The Curse of Hidden Sugars

If you’ve been reading our blog, you will know that I have a real hate for sugar.  I’m not talking the natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables, I’m talking the addition of sugar in otherwise healthy products that keep us wanting more and more of the sweet stuff.  In this series, I’m going to look at the good and bad about sugar.  Our third blog on the topic looks at some of the hidden sugars we eat regularly.

What is Hidden Sugars?

So, we all know where sugars live, right?  Baked goods, candy, chocolate…these are all filled with sugar.  We think that if we give these things up, we’re living sugar free.  But, are we?  Nope.  And this is what infuriates me!  

There are many products that are labeled as healthy, but are actually loaded with added sugars.  Like I said in the previous blog in this series, foods that contain natural sugars also contain fiber and other nutrients that make the food part of many healthy diets.  I’m not talking about watermelon or apples.  I’m talking about added sugars.  We’ll get into what they are named further down in this blog.

Breakfasts that are Just Too Sweet

I’m not sure when we started adding sugar into our meal to start our day, but it’s hard to avoid!  If you go to a morning meeting, you get muffins, danishes, and in Canada, you often get some Timbits (the holes from donuts).  These are pretty obvious sugar products.  We know donuts are not healthy.  

But then, you have things like breakfast cereals that have added sugar.  Sure, Coco Puffs are pretty obviously filled with sugar.  But, did you know that Cheerios Protein has 17 grams of sugar in a serving?  Kashi Go Lean cereal has 13 grams of sugar in a serving.  My previous favourite was Harvest Crunch.  It has 10 grams of sugar per ⅔ of a cup.  Instant oatmeal also has added sugars.

My other previous favourite breakfast was good old white bread toast and margarine.  We won’t even get into the negative health effects of margarine here – that’s another blog!  When I started at a bakery, I realized just how much sugar is in a loaf of bread.  It’s significant!  

Snacks with Hidden Sugars

Then there is yogurt.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves.  Yogurt is filled with added sugars.  And, the more “light” or “low fat” it is, the more sugar it tends to contain.  The only yogurts that don’t contain sugar are the ones that say specifically they are non-sweetened.  Guess what?  There is a reason why people add sugar to yogurt.  I tried full-fat, unsweetened Greek yogurt and I was not a fan! 

Granola bars are another source of added sugars.  Yes, even the ones without the chocolate coating or layer.  Protein bars also tend to be high in sugars.  Lots of people eat dried fruit or fruit that is packaged in light syrup.  These have huge sugar levels.  If you are going to eat fruit, just eat the raw product.  It has the nutrients you need and fiber to help slow the digestion process of the natural sugars.

Hidden Sugars in Drinks

Drinks are the worst offenders of hidden sugars, in my opinion.  We know that sodas are filled with sugar – that’s not hidden.  But, some of the things that are seen as healthier options to sodas are also high in sugar content.  Energy and sports drinks tend to have added sugar – unless it specifically says it is no sugar added.  According to My Fitness Pal, a 12 oz. bottle of the original Gatorade has 21 grams of sugar.

What about chocolate milk?  That’s seen as a healthier alternative to soda for kids.  A cup of our local chocolate milk (Farmers brand) has 25 grams of sugar.  According to US Dairy’s website, a cup of chocolate milk in the United States has 24 grams of sugar – 12 grams of which is added sugar.

Identifying Hidden Sugars

Sugars come in many names.  Many companies know that people are becoming more and more sugar-conscious.  So, they hide the fact that there is sugar added by not calling it sugar.  If an ingredient has the term “syrup” in it, it is an added sugar.  Ingredients that end in “ose” tend to be sugars – like fructose or sucrose.  There are also different kinds of sugar – like cane, raw, or brown sugar.  They are all sugar and none of them have any significant nutritional benefits.  Don’t be fooled by the labeling!

A Final Thought

Well, this rant is going on for a while, so I’ll wrap up with the ongoing advice to check the labels carefully before making assumptions that something is “healthy.”  As someone on keto, I’m more concerned with carbs, so I’m not always checking if something has sugar or not.  If it has sugar, it will likely be too many carbs for me anyway.  But, if you’re just trying to make good choices, know that hidden sugars are a thing and we have all been fooled.  

Wendy