Is it Just a Spoonful of Sugar?

Did you know that while cats like the taste of protein, humans are naturally drawn to carbohydrates – sweetness. This instinct once helped early humans because most things in nature that are sweet are not poisonous. But we’ve discovered how to extract the sweetness and leave the rest – bad news for our nutrition and it’s leading many of us—and our children—toward an overload of sugar. The average intake of sugar today has gone up thirty fold since a hundred years ago.

Why It Matters:

✔ Modern food processing has allowed us to extract pure sweetness, leaving behind the fibre and nutrients that once balanced our diets. This has real consequences: fast-releasing sugars (like white sugar, syrup, and even honey) cause quick spikes in blood sugar and if excess sugar is not required by the body it is put into storage, eventually storing as fat.

What You Need to Know:

✔ Carbohydrates are an important source of fuel for your child. The trick is to keep the supply even and from a source of whole foods predominantly low GL.

✔ Glycaemic Index (GI):
The GI measures how quickly foods raise your blood sugar levels. High GI foods (such as white bread) cause rapid spikes, whereas low GI foods (such as lentils) lead to a more gradual increase.

✔ Glycaemic Load (GL):
GL combines the GI with the number of carbohydrates in a typical serving, providing a more accurate picture of how your chosen portion size affects your blood sugar. Even a low GI food can lead to high blood sugar if you eat a large portion. Therefore, GL gives a fuller understanding of your meal’s overall impact.

Understanding “Spoons of Sugar”

Dr. David Unwin, a UK doctor, converted the GL score of a food into of “teaspoons of sugar equivalent” to make it easy for his patients to ‘see’ how much sugar they were eating.

Here’s some examples:
🍚 Coco Pops (30g serving) = 7.3 teaspoons of sugar
🍌 Banana (120g) = 5.9 teaspoons of sugar
🍏 Apple (120g) = 2.2 teaspoons of sugar

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Remove high GL snacks for your children during the week and swap these for low-GL options like oatcakes with hummus or an apple with nuts. Notice the difference in energy and mood.

💬 Encouragement for Parents: Remember, it’s normal for children to resist dietary changes initially. Consistency and patience are key. Celebrate small victories and continue to encourage healthy choices. By creating a supportive home environment and modelling healthy choices, you’re not just changing meals—you’re changing habits for life!

📌 Next email: Protein + Carbs = A Winning Combination

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

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Navigating Reducing Sugar in Your Child’s Diet

Reducing sugary, high-glycaemic-load (GL) foods in your child’s diet can be a daunting task. These foods are often the ones children love the most, and changing established eating habits requires patience and persistence. However, making small, manageable adjustments can lead to significant improvements in your child’s energy levels and overall health.

What You Need to Know:

✔ Children often prefer sugary foods due to taste, habit, and marketing exposure—changing this requires both environmental and behavioural shifts.

✔ Reducing sugar doesn’t mean cutting all sweet foods—substitution and positive reinforcement work better than restriction alone.

✔ According to the Behaviour Change Wheel, interventions that involve modelling, enablement, and environmental restructuring are among the most effective.

✔ Making changes as a family enhances motivation and builds a supportive social environment for sustained habits.

Here are Five Practical Steps to Reduce High-GL Foods:

1. Involve Your Child in Meal Planning
Let them help choose recipes, write the shopping list, and cook meals. When kids feel ownership, they’re more likely to try new, healthier foods.

2. Make Healthy Foods Visually Appealing
Use colourful plates, fun shapes, and DIY meal stations (like veggie faces on wholegrain pizza) to make meals fun and approachable.

3. Gradually Substitute High-GL Foods
Reducing sugar doesn’t mean cutting all sweet foods—substitution and positive reinforcement work better than restriction alone. Start small—swap white bread for wholemeal, sugary cereal for oats with berries. Gradual change increases acceptance and sustainability.

4. Model the Behaviour You Want to See
Kids mimic what they see. When you consistently eat and enjoy healthy foods, they’re more likely to do the same.

5. Reduce Processed Food Availability at Home
Make it easier to choose well—keep ultra-processed foods out of sight or out of the house and stock up on nourishing options like nuts, fruits, and veg.

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Create a shared meal planning space in your kitchen—use a chalkboard or whiteboard where children and teens of any age can get involved! Everyone can see and contribute. This makes healthy eating a family routine and supports planning, ownership, and shared responsibility.

