Sugar intake has become one of the primary health concerns in our society.
Found ubiquitously in almost all processed foods, excess sugar consumption in the modern world has become commonplace.
The average adult consumes around 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, when doctors recommend limiting this value to 10 teaspoons (or 40 grams).
The consequences are well-known: increased risk of diabetes, higher obesity rates, and cardiovascular disease.
It may seem fairly easy to target high-sugar foods like candy and doughnuts for removal from our daily diets.
However, many foods we eat on a regular basis have a much higher sugar content than you might think; here are a few of the worst and how to avoid them: 1) Health bars Bars that are marketed as a healthy snack to give you a guilt-free energy boost often come packed with sugar.
Clif bars come in at 20 grams per serving! 2) Yogurt Often touted as a healthy snack or breakfast item, most commercial brands of yogurt are full of sugar.
One serving of Yoplait fruit yogurt can contain up to 28 grams of sugar.
Instead, try buying plain, unsweetened yogurt and adding your own fruit.
3) Tomato sauce One cup of tomato sauce includes 20 grams of sugar.
Instead of using store-bought canned tomato sauce, make your own at home using fresh or canned (unsweetened) tomatoes.
4) "Low-fat" snacks Many foods are marketed as being low-fat or fat-free in order to snag your attention and get you to buy what you think is a healthy snack.
However, the reduced fat content in many of these foods is replaced by a higher sugar load.
Fat-free Fig Newtons have twice as much sugar as a Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookie! 5) Canned fruit Although packed with vitamins and fiber, fruit is already a major source of sugar, and should be eaten in moderation.
However, canned fruits often come bathed in a sugary syrup, packing up to 30 grams of sugar per cup! When it comes to fruit, fresh is best.
6) Cereal Avoiding the chocolate filled, sugar-coated, marshmallow varieties in the cereal aisle is not the ultimate solution: even whole-grain staples such as raisin bran and granola contain15-20 grams of sugar per serving.
7) Fruit juice You may think you are doing yourself a favor by downing fruit juice instead of soda pop, but commercial fruit juice brands such as Minute Maid can contain up to 30 grams of sugar per serving.
Avoid juices made from concentrate or with high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient.
8) Salad dressing Salad dressings may taste savory, but look at the nutrition information and you will see that many brands (even fat-free varieties) contain 10-15 grams of sugar per serving.
9) Health drinks Many bottled drinks are marketed as healthy, whether for superior hydration or for exotic herbs and antioxidants, and yet come packed with sugar.
A 16-ounce bottle of Gatorade contains 28 grams of sugar, and a 16-ounce bottle of Snapple or Sobe iced tea contains 50 grams! 10) Frozen meals Prepared frozen foods have often been criticized for their high-fat content, but even low-fat, healthy-sounding brands such as Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine pack 20-25 grams of sugar into each entrée.
Now that you know what foods often have extra sugar in them, you can be sure to avoid them and make better dietary choices.
Found ubiquitously in almost all processed foods, excess sugar consumption in the modern world has become commonplace.
The average adult consumes around 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, when doctors recommend limiting this value to 10 teaspoons (or 40 grams).
The consequences are well-known: increased risk of diabetes, higher obesity rates, and cardiovascular disease.
It may seem fairly easy to target high-sugar foods like candy and doughnuts for removal from our daily diets.
However, many foods we eat on a regular basis have a much higher sugar content than you might think; here are a few of the worst and how to avoid them: 1) Health bars Bars that are marketed as a healthy snack to give you a guilt-free energy boost often come packed with sugar.
Clif bars come in at 20 grams per serving! 2) Yogurt Often touted as a healthy snack or breakfast item, most commercial brands of yogurt are full of sugar.
One serving of Yoplait fruit yogurt can contain up to 28 grams of sugar.
Instead, try buying plain, unsweetened yogurt and adding your own fruit.
3) Tomato sauce One cup of tomato sauce includes 20 grams of sugar.
Instead of using store-bought canned tomato sauce, make your own at home using fresh or canned (unsweetened) tomatoes.
4) "Low-fat" snacks Many foods are marketed as being low-fat or fat-free in order to snag your attention and get you to buy what you think is a healthy snack.
However, the reduced fat content in many of these foods is replaced by a higher sugar load.
Fat-free Fig Newtons have twice as much sugar as a Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookie! 5) Canned fruit Although packed with vitamins and fiber, fruit is already a major source of sugar, and should be eaten in moderation.
However, canned fruits often come bathed in a sugary syrup, packing up to 30 grams of sugar per cup! When it comes to fruit, fresh is best.
6) Cereal Avoiding the chocolate filled, sugar-coated, marshmallow varieties in the cereal aisle is not the ultimate solution: even whole-grain staples such as raisin bran and granola contain15-20 grams of sugar per serving.
7) Fruit juice You may think you are doing yourself a favor by downing fruit juice instead of soda pop, but commercial fruit juice brands such as Minute Maid can contain up to 30 grams of sugar per serving.
Avoid juices made from concentrate or with high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient.
8) Salad dressing Salad dressings may taste savory, but look at the nutrition information and you will see that many brands (even fat-free varieties) contain 10-15 grams of sugar per serving.
9) Health drinks Many bottled drinks are marketed as healthy, whether for superior hydration or for exotic herbs and antioxidants, and yet come packed with sugar.
A 16-ounce bottle of Gatorade contains 28 grams of sugar, and a 16-ounce bottle of Snapple or Sobe iced tea contains 50 grams! 10) Frozen meals Prepared frozen foods have often been criticized for their high-fat content, but even low-fat, healthy-sounding brands such as Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine pack 20-25 grams of sugar into each entrée.
Now that you know what foods often have extra sugar in them, you can be sure to avoid them and make better dietary choices.