How Food Companies Add More Sugar To Your Food

Everyone knows how bad sugar is. It makes you gain weight and can lead to health issues such as diabetes. Most people are not aware of the amount of sugar they consume in a day. That’s because sugar is added to everything; there are very few products on the grocery shelf that don’t have added sugar in them. For instance, regular size single-serving cups of yogurt have up to 6 teaspoons (29 grams) of sugar. And did you know spaghetti sauce also contains sugar?

There are many types of sugars and sweeteners on the market, making it confusing for consumers to determine how much sugar is really in their food. You need to check for ingredients such as maltose, dextrose, fructose, and glucose because those are all also types of sugar. It would be best if you also watched out for the following:

  • Corn sweeteners
  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Malt
  • Crystalline fructose
  • Dextran
  • Organic raw sugar
  • Palm sugar
  • Syrups: agave nectar, malt syrup, rice syrup, carob syrup, golden syrup, molasses

Certain products geared towards health and wellness try to say there are nutritional advantages to certain types of sugar, but the truth is too much sugar of any kind is bad.

Because there are so many different names for sugar, you could be looking at an ingredient list that contains more than three different types of sugars. This is a common marketing tactic employed by companies to trick people into thinking there is a smaller amount of sugar than there is.

How to Avoid Added Sugar

Cut back on sugary drinks: Drink more water, did you know that drinks like canned coffees, energy drinks, smoothies, and fruit juices count up to 44% of the sugar in the American diet?

Replace Sugar Loaded Deserts with Fruit

Cakes, pies, and brownies are all loaded with sugar. The sugar in these items can cause your blood pressure to spike up, leaving you craving more sugar. Try fresh fruit with Greek yogurt, a great probiotic with berries full of minerals and vitamins.

Be Aware Sugar Can Be Found In Sauces

Ketchup and barbecue sauce contain tons of sugar. Almost four tablespoons per serving. Try vinaigrettes, mustard, or fresh chili for that hot kick.

Be Aware Healthy Snacks May Be Chock Full of Sugar

Snacks marketed as healthy like protein bars, granola bars, and trail mix can contain more sugar than chocolate bars. Trail mix may be surprising, but you need to be aware that it’s full of natural sugar, and often there is added sugar. Look for ingredients that are 100% fruit, or eat a handful of nuts, which are packed with healthy fats and protein.