Reducing sugar in kids' diets: Tips and a sugar-free apple cake recipe

The school year has just started, and I've already noticed that my kids are consuming more and more sugar. First, it was a sweet bun, then a friend brought wafers, and with dessert at Grandma's, they always seemed to want something sweet for their second breakfast. That's why I suggested a simple apple cake without any added sugar. They were happy to take it to school as well.

Research shows that we have too much sugar in our diet, both for children and adults. Excess sugar leads to overweight, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, all of which increase the risk of heart disease. We all know this, but cutting down on sugar in our diet is not easy.

Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet requires daily attention, and even small changes matter. What do dietitians recommend paying attention to?

• Read labels. Choose products with lower sugar content. Remember to be cautious of items labeled "no added sugar" because sugar might be listed under other names such as sucrose, glucose-fructose syrup, or corn syrup.
• Cut out sugary drinks. Besides sugar, they contain a range of additional substances. The best alternative to sugary drinks is water, as it contains no additives.
• Replace sweets with fresh or dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and kernels. Another step is to replace sugar with other types of spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla, which also add a sweet flavour to dishes.
• Use natural sweeteners like stevia or xylitol, but in moderate amounts. They are also suitable for homemade cakes.

Fall is the time for apple pies. These baked goods can be made with little sugar or by substituting it with sweeteners. Naturally sweet fruits will make it so that no one will even realize they have no sugar! My husband and kids were delighted with the taste of this simple cake with fruits and nuts.

Ingredients:

• 3 apples
• 200 grams whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 15 grams wheat bran
• 140 grams xylitol
• 70 grams chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
• 200 millilitres unsweetened almond milk
• 1 egg
• 60 millilitres oil

Preparation:

1. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut them into pieces.
2. Pour the almond milk into a bowl, add the egg, oil, and mix until combined.
3. In another bowl, pour in the flour, add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, bran, xylitol, and nuts, and mix.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and briefly mix with a spoon until combined. Add the chopped apples and mix again.
5. Transfer the batter to a loaf pan (30x13 centimetres) lined with parchment paper and smooth the top.
6. Place it in a preheated oven. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) using the top-bottom function for about 60 minutes.