Yoli Helps Children Update: Simple changes we can make to improve this growing problem…we can do it!

August 30, 2009

After putting together my blog post on the new study that supports what Yoli is trying to do to help us and our children improve our health, lower sugar intake and assist in breaking the obesity epidemic, I wanted to share with you the summary of the report and comment on the recommendations (which still aren’t that great) so that we can all start to improve the situation and start getting healthier today. Please read the details below and share your thoughts in the comment section…

Consumer knowledge and practice in relation to drinks for children and young people

Publication date: August 2009

Summary

Unhealthy Drinks for Children

Parents and teenagers had a good idea of which drinks were healthier than others, but most did not count drinks as part of their daily food consumption. Calories from drinks are therefore invisible to them
The main concern around drinks (when probed) was sugar content and in particular, ‘hidden sugars’.
This was followed by E numbers, and then fat and caffeine content to a lesser extent - (There are many other factors that we have to consider as well – preservatives, pasteurization, dyes and more – Yoli has none of this and still tastes great)
Schools (via policies and the curriculum), doctors and dentists were seen as key informants and
influencers when it came to nutrition information. Most parents felt it was the government’s duty to inform the general public and the school’s responsibility to inform the children of the correct guidelines.
Many parents reported learning about healthy eating from their children - (we have to take control of this and not rely on the government or the schools. They are heavily lobbied by these food and drink manufacturers. Yoli can help to break this cycle)
A common view was that parental control over food intake is somewhat lost when children reach a certain age. While younger children were said to be influenced both by what their parents purchase and school policies, teenagers were influenced by other factors when choosing their drinks, including cost, advertising and, to a great extent, image - (Keep Yoli in the house)
Parents perceived the increased variety of drinks in the marketplace as a negative, as it causes confusion as to what is ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’. They also said they find it difficult to access information on the content of drinks and believe that juices and juice drinks (anything that does
not constitute ‘soft drinks’) are mainly healthy. Many called for clearer and easier to understand information to be provided on pack. - (All these drinks are masked with fancy labels and terms – you are really just consuming sugar and water with a lot of other crap that is not good for us)

Yoli Drinks

Key messages for consumers

Drinks are an important part of our diets (and calorie intakes) and need to considered as part of our overall food intake because of the nutrients they provide (or lack of them) and how they affect our appetite. - (Yoli is good for us and has nearly ZERO calories)
Milk and water are the most suitable drinks between meals - (most of the water we drink is not that good for us. Low alkalinity, fluoride and other substances make today’s drinking water low grade. Most of us know, or should know that dairy in general is not really good for the body. All humans have some level of allergic reaction to milk. Mucus build up, etc. Also, milk has plenty of sugar in it naturally. Yoli can help us get high levels of nutrition while also reducing the sugar and calories we intake)
Low-fat or semi-skimmed milk is suitable for children aged two and upwards who are eating well. Babies and toddlers need the extra calories provided by full fat or whole milk – (Yoli’s Baby Blasts that are coming in the future should improve nutrition and convenience for our little ones…stay tuned on this)
Flavored milk and hot chocolate are good alternative sources of calcium for those who do not drink milk, but they should be reserved for mealtimes because they contain added sugar. When buying them compare the labels and choose those with the lowest amount of added sugar - (These are loaded with sugar – stay away! Yoli will help to suppress your appetite and keep good nutrition in your body)
Fruit juice is a good choice, though there are a number of points to consider:
–– Juices can contain sugar so choose 100% pure fruit juices that are unsweetened,
i.e. contain no added sugar - (no added sugar or not, these juices have no fiber and the sugar from the fruit is just as bad for you. Sugar is sugar, whether its from natural sources or not. We have to cut back. That is why Yoli is bringing their BlastCap products to market.)
–– Juices only count as one portion of your 5-a-day fruit and vegetables requirements, regardless of
how much you drink - (Yoli Truth contains 6 servings of fruits and vegetables in one drink)
–– 100% pure fruit juices made ‘from concentrate’ count equally towards your 5-a-day - (just don’t consume them)
–– All types of fruit juice are acidic and can damage teeth, so they are better kept to mealtimes and
consumed with a straw – (don’t drink this stuff, we can do better)
–– When giving fruit juices to children, it is best to dilute them – one part juice to ten parts water - (Just give them Yoli as an alternative, now we can)
Squashes and ‘juice/fruit drinks’ often contain very little juice and quite a lot of sugar, so keep them to a minimum. Sugar-free squashes are a healthier alternative - (again, you know what I’m going to say)
Fizzy drinks contain a lot of sugar and are also acidic, so they can be very harmful to teeth and should not be drunk too often. Ideally they should be drunk with a straw and with meals. ‘Sugar-free’ or ‘diet’ varieties do contain less sugar but are still acidic. Using a straw will reduce the amount of sugar that comes into contact with teeth - (stop the madness, if it’s bad for our teeth, what do you think it does to our bodies? Acidic? Do we really want this stuff inside our bodies and our kids bodies – I’m opting out…)
Stimulant or so-called ‘energy’ drinks usually contain a lot of sugar and caffeine. These drinks are not suitable as thirst quenchers after sports activities and should not be drunk with alcohol or medication. Children under 16 or pregnant women should not drink energy drinks. Sports drinks can be helpful to those who are doing intensive sport lasting longer than 60 minutes, but because of their high sugar content they should not be drunk every day, or outside of sporting activities - (caffeine is the new over-the-counter drug of choice, our kids will soon be consuming this fake form of energy regularly if we don’t do something about it now. give Yoli a chance)
When choosing hot drinks, ask for them to be made with low fat/skimmed milk and go for regular size options rather than larger ones – (caffeine, pasteurized milk, sugars – it never ends)
Consumers should read the labels on drinks and compare brands for their fat and sugar content - (this is key, we need to understand what we are putting into our bodies each day)
Parents and guardians can encourage children to choose healthier drinks by following these tips: (THIS IS WHERE WE CAN MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT)
–– Make healthier choices when shopping – if you limit what’s available, then it is easier for younger children to make healthier choices
–– Don’t be afraid to make changes at home. Parents who simply stop buying unhealthy drinks say it
works, despite some initial resistance (with Yoli coming to the house each month, it only makes this process easier)
–– Make healthy drinks fun – use straws, brightly colored bottles and different types of glasses to encourage younger children to consume milk and water - (Yoli is a ton of fun – kids and adults love the “blasting” WOW effect that Yoli drinks have)
–– Teenagers will be more interested in knowing the short term benefits of choosing healthy drinks, which will help them to make healthier choices
–– Remember – every little step counts! – (this is so true, we just need to do a little bit each day and we can make a BIG impact, you can do it…)