America is a country which is pretty well known for being big on candy. It features heavily in almost all our holidays and our day to day lives are often punctuated by confectionary ads, crammed shelves at the store or simply our own sugar cravings! But June is one time in particular that focus is drawn to the US candy industry, with National Candy Month (a month of encouraged candy chomping set up by – surprise, surprise – the National Confectioners Association) celebrating over 100 years of candy production.
As proponents of oral health, especially oral health in young children, it will probably come as no great shock to our blog readers and loyal Babycup customers that we’re not all that keen on this awareness day.
So why, you might ask, are we writing about it?
Well, there’s no point ignoring a problem – it’s always better to act. And in this case, we want to offer you all some tooth-friendly alternatives to the regular, high-sugar candy choices to go against the grain for National Candy Month.
There’s nothing wrong with having a sweet tooth, or admitting to enjoying candy from time to time. Yes, we want the best for your child’s oral development, which is why we created the Babycup First Cup in the first place! But removing the joy of candy from a kid’s life is not the answer. I think we can all attest to rebelling against whatever our parents enforce!
The odd piece of store-bought candy (when paired with a healthy diet and lifestyle, great oral hygiene habits and supported oral development through the use of a Babycup First Cup) is not the end of the world! But most parents and dentists agree that sugary treats should be limited. Or changed up for a healthier option.
But, taking candy from a baby isn’t always as easy as the old saying makes out and, if healthy fruit, veg and home baked goods just ain’t cutting it during National Candy Month, how about making your own refined sugar-free candy? In 10 minutes flat!
Kids and adults alike will love these refined sugar-free, paleo honey and lemon gummy bears. You can also get creative and make an assortment of sugar-free flavours or use manuka honey for a delicious flu fix! Here’s how you can create yours, with a wonderful recipe courtesy of Heather Resler createdelicious.com
Honey & Lemon Paleo Gummy Bears
Ditch refined sugar for National Candy Month
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the water.
- In another bowl, microwave the lemon juice and honey until it boils.
- Whisk in the gelatin mixture until smooth.
- Working quickly, carefully spoon the mixture into gummy bear molds (makes about 40 bears).
- Freeze until set (shouldn’t be more than a few minutes).
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition information
Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 5 bears) Calories: 15 Fat: 0 g Saturated fat: 0 g Unsaturated fat: 0 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 2.2 g Sugar: 2.2 g Sodium: 4 mg Fiber: 0g Protein: 1.5 g Cholesterol: 0 mg
Notes
You can find the gummy bear mold Heather used here.
Nutrition data calculated with 1 tablespoon honey.
