Raisins are bad for your kids
February 23rd, 2008
Well, bad for their teeth anyway. Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you, but it got your attention right?
When Dr. DreamyMcSteamy told me this interesting fact I was very surprised since I always figured it was better to give our kids natural snacks rather than candy and cookies. Although dried fruit makes for a healthy snack, it is terrible for your teeth – almost as bad as drinking a can of soda! I knew there was a reason why I chose cookies over raisins all these years.
What makes them so bad? For one thing, raisins are loaded with concentrated sugar. For another, they stick to the teeth, allowing those sugars to spend more time doing its damage. Of course that means that all of those other sticky, sugary treats like fruit snacks and fruit roll-ups should be off-limits as well. Dr. DreamyMcSteamy also put gummy bears on that list (Just so you know, I cannot walk by a gummy bear without eating it. I looove gummy bears. They are my friends.) but I explained to him that they do not stick to teeth since they are much firmer in texture. He doesn’t buy it and still insists they belong on the “bad” list. Whatever, what does he know?
On the same topic, I found an article in Parents Magazine about some fruits, vegetables and other foods that can actually protect your teeth (click here to read the full article). Fruits that are high in vitamin C (oranges, limes, kiwis, cantaloupe, papaya and strawberries) help kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis, which is the first stage of gum disease. Vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes and sweet potatoes also have bacteria-fighting properties. Dr. DreamyMcSteamy also says that wasabi (the spicy green horseradish served with sushi) is beneficial as well. But good luck getting your kids to eat that! I’ll stick to the fruit, thanks. I figure eating an orange should cancel out the pound of gummy bears I just inhaled in front of the television.
