Julia Bradbury said she cut one common breakfast food out of her kids’ diet after finding it contains ingredients that stop our immune system by making our blood useless and “sticky like velcro.”
The mum and Countryfile presenter said despite her kids “rolling their eyes” at her they know her rules are a “non-negotiable”, including cutting one key food out of their mornings
Speaking on Davina McCall’s “Begin Again” podcast she said: “Breakfast has changed for them – they do not have sugary cereals. They have to eat their vegetables everyday -its a non negotiable and they know why.”
Common British breakfast cereals like Rice Krispies have 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams, this is around half of the recommended amount for children, according to the NHS. This means by breakfast you have already set your kids up for failure. You may also mar their chances of a productive school day, as Bradbury explains sugar contributes to “brain fog.”
Sugar has been proven to contribute to inflammation in all areas of the body. Bradbury explained that “inflammation going on everywhere” means that the brain is also inflamed and “fried” and “that is when disease makes its way into your life.”
She said: “Sugar affects your immune system, it sends out a message your immune system doesn’t understand this so it can either break up the cell – which causes inflammation -or it can repair and replace the cell – which is the good stuff.
“Sugar makes your blood sticky like Velcro and then it doesn’t work properly. We’ve all got thousands of cancer cells to deal with every day – your immune system needs to be working on those – but it’s busy.”
But, for Bradbury its a game of moderation. She said: “Do they still eat pizza ? Yes they do – Do they have it every day or even every week? No.” For those wanting to cut out sugar she recommended giving yourself a two week grace period.
She said: “Give yourself two weeks”. After this period re-assess, but it is likely you will be feeling the benefits. To curb any impulses to eat sugar, she argued that simple distraction is the key, saying she has one colleague who “runs up and down the stairs just to keep herself busy.”