Sugar is nutrition's public enemy number one - and the start of a new year seemed the time to reduce my family's high sugar consumption. I heard about Finchley-based nutritionist Laura Southern who runs sell-out courses, packed with north west Londoners on how to give up sugar.
For adults, she offers a 30-day no-sugar challenge to help us eradicate sugar from our diets, plus a refresher course for those who may have strayed since attending the first course. For parents worried about their offspring, she offers an evening on how to reduce the evil white powder in your children's diets.
A mother of two young children, Southern empathises with the difficulties of withdrawing sugar from our children's diets, but takes a no-nonsense approach, listing all the foods we should be avoiding.
"White carbohydrates are essentially sugar," says Southern listing the many more foods that are favourites with children, but depressingly sugar-filled; a small box of raisins weighs in with three teaspoons, while Petit Filous mini fromage frais pots pack in more than one and a half teaspoons. With the recommended amount for children aged five to 10 no more than 15 teaspoons, this is not insignificant.
"Every time you eat sugar, some will be stored in your cells, but the surplus will be stored as fat, generally around your middle. That is called 'central fat' - the damaging fat that can lead to metabolic syndrome, which will increase your chances of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and strokes."
Children can also be adversely affected.
"As few as six teaspoons of sugar per day can reduce effectiveness of a child's immune system by 25 per cent. "
She confirms the inflammatory effect sugar has on our bodies. Too much can lead to increased risk of inflammatory diseases like osteo-arthritis, dermatitis and digestive problems. The risk of auto-immune conditions like multiple-sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's can also be increased.
In children the inflammatory effect of sugar can exacerbate common childhood conditions such as eczema, asthma, allergies and glue ear.
"Children are also more affected by sugar highs and lows than adults - the classic case being that sugar high after a party and then the ensuing tantrums about an hour and a half to two hours later when they come crashing down."
She warns that in the worst cases, there is also a danger of malnutrition.
"Sugar is addictive, so those children affected will often refuse to eat anything but sugary foods. You make them a meal which they refuse, and, worried they'll be hungry, you make them plain white pasta or a piece of toast instead, which they will happily eat. But they are foods that act in the body the same way as sugar, and by eating this kind of food regularly, they miss out on vital nutrients."
It can also adversely affect our digestion.
"Your gut is lined with bacteria and yeasts known as the 'human microbiome'. Eating too much sugar can kill these off and create bad bacteria which causes an imbalance, which in turn can lead to disease."
Southern explains that when people are struggling with sugar cravings, this is due to the bad bacteria or bugs populating their gut. "These bugs control you, sending messages to your brain to feed them sugar. It's hard to resist."
But Southern says it is possible to take control. If you go cold turkey she estimates it would take a fortnight to a month to kill them off and to repopulate your gut with good bacteria.
"You may get detox symptoms after a fortnight or so. As the bad bugs give off gasses as they die off making you gassy."
At the same time you should take probiotics and eat plenty of foods that will help your gut produce more bacteria.
"Eat live yoghurt, miso and pickles - even (sugar-free) pickled cucumbers. Sauerkraut is also a favourite with nutritionists."
Broths like simple chicken soup - made with bones and carcasses and not stock cubes - are also recommended by nutritionists. Jewish favourites like chicken soup and pickled cucumbers are perfect.
"Broths contain glutonin which comes from the chicken bones."
Southern also advises eating foods supportive to your liver during the detox such as beetroot, bitter leaves like rocket, kale, chicory and watercress, radishes and lemons.
When reducing sugar in your children's diets, Southern suggests a gradual reduction and making healthy switches.
"Try homemade smoothie ice lollies instead of ice cream, and maybe just a few chocolate chips in a bowl of healthier savoury snacks like nuts and seeds or toasted chickpeas. Hide vegetables in home made smoothies."
She suggests making sure you give them a range of colourful vegetables at each meal.
"Make healthy food fun - get them to try eating carrots with chopsticks or edamame beans with a toothpick."
As well as the bad news, Southern provides helpful lists of foods free from hidden sugars, recipes for sugar-free treats and samples of healthy foods.
Southern, who is herself sugar-free, is so bright-eyed and bushy tailed that she sells the lifestyle. I left her course full of good intentions, and have, for the most part, reduced my own consumption. My children are a work in progress.
Laura Southern will be running No-sugar Challenge on January 19, No-sugar Challenge Again (a refresher course) on January 13 and Reducing Sugar in your Child's diet on January 15.
