SUGARPROOF: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar That Are Putting Your Child’s Health at Risk and What You Can Do, USC Professor of Pediatrics and Program Dire...

In SUGARPROOF: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar That Are Putting Your Child’s Health at Risk and What You Can Do, USC Professor of Pediatrics and Program Director for Diabetes and Obesity at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. Michael Goran, and co-author Dr. Emily Ventura, an expert in nutrition education and recipe development, explain the overabundance of sugar in kids’ diets and how different types of sugar can have a direct adverse effect on kids’ weight, chronic disease risk, behavior, and how well they do in school. In a groundbreaking study, Dr. Goran’s team conducted a detailed analysis of the sugary products that kids love and found that these yogurts, cereals, sodas, and juices often had more sugar than advertised and also contained different types of sugar than were being disclosed. Most of us know that sugar can wreak havoc on adult bodies, but few realize how uniquely harmful it is to the growing livers, hearts, and brains of children. Today’s children are not just consuming more sugar than ever, but they are consuming sugars that are particularly harmful to them–and their parents don’t even know it. A child doesn’t need to be overweight to have a sugar problem. In fact, even if well-meaning parents purchase organic cereal and low-fat yogurt, their child could still have dangerously high levels of blood lipids or body fat wrapped around internal organs. Sugar could be causing problems in school, disrupting sleep, and/or contributing to inflammatory conditions such as asthma and acne. With a 7-day and 28-day challenge to help families right-size sugar in their diets, along with 39 recipes all without added sugars, everyone can give their children a healthy new start to life. Sugarproof busts myths about the various types of sugars and sweeteners, helps families identify sneaky sources of sugar in their diets, and suggests realistic, family-based solutions to reduce sugar consumption and therefore protect kids. “Sugarproof” isn’t about quitting sugar entirely. It’s about becoming less reliant on sweet foods and drinks as daily staples. Goran and Ventura offer a reliable and straightforward approach, teaching parents to raise informed and empowered kids who can set their own healthy limits without feeling restricted.