Should You Give Gummy Candy to Your Children?

Children tend to be attracted to the colors and sweet scent of gummy candy. However, eating too much of them can be harmful. Being aware of this can prevent future problems.

We all love to enjoy some delicious sweets from time to time. You can buy them at any store or supermarket at affordable prices and in a myriad of varieties. However, gummy candy lacks any sort of nutritional value.

It’s essential to know the disadvantages of offering these candies to children. If you don’t, you could put their health at risk or harm them. 

Remember, both good nutrition and good eating habits during childhood are important. They make sure that kids will become healthy, strong adults.

Consequences of excess gummy candy

When referring to gummy candy or sweets, we’re talking about products made with high amounts of sugars and other artificial substances. They don’t contribute anything good to the body.

Although they look harmless, many of them are very harmful to your health. Some of the consequences of eating too many are:

Dental problems

Sugar works in a specific way in the mouth. When you eat too much, it releases an acid that attacks tooth enamel. In fact, it causes serious problems that go beyond cavities. Therefore, you’ll need more dental treatments.

Psychological effects

When there’s no control over how much gummy candy kids eat, many children fail to develop good eating habits.

Therefore, they start demanding the immediate satisfaction of getting what they want, such as gummy candy or other substances harmful to their health. It’s similar to drugs and alcohol.

Stomach problems

Combining sugar, dyes, chemical preservatives and animal fats can cause colic, vomiting and diarrhea. Since it’s not part of a healthy diet, eating them too often can cause stomach problems.

Childhood obesity

Eating too much gummy candy and unhealthy foods often leads to problems such as obesity. In these cases, even if kids are overweight, they may suffer from malnutrition. This requires immediate medical intervention.

Other consequences are decreased appetite, which deprives the body of the nutrients it needs. In addition, there’s a greater possibility of suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol, skin problems and allergies.

How to reduce consumption of gummy candy in childhood

Being one of the most attractive candies for their smell, color and taste, it’s almost impossible to stop eating them completely. However, you can fight the struggle with the following recommendations:

Reach an agreement with your child

You can teach your children why eating too much gummy candy can be bad for their health. Therefore, although your children can eat them, it’s best to leave them for special occasions. In addition, you should teach them to brush their teeth after eating them to avoid dental problems.

Choose the right ones

Another recommendation is to only eat them in small portions. In general, the smaller packs go through greater marketing control. Therefore, they could be less harmful. Other ways to choose good ones are:

• Choose ones that are light or pale colors. They have less dyes.
• Diversify them by integrating them with other healthy snacks. For example, add them to fruits, nuts, seeds, etc.
• Opt for light treats.

Make them at home

If you think your child deserves a sweet, make them at home! You can use this recipe:

• Choose whatever juice you like. It can be strawberry, lemon, orange, and others. Then, mix it with neutral gelatin powder.
• You can choose any kind of gelatin flavor, if you’d like.
• To make them look pretty, use molds in your child’s favorite shapes. Grease them and add the mixture.
• Let them stand until they solidify, about 10 hours. Finally, add sugar to taste.

With this recipe, you can indulge on a special occasion without eating harmful chemical preservatives. In conclusion, children and gummy candy can have a healthy relationship when there is moderation. Don’t eat them too often to keep your little one healthy.