereal, bread, any and a pasta/pizza sauces, yogurts, coleslaw you name it. It's mildly horrifying to look into. 1 tablespoon of ketchup has a teaspoon of sugar in, a tin of beans has a couple at least (brand depending). Savoury diets still contain an awful lot of sugar and obviously fruit and fruit juices are very high in it too.

On that basis it's not expect to see masses of obvious or immediate visible change unless there are weight or dietary issues but it's certainly a good idea and very beneficial to dental health and general health to reduce sugar and processed foods.

Whole fruits are fine. They have sugar in them but not as much as fruit juice.
It is hard to avoid sugar completely unless you follow a very restrictive diet - no bread, tea cakes, commercial sauces, cereals except for Weetabix (there may be sugar in that, I'm not sure).
What about Easter though when all the other children have Easter eggs - do you ban those too?

Thanks @dontgobaconmyheart it's for dental reasons mainly... The dc are very active with no weight issues. It's just so frustrating that everything in our circle revolves around sugary treats! I would prefer a small bag of crisps if they were to have something or a small ice cream.. But it's all sugary lollipops, haribo, chocolate bars. I know people mean well but it's been relentless since lockdown..

Phrased it wrong in opening post.. Just basically cutting out sugary treats like lollipops, haribo etc...

My husband and I cut out sugar because we kinda want to eat better before TTC in a few months. First results for me: less cellulite, bloating's gone, less sugar spikes, so I eat 3 meals a day and feel great, not hungry at all. My husband says his trousers fit better and he doesn't feel hungry between meals. We were thinking of cutting out sugar anyway and planning pregnancy was just good excuse.

@xogossipgirlxo that sounds great, I feel like I never have enough energy so hopefully this will help...

I haven't cut out many things but with sugar I drastically reduced my intake and one result I can share is that it reduced my cravings. So now I very rarely eat any cake or chocolate as I just don't crave it, but when I do it's a big craving but I can give in without guilt because I'll have about one piece of chocolate a month or one cake every 3 months or so, that's how little I crave it.

And I was a person who would eat a whole packet of biscuits in a sitting, or a pack of four Snickers at one time.

I cut out sugar from time to time (always slip back into stuffing down cake so it doesn't last more than a few months). I notice that my athletes foot infection disappears when I do so and comes back when I fall off the wagon.

we haven’t cut out sugar but offer raw carrots or an apple if people tell me they are hungry, also make popcorn with salt (!!) for films/snacks.

Yes @NeverDropYourMooncup

People will step up their campaign as a result.

You think they get too much sugar now? The moment anybody hears you don't want them to be given any, it'll be four times the amount.

This - some people see it as a point of principle to do this, because really your children won’t have lived without a sharing pack of sweets each..

I have the same, sugar literally feeds the infection.

I don’t know the answer OP but I’d try not to make too big a deal out of it in front of the kids, it’ll just make them want it more. Perhaps just subtly reduce at home and as you say, encourage them to ask you before accepting sweets etc elsewhere? You could always say something like “thanks but we’ve got some treats planned for later” and then make the treat something less sugary.

That’s wonderful! May I ask what you eat in a typical day?

I simply didn't buy sweet treats for the house. I made ice lollies with fruit and water for summer treats. They are adults now, one has a sweet tooth one is super healthy

Lots of solidarity from me, I have exactly the same issue from grandparents and family. Drives me crazy that they feel like they aren't treating their grandchildren if they're not feeding them processed sugary crap. Lollipops are my biggest hate because of the constant contact with teeth and choking hazard. Grandparents are absolutely amazing in every other way and I would never ever dream of restricting contact because of this but I am so frustrated by it

Wish I could give you a solution but I have none, some extended family look at me like I have 2 heads when I have refused seconds of a sugary snack on DC's behalf.

At home, we try cut out the additional sugars in things like bread, sauces, yoghurt etc by making our own and only having porridge for breakfast with fruit/dates for sweetness, no drinks except water and milk. This eliminates the sugars in the otherwise savoury meals and also removes as much UPF as possible from our diet

@Goatsanddogs you sound amazing, my children's grandparents had your outlook when bringing up their own kids and now give their grandchildren all the sugar in the world🙄

Buying sweets & treats for the house is getting cut out, every day it "mum Katie's mum gave me a lollipop can I bring out haribo for us" I'm just going to have to say sorry we have no treats in!
As I said to DH we'll have an ice cream on a day out etc as usual but no more crap in the house... Popcorn for movies, fruit unlimited!

DD recently had a sleepover with DBIL and DSIL.

She had cake after lunch with a milkshake, toffee popcorn after the walk home, rocky road and millionaires shortbread bites after tea.

I take on board she needs to self regulate absolutely. But to me this was an obscene amount of sugar to feed a person (she's 14).

All I can do is compensate like crazy after

Sure 😊

Breakfast
Me: natural yogurt with no sugar muesli (with nuts), tea spoon of honey (or more if I fancy), frozen raspberries. On weekends I eat scrambled eggs etc.
Husband: porridge with frozen blueberries or scrambled eggs, two toasts with hummus and hard boiled egg etc.

Lunch
Same for both:
salad with mozzarella/feta cheese/chickpeas baked with spices and olive oil/some vegetarian cutlets, on top: pumpkin seeds, seasoned with olive oil and lemon or some other dressing. I also eat fruit like apple or banana (or both).

Tea
Vegetable soup with lentils / pasta / baked sweet potato with onions and chickpeas, steamed fish and veggies with rice, chicken, veggies and mash potatoes etc.

We don't avoid carbs, it's just refined sugar we said no to. I can't imagine giving up fruit or pasta. Although I used to snack on Jacob's crackers a lot and gave it up too, because it became addictive 😳

Yes, I always felt like having a nap in the evening, not anymore. I think it links to giving up sweets, because I don't get more sleep.

As 80s&90s kids we were stuffed with sugar and I always lacked motivation to give it up. I hope this new way of eating will stay with me for longer, especially that I don't feel deprived, like I would be i.e. on low carbs. I won't say no to someone's birthday cake, but I don't want to buy anything and keep it at home.

@xogossipgirlxo thanks for this, would love to feel like I have more energy. Can't give up my weekend wine or my cuppa tea though, definitely my vices & won't be saying no to birthday cake either!

Urgh people who enforce sugar on children are awful. Maybe it was different in the past but there's no excuse of 'it's harmless' anymore. We KNOW it's not harmless.

I will have no time for anyone who does this to my DD as she gets older (she's a little young at the moment). I don't care if I can't use an allergy as an excuse I'll just be the dickhead who says "NO KEEP YOUR SUGAR POISON AWAY"

My DH had an upbringing like you describe with treats all the time and ribena in the house etc. he now has severe IBD and blames the excessive sugar that he had for years as part of the reason. It's heartbreaking that there are children now who are having the same damage done to them which will only show up later in life.

Much respect to you OP for standing strong against those who try to harm your child.