HOW TO FIND THE HIDDEN SUGAR IN YOUR FOOD
You could be consuming much more sugar than you think!
You may have repeatedly heard that too much sugar is bad for you. However, we are willing to bet that most of you have no clear idea as to why sugar is so detrimental to your health.
You probably know that overeating sugar can lead to tooth decay, but do you know what other adverse side effects sugar has on your body?
Here we will share 8 reasons why sugar is bad for your health.
We discussed the negative impact of sugar on our health in our article the Adverse Affects of Sugar on Your Health. The shocking reality of how harmful excess sugar can be might mean you’ve started to cut back on how much sugar you consume. If so, let us be the first ones to congratulate you on your efforts.
However, you are probably still consuming more sugar than the recommended daily allowance. The American Heart Association recommends that adult women eat less than six teaspoons of added sugar per day; the recommended dose for men is nine teaspoons.
Shockingly, however, most Americans, on average, consume more than 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day. You may be thinking; I don’t add that much sugar to any of my meals or beverages, and you are probably right. The issue is, many of the foods we consume and think of as healthy, are in fact, packed with sugar.
Learn to Recognize the Hidden Sugars
Learning how to read labels is the best way to avoid consuming too much sugar. However, there are more than sixty different names for the added sugars used in the food industry, making it hard to identify them on the nutritional label.
To help you identify the hidden sources of sugar in your food, always read the ingredients on the label. Here is what you should look out for:
- Search for the work syrup. The most common types of sugars found in processed foods are corn syrup, rice syrup, high fructose corn syrup, agave syrup, and cane syrup.
- Any ingredient name that ends in “ose.” Fructose, dextrose, maltose, and sucrose are all types of sugars.
- Nectars and Fruit Concentrates. If you see on the label, you should know the product contains large amounts of added sugars.
Some labels will list the type of sugar used. It could be cane sugar, raw sugar, confectioners sugar, brown sugar, honey, or molasses.
Foods with Hidden Sugars
Many of our favorite prepared drinks, snacks, and sauces have large amounts of hidden sugar in them. Here is a list of the common foods packed with sugar.
- Flavored Yogurt
- Breakfast Cereal, especially those marketed to children
- Applesauce
- Smoothies
- Alcohol Mixers
- Peanut Butter
- Instant Oatmeal
- Granola Bars
- Dried Fruit
- Flavored Coffees
- BBQ Sauce
- Ketchup
- Bread
- Bottled Flavored Water
- Bottled Ice Tea
- Fruit Juices
- Salad Dressing
- Marinades
- Sports Drinks
- Beed Jerky
- Protein Powders
- Pasta Sauce
- Energy and Protein Bars
- Chocolate Milk
- Pre-Made Soups
- Canned Fruit
- Canned Baked Beans
- Packaged Coleslaw
- Crackers
- Breakfast Muffins
- Non-Dairy Milk
You should also avoid any foods that say they are low fat, as they often contain more sugar than the regular version.
We commend anyone who is trying to lose any extra weight they may have. Cutting unnecessary sugar from your diet is an excellent place to start.
However, healthily losing weight is not easy to do on your own. Fad diets can be hazardous to your health, and you may end up losing muscle mass instead of body fat.
If you are looking for a proven way to lose body fat and maintain muscle mass, have more energy, and improve your overall health, then Ideal Protein is the perfect solution.
Take the first step to change your life, contact us today!