💬 Encouragement for Parents: Remember, it’s normal for children to resist dietary changes initially. Consistency and patience are key. Celebrate small victories and continue to encourage healthy choices. By creating a supportive home environment and modelling healthy choices, you’re not just changing meals—you’re changing habits for life!

📌 Next email: Is it Just a Spoonful of Sugar?

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

Supercharge Family Meals with Low-GL Lunches & Dinners

Getting your kids to enjoy a wholesome low GL lunch or dinner isn’t always easy. Yet, ensuring these meals are packed with the dynamic duo of fibre and protein is crucial for steady energy and focus throughout the school day and beyond.

Why It Matters:

When fibre and protein join forces in a meal, they work together to slow down the release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream and help maintain balanced blood glucose levels, keeping your child energised and focused. Here’s how:

• Fibre: It acts like a barrier—getting in the way of carbohydrates, impeding their interaction with digestive enzymes, and delaying their absorption into the bloodstream.

• Protein: It slows down the rate at which the stomach empties its contents into the intestines, ensuring that energy is released gradually.

What You Need to Know:

Here’s an easy way to build low-GL meals in three steps

✔ Fill Half their Plate with Veggies: Load up on non-starchy vegetables! Think greens like salad, broccoli, and peas, along with colourful veggies like carrots, tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms. These are naturally low-GL and packed with nutrients.

✔ Add a Quarter Plate of Protein: Choose protein that fits in the palm of their hand. This could be meat, fish, or chicken. For a plant-based option, try tofu, beans, or lentils.

✔ Finish with a Quarter Plate of Low-GL Carbs: Choose low-GL carb options like brown basmati rice, wholegrain pasta, or bulgur.

Explore the Smart Food For Smart Kids Recipe Book by Patrick Holford & Fiona McDonald Joyce for more easy, delicious, and GL-rated recipes Only the most delicious recipes, as voted by kids made it into the recipe book!

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Pack a low-GL lunch for your child today—try a wholegrain wrap with chicken, salad, and a handful of nuts or seeds.

💬 Encouragement for Parents:

You’re setting up your child for success! By making fibre and protein a staple in their meals, you’re setting the stage for better focus, improved mood, and overall healthier eating habits. These small tweaks will help them feel better and stay focused throughout the day.

📌 Next email: The Hidden Sugars You Need to Watch Out For!

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

The Low-GL Breakfasts Busy Parents Love!

Mornings can be a whirlwind—getting the kids out the door and ready for school often leaves little time for breakfast. Yet, a good, nutritious meal in the morning is essential for your child to concentrate and thrive in the classroom.

A great day starts with a balanced breakfast! We’re going to show you how to find the right mix of nutrients that will keep your child’s blood sugar steady and their energy levels strong.

Why It Matters:

✔ Steady Energy All Morning: When your child’s breakfast is low in high GL foods, their blood sugar stays steady. This means fewer mid-morning crashes, reduced dizziness, and a sharper focus on schoolwork.

✔ Improved Concentration: A balanced, low-GL meal fuels the brain steadily throughout the day—helping your child stay alert and engaged in their lessons.

✔ Better Sleep Equals Easier Mornings: We’ve found that children who eat nutritious food generally enjoy a better night’s sleep. When your child wakes up refreshed, they’re more inclined to eat a healthy breakfast, setting the tone for the day.

What You Need to Know:

✔ Swap sugary cereals for oats with nuts and berries or Greek yogurt with flaxseeds.
✔ Try scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast or nut butter on wholemeal bread.
✔ Smoothies can be a great option—just use protein-rich ingredients like Greek yogurt or nut butter.

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Swap your child’s usual breakfast for one of the low-GL options above!

💬 Encouragement for Parents:

Every small improvement adds up. A good breakfast sets the tone for the day ahead—keep up the great work!

📌 Next email: Lunchtime Swaps for Better Energy

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

Optimising your child’s Sugar Balance starts today!

Welcome to COGNITION for Smart Kids and Teens. Starting now and in the weeks that follow, we’re going to guide you in taking simple steps to help your child optimise their sugar balance.

