If you’re not careful, you could be consuming sugar without even knowing it! Companies have gotten savvy to our growing awareness of sugar and its adverse effects on our health. Now, they’re able to hide sugar right underneath our noses by forgetting to mention it on the front label or calling it by a different name. Luckily, they can’t fool everyone, and with today’s post, you’ll be part of the lucky few who are immune to their tricks!

Flavored…

Beware of “flavored” foods like yogurt, dairy-free milk, “vitamin” water, and bottled tea. These foods all contain added sugars to bring out the extra flavor they provide. With yogurt, plain is best. Otherwise, you’ll be hit with a double whammy of jelly-like material (i.e., strawberry, blueberry, honey, etc.) and extra sugar to literally sweeten the deal and get you coming back for more. With dairy-free milk, the same can be said. Chocolate, vanilla, banana- these extra flavors often come with added things like cane sugar, sucrose, and dextrin, which at the end of the day are still sugar. Vitamin waters do the same thing. Some are even straight knock-offs of Gatorade, which are huge sugar bombs! As for flavored teas, it’s better to brew your own at home. Otherwise, you can expect to have the same, if not more, sugar than a cup of apple juice. (The leading brands have about 32 grams of sugar, while a typical cup of apple juice has 24.) [1]

Unless the nutrition facts panel and ingredients list say otherwise, most “flavored” foods will contain some amount of added sugar. 

Condiments

Condiments are great for flavoring up bland dishes. But they’re also rich in sugar. Ketchup, marinara, and tomato sauce being the most notorious, especially since some of the sugars naturally come from tomatoes. While you shouldn’t blame the plant for what the sugar is doing, you need to be diligent and read the ingredients. Otherwise, you’ll be getting in an extra dose of white or cane sugar.

 Other things like sauces, marinades, mustard, mayo, vinegar, and dressings are all known for containing added sugar. If you’d like to test this theory out for yourself, head over to the grocery store and read all of the nutrition labels at the condiment section. Don’t be surprised to discover that nothing contains zero sugar these days! While brands like Primal Kitchen are making a difference by excluding sugar, we still have a long way to go before most brands eliminate it.

“No Sugar Added”

Sorry, but you can’t trust the label. You need to read the ingredients list to prove it wrong. Why? Because companies will compensate for the lack of sweetness with added sugars in the form of honey, maple syrup, agave, beet sugar, coconut nectar, fruit juice concentrates, dates, or alter-egos like sucrose, dextrose, or fructose. There’s also the matter of sugar alcohols which, though slightly better, still contain extra carbs and are notorious for causing gas, bloating, and stomach upset. By the way, you also need to be aware that foods that claim to be “fat-free,” “diabetic-friendly,” “low carb,” or “x-diet approved!” are all just as likely to contain added sugars to make their product taste good.

Nut Butter

Who’d have thought that nut butter of all things would contain sugar? Well, depending on the brand, that is. Again, read your labels! It’s hard to find peanut butter without sugar these days, whether it’s at a health food store or a regular market. And don’t be duped by the powdered versions, either! They also contain added sugar. Other things like almond, cashew, coconut, and sunflower seed butter might come with extra sugar, too, so please read the label! 

Bars

Doesn’t matter what type it is. “Protein,” “Granola,” “Keto,” “Paleo,” “Fiber”- bars are also sources of added sugar! While I love to treat myself with the occasional Perfect Keto bar, I know that this is a company with integrity and that these bars aren’t meant to replace real, whole foods. But unless you read the labels, you’ll likely be eating a tiny sugar bomb without realizing it. Bars are known for containing sugar in the form of sweetened fruit (raisins, cranberry, dates), honey, malt extra, brown rice syrup, cane sugar, and high fructose corn syrup. A lot of these bars are also designed for high-powered athletes who can get away with burning off the extra sugar, and not the average person looking to maintain a healthy weight. Don’t let the labels convince you with clever taglines like “great source of protein,” “heart-healthy grains,” or “high fiber.” If you want all of those things, there’s nothing better than foods like steak, bananas, and asparagus.

Canned Goods

Doesn’t matter what’s inside. It’s what goes with it that counts. Canned fruit, beans, sweet potatoes, squash, soup, and fruit are all likely to come with a hint of added sugar, whether that’s turbinado, beet, or cane sugar. The same goes for jarred foods. Olives, pickles, relish- these all contain extra sugar in most cases. So, again, read the ingredients. Otherwise, don’t be surprised when you discover that “cream of corn” tosses up your blood sugar! 

Deli Items

Who doesn’t like prepared foods? It saves time, cleaning, and decision-making. And it also contains loads of added sugars! These foods are really sneaky when you think about it. Read the ingredients list and notice that it’s a mini paragraph of preservatives, salt, hydrogenated oils, and sugar, and hardly any recognizable food. So, don’t be tempted by those pre-made wraps, sandwiches, fried foods, salads, slaw, and soups. Even health food stores are guilty of doing this, so when in doubt, make it at home with your ingredients!

Smoothies

 Sure, who doesn’t like a smoothie? It’s a great way to cram a bunch of nutrients into a single, easy to digest form. The problem? It’s just as bad, if not worse, than drinking soda. These premade “healthy” smoothies are some of the worst sugar bombs out there! Not only do they include added sugars, but they also go way overboard on the fruit. Even the ones that don’t contain added sugar are bad since they opt for high-sugar fruits like bananas, mangos, pineapple, and pomegranate juice. So, I’ll repeat myself one last time. Read. Your. Labels. Not just the front of the bottle or container, but the back where you can read the nutrition facts and ingredients list. And better yet, make the food yourself at home where you have full control over what goes into your recipes along with the amount.

There you have it, everyone! Some hidden sources of sugar that you may not have known about. What do you think? Did this convince you to be a better reader when it comes to grocery shopping? Let me know your thoughts below, and whether you’d like a “Part 2” to this post (because trust me, there are plenty more culprits out there!).

Sources:

[1] https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/hidden-sugar-slideshow