Most people are aware that getting too much sugar in the diet every day is a bad thing and can lead to problems like weight gain and even raise the risk of developing serious conditions like diabetes. However, even people who are trying to watch their sugar intake may be getting more of it in their diet than they realize because of the following sugar sources which many people do not consider.
Tomato Sauce
Most people do not realize that many tomato products, especially pasta sauces, contain sugar since they are savory rather than sweet. However, many of them can contain anywhere from 6g to 10g of sugar in a single serving and if someone is one a low carbohydrate or diabetic diet, for instance, they can quickly use up a day’s worth of carbs on these products.
Dried Cranberries
While the health benefits of cranberries are well-established, particularly issues like urinary tract health, this might not be the best way to consume these anti-oxidant rich berries. A quarter-cup serving of these dried treats can bring in a whopping 39g of sugar.
Peanut Butter
If indulging in this high-protein treat, it is better to get it made naturally at a health food store. Many commercial brands have about 3g of sugar per 2 tablespoon serving, and most people consumer much more than that at a setting.
Yogurt
Yogurt is part of a healthy diet because of things like its protein, calcium and probiotic cultures, but it is best to stick with the unsweetened varieties. Sweetened yogurts can contain 24-26g of sugar on average.
Applesauce
Applesauce in itself is not unhealthy, but again, it is best to opt for the unsweetened kind. Most applesauce sweeteners are based on high fructose corn syrup and can contain anywhere from 18-24 grams of sugar.
Sports Drinks
Although they are marketed for athletes and for those who like to simply keep fit, sports drinks are not actually all that healthy. They tend to have many additives and the average 20-oz bottle of sports beverage can contain 32g or more of sugar.
Juice
Although they do have vitamins and minerals, juices are not as healthy as simply eating the whole fruit. One serving of orange juice can bring roughly 22g of sugar into the diet, and some varieties have even more.
Especially for those who are diabetic or are simply trying to shed unwanted pounds, following a low sugar diet is incredibly important. The fact is, though, that sugar can sometimes be hidden – sometimes so well that people do not think to look for it. Reading the product label carefully and choosing unsweetened products whenever possible, however, are good ways to make sure that sugar is not sneaking in the back door nutritionally speaking.
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