Have you ever picked your child up from a birthday party and opened the door on a roomful of kids bouncing off the walls? That burst of energy is a clear sign of how dramatically sugar affects the brain. While a little sugar can be a quick source of energy, too much causes a rapid spike—and subsequent crash—in blood sugar levels, which can influence behaviour in significant ways.

Nothing is more important for your child’s brain than sugar—blood sugar, or glucose, to be exact. Glucose is the brain’s primary fuel, enabling clear thinking and steady concentration. We obtain this crucial fuel from the sugars and starches in our food, essentially the carbohydrates we consume, from berries to bread. The key however, is maintaining a consistent supply.

Why It Matters:

✔ Foods with a high glycaemic load such as (white bread, sweets and biscuits), lead to a rise in blood sugar levels and then levels plummet. These fluctuations might lead to symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, dizziness, insomnia, aggression, anxiety, night sweats, poor concentration, excessive thirst, depression, crying spells, or blurred vision.

✔ A stable blood sugar level supports learning, behaviour, and emotional regulation.

✔ Making small, healthy swaps can help prevent long-term health risks like obesity and diabetes.

What You Need to Know:

✔ When you keep blood sugar stable, your child benefits from:

• More Stable behaviour: Avoid the irritability and crying spells that come from blood sugar dips therefore preventing dramatic changes in mood and energy
• Clearer Focus: Balanced blood sugar helps keep your child’s brain sharp and calm. They can think with clarity and behave rationally

✔ Swapping processed snacks for protein-rich options can help balance blood sugar.

✔ Lowering GL in your child’s meals means focusing on foods that release sugars slowly. This doesn’t require memorising every detail about sugars—it’s simpler than that!

Here’s a quick example: Eating an apple (6 GL) instead of drinking a 200ml carton of apple juice (10 GL) keeps the fibre intact, which slows sugar release and keeps you full longer. Adding a handful of nuts (protein and good fats) or a hard-boiled egg further slows down digestion, giving you steady energy.

Here’s a handy GL Counter to learn more GL swaps – Patrick Holford GL Menu

How to Implement Change

Today’s Challenge: Observe what your child eats for breakfast. Does it contain protein, fibre, and healthy fats, or is it mostly sugar and refined carbs?

💬 Encouragement for Parents:

Small changes lead to big results! Over the next 14 days, we’ll guide you step by step to help balance your child’s sugar intake—without making mealtimes a battle.

📌 Next email: The Best Breakfasts to Start the Day Right!

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

Electromagnetic Radiation & Sleep

Many children and teens sleep with their phone next to them, either for social connection, an alarm clock, or “just in case.” But did you know that having a phone within arm’s reach can significantly reduce sleep quality?

Even if they don’t use it, the presence of a phone stimulates the brain, keeping it in a state of low alertness rather than deep rest.

Why It Matters

✔ Phones emit Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) even when not in use, which may disrupt sleep cycles.
✔ Notifications (even silent vibrations) keep the brain engaged, preventing deep sleep.
✔ Social media, texts, and late-night scrolling trigger dopamine spikes, making it harder to “switch off.”

What You Need to Know

How Phones in the Bedroom Disrupt Sleep:

– Blue light exposure reduces melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep.
– Text messages, notifications, or the temptation to check the phone, keep kids engaged long after lights out.
– Checking social media at night increases anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Best Practices for a Phone-Free Bedroom:

✔ Create a family-wide rule: No phones in bedrooms at night.
✔ Use a traditional alarm clock instead of a phone.
✔ Set up a “charging station” away from bedrooms to prevent night time scrolling.

How to Implement Change

Tonight’s Action Step: Set up a phone-free bedtime tonight. Have your child leave their phone outside their bedroom and observe how they feel in the morning. Bonus Tip: If your child struggles with this, start small—keep the phone across the room first, then move it out of the bedroom completely.

📌 Next email: Your Child’s SLEEP and CALM Domain – How Have they Progressed?

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

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Night Lights – Do They Help or Hurt Sleep?

Does your child sleep with a night light? Some night lights help sleep, while others disrupt it. Let’s find out what works best.

Why It Matters

✔ Blue and white lights suppress melatonin, delaying sleep.
✔ Red-toned lights are sleep-friendly and help maintain circadian rhythm.

