We all know that having too much sugar leads to serious health problems, but did you know that this sweet substance is often hidden in common foods?
CHECK THE LABEL
One of the best ways to uncover hidden sources of sugar is to read the nutritional labels on the food that you’re eating. It isn’t as easy as spotting the word “sugar” though; sugar can go by many names, like glucose and fructose. Ingredients containing any type of honey, syrup, fruit juice or molasses also contain sugar. And then there are the trickier ingredients, like dextran, dextrose, diatase, maltodextrin, maltose and mannito that are alternative names for sugar as well.
FOOD BASICS:
Did you know that there’s added sugar in bread? Here’s a look at some other unexpected foods containing sugar:
Breads
Sugar is often added to help bread rise when it’s baking. Even whole wheat bread, which is usually touted for being a healthier option, can contain as much sugar as regular white breads.
Tomato-based Products
Examine a ketchup bottle. Notice one of the ingredients? Tomatoes are sometimes picked before they’re ripe, so sugar is added to improve the flavor. Sweetening tomatoes also helps to balance their acidity.
Dairy Products
While plain yogurt naturally has 12 grams of sugar, some yogurts contain almost as much as 35 grams of sugar!
Peanut Butter
Two common forms of sugar, dextrose and icing sugar, are often found in commercial peanut butter because they help keep the peanuts and their natural oil from separating.