Are sweets healthy?

POLOKWANE – Every year during the first week of March, South Africans celebrate national School Health Week.

Review asked learners from gr. R to gr. 2 what they thought the healthiest food was, and whether sweets were healthy. They also spoke about the importance of exercise and how they knew when they were healthy.

Paballo Maphanga said she didn’t eat sweets as they were not healthy for her. “But pancakes are healthy to eat. I exercise by swimming and dancing ballet. You can tell that someone is healthy when they have strong muscles.”

Nyavha Mudau-Mamode said the healthiest foods to eat were bananas, apples and grapes. “I do eat sweets, but not a lot because they have too much sugar and it is not healthy for me. I exercise a lot, I go to the gym with my mom everyday. I do the bicycle exercises.”

Ziyaad Bham said: “Brown bread, carrots and vegetables are healthy. They have Vitamin C. It is important to exercise because you get stronger and healthier. I like sweets, but my mom always tells me that they are not healthy.”

Riyana Aymoy said eggs, brown bread and rice were very healthy. “It is important to exercise so that you can be fit and strong. Sweets are not healthy, but a little bit of sweets are ok.” She said you knew you were healthy if you were not sick and could play with other children outside.

Timmezanne Andrien said vegetables and fruit were healthy. She said although she ate sweets, they were not healthy. “Exercise is important so that you can be fit. Sweets are not healthy, your teeth rot when you eat too many sweets.”

Eliana Ligthelm said: “Vegetables like carrots and tomatoes are healthy. You get vitamin C from them, which is very healthy for you. If you only eat sweets you are going to pass out and your brain won’t get food and then it cannot think anymore. I only eat a little sweet stuff, but it is very unhealthy.”

She said exercise was important as it kept you fit. “You are unhealthy if you are feeling bad the whole time and if you have pain. It means you ate something wrong.”

For Annemien Becker, water, vegetables, fruit and meat are healthy foods. “Exercise keeps you healthy. I do not eat too much sweets as they have too much sugar in them. You know you are unhealthy when your nose is running and you feel sick.”