Sugars are an essential part of our diet, but most of us in the United States consume far more sugar than we need each day. One of the most notable results of our over-consumption of sugar is the staggering number of new type II Diabetes cases seen each year. Here we will discuss how to tell which foods are low in sugar, and a few foods that probably have more sugar than you suspect.
How should we read sugar content on nutrition labels?
To provide some perspective, one gram of sugar is equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon. This means that if a product has 20 grams of sugar per serving, there are 5 full teaspoons of sugar in a serving of that particular foodstuff. Sugars listed on nutrition labels, it should be noted, include not only simple, refined sugars like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, but also natural sugars like lactose and fructose, which are occur naturally in milk products and fruit, respectively. Sucrose is the sugar that we most commonly think of because it's what we put in our coffee, chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal, but there are many other types of sugar and vast number of sources of these sugars. Often when we consume foods or beverages that are high in sugar, we're not aware that they contain sugar at all.
But aren't "diet foods" usually safe?
Food packages touting "low-fat", "enriched" or "weight-loss" benefits of its contents can sometimes be misleading. These qualities, while excellent, don't mean that the food has low - or even moderate - levels of sugar. Remember that manufacturers may sometimes replace diminished flavor with higher levels of sugar.
The culprits
Here we shed light on some sources of sugar in our diets by looking at six foods that have more sugar than you might think. These are foods that you may eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a quick snack, sometimes believing that they're a diet-friendly, even low-sugar, option.
1. Sauces
The bottled tomato sauce that we put on pasta has, on average, about 20 grams of sugar per serving. This sugar comes not only from the naturally-occurring fructose in tomatoes (a fruit) but often from other refined sugars like high-fructose corn syrup. Ketchup, too, contains a surprisingly high amount of sugar. And sorry, barbeque lovers, your average barbeque sauce contains even higher levels of sugar than both ketchup and tomato pasta sauces.
2. Cereal
Granola is the worst culprit here. Often advertised as a healthy alternative, the average simple granola has lots of sugar. Making your own granola with a homemade recipe can be an excellent alternative because you are able to control the amount of sugar.
3. Granola bars
Like cereal, these bars, which often serve as replacements for breakfast or other meals, often have upwards of 25 grams per serving. They can be great sources of quick energy and protein, sometimes, but it's not uncommon for these "energy bars" to have as much sugar as a full-size candy bar.
4. Bread
Packaged, sliced sandwich bread from the supermarket frequently contains over a gram of sugar per slice. Cut down on all the sugar by buying preservative-free bread from a bakery or making your own bread, which can contain only a teaspoon or two of sugar for an entire loaf.
5. Yogurt
Most commercial fruit flavored yogurts have a staggeringly high amount of added sugar. A great alternative is to purchase unflavored, unsweetened yogurt and add a squeeze of honey or a dollop of fresh fruit preserves.
6. Red apples
Apples are great sources of nutrients and protein, but the big sweet red ones can contain 15-20 grams of sugar per apple. If you're working on restricting your sugar intake, consider opting for a small green apple, instead.
Watch out for these six surprisingly sugary foods, and keep in mind that sugars are not something to be eliminated from your diet, but they should be restricted to a healthy level, especially when it comes to consumption of simple, refined sugars.
How should we read sugar content on nutrition labels?
To provide some perspective, one gram of sugar is equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon. This means that if a product has 20 grams of sugar per serving, there are 5 full teaspoons of sugar in a serving of that particular foodstuff. Sugars listed on nutrition labels, it should be noted, include not only simple, refined sugars like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, but also natural sugars like lactose and fructose, which are occur naturally in milk products and fruit, respectively. Sucrose is the sugar that we most commonly think of because it's what we put in our coffee, chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal, but there are many other types of sugar and vast number of sources of these sugars. Often when we consume foods or beverages that are high in sugar, we're not aware that they contain sugar at all.
But aren't "diet foods" usually safe?
Food packages touting "low-fat", "enriched" or "weight-loss" benefits of its contents can sometimes be misleading. These qualities, while excellent, don't mean that the food has low - or even moderate - levels of sugar. Remember that manufacturers may sometimes replace diminished flavor with higher levels of sugar.
The culprits
Here we shed light on some sources of sugar in our diets by looking at six foods that have more sugar than you might think. These are foods that you may eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a quick snack, sometimes believing that they're a diet-friendly, even low-sugar, option.
1. Sauces
The bottled tomato sauce that we put on pasta has, on average, about 20 grams of sugar per serving. This sugar comes not only from the naturally-occurring fructose in tomatoes (a fruit) but often from other refined sugars like high-fructose corn syrup. Ketchup, too, contains a surprisingly high amount of sugar. And sorry, barbeque lovers, your average barbeque sauce contains even higher levels of sugar than both ketchup and tomato pasta sauces.
2. Cereal
Granola is the worst culprit here. Often advertised as a healthy alternative, the average simple granola has lots of sugar. Making your own granola with a homemade recipe can be an excellent alternative because you are able to control the amount of sugar.
3. Granola bars
Like cereal, these bars, which often serve as replacements for breakfast or other meals, often have upwards of 25 grams per serving. They can be great sources of quick energy and protein, sometimes, but it's not uncommon for these "energy bars" to have as much sugar as a full-size candy bar.
4. Bread
Packaged, sliced sandwich bread from the supermarket frequently contains over a gram of sugar per slice. Cut down on all the sugar by buying preservative-free bread from a bakery or making your own bread, which can contain only a teaspoon or two of sugar for an entire loaf.
5. Yogurt
Most commercial fruit flavored yogurts have a staggeringly high amount of added sugar. A great alternative is to purchase unflavored, unsweetened yogurt and add a squeeze of honey or a dollop of fresh fruit preserves.
6. Red apples
Apples are great sources of nutrients and protein, but the big sweet red ones can contain 15-20 grams of sugar per apple. If you're working on restricting your sugar intake, consider opting for a small green apple, instead.
Watch out for these six surprisingly sugary foods, and keep in mind that sugars are not something to be eliminated from your diet, but they should be restricted to a healthy level, especially when it comes to consumption of simple, refined sugars.
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