Q: How can I stay away from sweets when I have a really big sweet tooth? I’m finding it really hard.

A: The reason you have a sugar addiction in the first place is because you eat too much sugar. When you eat sugar your body tends to overproduce insulin. This excess insulin causes your blood sugar to drop. Your body then craves more sugar in order to raise your blood sugar level back to normal. You find yourself caught in a vicious circle.

The only way out of this never-ending sugar addiction roller coaster is to break the cycle – that means eliminating sugar from your diet, or at least cutting down on it dramatically. The less you eat, the less you will crave.

Now as you said, it’s not all that easy. The first steps are to eliminate foods containing sugar from your diet, anything with an –ose on the end of the word is a sugar e.g. sucrose, dextrose, maltose, so read the ingredient list carefully. There can be sugar in savoury foods such as tomato ketchup and baked beans.

At the same time, make sure that you eat little and often, not leaving more than three hours without eating as this will stop the roller coaster of blood sugar and reduce the cravings. In order to help your body while you get your blood sugar under control add in a chromium supplement as this mineral is needed for the metabolism of sugar. Avoid chromium in the form of picolinate as this is a synthetic form of chromium and has been linked to DNA damage, liver dysfunction, skin blisters and anaemia (see my book ‘Fat around the Middle’). Chromium polynicotinate is fine.

With the latest research suggesting that depression among children and teenagers as well as obesity is on the increase here are some natural ways to help lift your child’s mood; and keep them fit and happy at the same time.

1. Set a good example and eat fresh, healthy food yourself: Children are born copy cats and learn from example. If you eat a healthy diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains your child will follow your example and get all the nutrients he or she needs to feel healthy and reach his or her full growth potential.
2. Decide on a bedtime and stick to it; even at weekends. Sleep patterns vary by age and the individual child, but most kids need an average of 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night. Sleep gives growing bodies and brains the rest they need to develop and function properly.
3. Don’t give your kids ‘unlimited’ pocket money. They are likely to spend it on sweets and junk food that will send their blood sugar levels soaring and their mood plummeting. Sugar creates imbalances in energy that can contribute to erratic behaviour and mood changes. Sweets, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, some breakfast cereals, soft drinks, puddings and many other foods all contain sugar in one of its many forms. When checking labels, look out for sucrose, glucose, maltose, dextrose, inverted sugar syrup, golden syrup, corn syrup and treacle. Also check for additives – artificial colourings, sweeteners, preservatives and flavourings can all contribute to adverse behaviour, particularly the orange colouring tartrazine (E102) found in some orange squashes and sweets. So avoid giving your child processed foods and opt instead for natural and sugar-free alternatives.
4. Give them omega 3 fish oils: Found in oily fish, nuts and seeds and absolutely essential for your child’s mood and wellbeing. Study after study has confirmed their beneficial effect on brain function. If they won’t eat oily fish then a supplement can be useful. As most children are not happy to swallow capsules or take liquids which taste of fish oil, then two good fish oil supplements for children are OmegaBerry and LipoCell as they are liquid and fruit flavoured (For details call the Natural Health Practice on 0845 88 00 915 – overseas +44 (0) 1892 507598).
5. Don’t forget snacks: Children need regular nibbles to keep their blood sugar levels steady and to prevent dips in mood followed by cravings for unhealthy food. Good ideas are seeds, sugar-free cereal, fruit, raw veggies in dips, oat cakes, rice cakes and whole grain sandwiches.
6. Make sure they eat breakfast: Research shows that children who eat a healthy breakfast perform far better at school, have better concentration and a more positive attitude.
7. Increase their intake of fruits and veg: Rather than letting your child fill up on junk food, give them whole, nutritious food to eat. White bread, rice and pasta have the nutrients stripped out, so opt instead for wholemeal varieties, which are also more filling and contain fibre to encourage healthy digestion. Ensure too that their diet is rich in fresh fruit and vegetables which provide vitamins and minerals essential to support their health while they are growing. Some children may be reluctant to swap the sweets for an apple, but if you hold firm, often their sweet tooth will recede. Also use your imagination to make fresh food more exciting – tempt them with bite-size snacks of cherry tomatoes or grapes, baked apples or bananas with sultanas, served with organic plain live yogurt, cut vegetables in fun shapes to eat with dips, or pureé and ‘disguise’ them in sauces and soups. For children who are used to a diet of processed food such as chicken nuggets or fish fingers, it may help to switch across first to a home made equivalent such as fish cakes and then gradually introduce more vegetables into the mix e.g. fish and broccoli cakes, etc. That way their taste buds gradually adjust to natural vegetable flavours.
8. Make sure they get enough exercise: Because obesity is a growing problem in kids and weight gain is linked to low self esteem, parents should make sure that their children exercise regularly, as well as receive proper nutrition. Bicycling, hiking, in-line skating, sports, or any enjoyable activity that will motivate your kid to get moving will promote good health and fitness and help your child maintain a healthy weight.
9. Set limits on television, computer and Play Station time: Too much screen time encourages inactivity and poor communication. Encourage active, unstructured play instead to keep your child’s body and mind lifted.
10. Talk: However busy your day, make sure you find the time to talk to your child; ideally this should be at mealtimes. Children thrive when parents show an interest in what they have to say. If you’ve got a teenager who is unwilling to open up don’t ever stop trying; deep down every teen still craves attention.

Q: What size portions do my children need?

A: You don’t want to provide children with too little to meet their needs for growth. On the other hand, servings that are too large tend to overwhelm children, and they may have trouble eating all of them. Serving small portions to young children is often the best way for them to learn to eat only until satisfied, instead of overeating.

Start kids off with less and encourage them to ask for more if they’re still hungry. For each year of age, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends one tablespoon of every food offered at a meal. That means three-year-olds would start with three tablespoons of every food offered, and if they eat it all, they can ask for more.

Don’t make the mistake of scolding children for not finishing all you have served. If you view this as a “waste” of food, serve less instead of forcing them to overeat. Respect your children’s ability to tell when they’ve had enough. But don’t hand out snacks an hour after dinner if they are suddenly hungry because they ate too little at the previous meal. Eventually, they will learn to gauge their own appetites and get most of what they need at regular meals.