Finding the Hidden Sugars in Foods We Eat: How to Identify Added Sugars

In this article, you will be learning about what added sugars are, how added sugars differ from natural sugars, the health risks of eating too much of them, and the different names these sugars can fall under. In addition, you’ll learn about some less obvious foods that unexpectedly contain high amounts of added sugars.

What Are Added Sugars?

As the name suggests, added sugars are sugars that are added to food at some point before their consumption. They are also known as “free sugars”. Added sugars can include sugars that are added during processing, packaged as sweeteners, or come from syrups, honey, or concentrated juices.

How Are Added Sugars Different From Natural Sugars?

Natural sugars are found in whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy. On the other hand, added sugars are added to foods and beverages during processing or preparation. Natural sugars are digested more slowly than their added counterpart. Consuming these sugars, which are found in foods such as fruits, is not linked to negative health consequences for most people. However, added sugar intake has been associated with numerous health problems, such as weight gain and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Natural sugars can provide fast, albeit stable energy whereas added sugars can cause a sugar crash. A sugar crash can leave you hungry, irritable, and craving another pick-up. Natural sugars are part of a package that includes key nutrients and fiber, which can (and do) have a different effect on our health compared to unhealthy added sugars.

Knowing the Names for Added Sugars

The nutrition facts label is required to tell you how much sugar is in a specific food. However, the label does not separate naturally occurring sugar from added sugar. As mentioned before, sugar is naturally found in many nutritious foods like fruit. But, you’ve got to be a little smarter when it comes to locating foods that contain added sugar. There are more than 60 names for added sugars.

To identify them, always look at the ingredients list. There are some major clues that an ingredient is an added sugar, and here are some of them:

• It has syrup. Examples: corn syrup, rice syrup
• The word ends in “ose”. Examples: fructose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose
• “Sugar” is in the name”. Examples: raw sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, confectionery sugar

Health Risks of Consuming Too Much Added Sugars

There are numerous health risks associated with eating too much added sugars. Some of them include:

• Weight gain and obesity
• Tooth decay
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Fatty liver disease
• Aging skin

There are many health problems associated with eating too much sugar, but these are just some of them.

5 Foods That Are Surprising Sources of Hidden Sugar

Most people can easily identify desserts such as cakes, cookies, and ice cream as being high in added sugars because they taste extremely sweet. But some savory foods, even some seemingly healthy ones, surprisingly sneak a heap of added sugar. Here are 5 sources:

1. Granola and granola bars: Granola is one breakfast favorite. They are often marketed as healthy because they are low in fat and sometimes high in whole grains. Those health claims can quickly be cancelled out by the high amounts of sugar, though. It’s also deceiving due to its tiny portion sizes.
2. Barbecue sauce: Sometimes, you may need to add a little flavor to your food, but keep in mind that barbecue sauce is one surprising source of hidden added sugars. Two tablespoons (around 28 grams) of this sauce can contain about 9 grams of sugar.
3. Premade soup: This is another savory food with high amounts of added sugar lurking in it. Soup is generally not a food that one would associate would added sugar, anyways. When it is made with fresh and whole ingredients, it’s definitely a healthy choice. In fact, it can be a great way to effortlessly eat more vegetables. However, a large number of commercially prepared soups contain multiple added ingredients, including sugar.
4. Spaghetti sauce: It’s savory, not sweet, but a high amount of added sugar is hidden in it. Given that they are made with tomatoes, they contain some amount of natural sugar. However, quite a lot of them also contain added sugar. The best way to make sure you are not getting any unwanted sugar in your pasta sauce is to make your own at home.
5. Low-fat yogurt: Yogurt can be very healthy. However, not all yogurt is created equal. Like many other low-fat products, low-fat yogurts often contain a hefty dose of added sugar to enhance their flavor.

Summary: Cakes, cookies, brownies, ice creams, and other desserts are just some of the foods that definitely contain added sugar, and we know this because they taste sweet. However, there are many foods that contain hidden added sugars, like the 5 mentioned above. Being vigilant about the added sugar you are consuming and checking the nutrition facts label, even if the food does not taste sweet, is a great way to minimize your added sugar intake. REMEMBER THIS: JUST BECAUSE A FOOD DOES NOT TASTE SWEET DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN IT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY SUGAR. THERE ARE MANY SAVORY FOODS THAT ARE HIGH IN ADDED SUGARS, EVEN SEEMINGLY HEALTHY ONES.