What You Need to Know

Best Night Light Options for Sleep:
✔ Warm, red/orange-toned bulbs
✔ Soft, dimmable settings

Worst Night Lights for Sleep:
x Bright white or blue LED lights
x Tablet or TV screen glow

How to Implement Change

Tonight’s Action Step: if your child uses a night light, switch to a warm-toned bulb.

📌 Next email: No phones next to the bed—why it matters.

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

The Best Bedtime Snacks for Deep Sleep

Does your child wake up hungry in the middle of the night? Or struggle to settle down after dinner? What they eat before bed can make or break their sleep.

Many bedtime snacks cause blood sugar spikes—leading to restless sleep and early morning wake-ups. The solution? Low glycaemic, protein-rich snacks that keep blood sugar stable.

Why It Matters

✔ High-GI foods (like sugary snacks or white bread) cause blood sugar crashes, leading to night wake-ups.
✔ Protein-based snacks stabilise blood sugar and support melatonin production.
✔ Certain foods (like dairy and almonds) contain sleep-boosting nutrients like tryptophan and magnesium.

What You Need to Know

Best Sleep-Friendly Bedtime Snacks:

✔ Greek yogurt with a handful of nuts (protein + calcium for relaxation)
✔ Banana with almond butter (magnesium + tryptophan for melatonin)
✔ Boiled egg & wholegrain crackers (protein + B vitamins for brain health)

Snacks to Avoid Before Bed:

x Sugary cereals
x Fruit juice or dried fruit
x Crisps or processed carbs

How to Implement Change

Tonight’s Action Step: Swap your child’s usual bedtime snack for a sleep-friendly alternative tonight from the list above. Bonus Tip: Involve your child in choosing their bedtime snack—they’ll be more likely to enjoy it!

📌 Next email: Do night lights help or hurt sleep?

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

Magnesium – The Sleep Mineral

Does your child struggle to wind down at night? Do they feel restless, wake up frequently, or complain of muscle cramps? They could be low in magnesium, a mineral essential for relaxation and deep sleep.

Many children—especially those with stress, anxiety, or hyperactivity—are unknowingly magnesium deficient. The good news? A simple dietary boost can make a huge difference in sleep quality.

Why It Matters

Magnesium is often called “nature’s relaxant” because it:

✔ Calms the nervous system by lowering stress hormones.
✔ Supports melatonin production to help children fall asleep faster.
✔ Relaxes muscles, reducing restlessness and night wake-ups.

Low magnesium levels can lead to:

– Difficulty falling asleep
– Restlessness and leg cramps
– Increased stress and anxiety
– Waking up too early

What You Need to Know

Signs of Magnesium Deficiency in Kids & Teens:

• Fidgeting, restless legs, or muscle twitches
• Anxiety, irritability, or trouble concentrating
• Trouble falling or staying asleep

Best Magnesium-Rich Foods for Kids:

✔ Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
✔ Nuts & seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds)
✔ Whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice)
✔ Bananas and avocados

A Relaxing Magnesium Bedtime Routine:

✔ Warm Magnesium Bath: Add Epsom salts (rich in magnesium sulfate) to a warm bath 30 minutes before bed.
✔ Magnesium-Rich Bedtime Snack: A handful of almonds or a banana before bed can help support relaxation.

How to Implement Change

Tonight’s Action Step: Try adding magnesium-rich food or an Epsom salts bath to tonight’s bedtime routine. You could also try a magnesium supplement: for teens, start with 100mg at night, and for
younger children, start with 50mg – this can be a real game changer.

📌 Next email: The Best Bedtime Snacks for Deep Sleep

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info

A Secret to Better Sleep? Feeling Safe Before Bed

Did you know that kids who feel safe and secure before bed sleep better? If a child is worried, unsettled, or anxious, they may struggle to switch off and drift into deep sleep.

Why It Matters

• Stress hormones like cortisol delay sleep.

• Reassurance and routine help children feel safe.

• Feeling emotionally supported before bed improves sleep quality.

What You Need to Know

✔ Create a “safe space” conversation at bedtime.

✔ Offer gentle reassurance if they express worries.

✔ Maintain a calm, predictable bedtime routine.

How to Implement Change

Tonight’s Action Step: Re-cap on the ‘5-minute chat’ and spend 5 minutes talking about their feelings before bed.

📌 Next email: Magnesium— The Sleep Mineral

Wishing you and your child the best of health and happiness,

The COGNITION for Smart Kids & Teens Team

Further info