Learn to understand food labels and unveil hidden sugars with our comprehensive guide. Knowledge is the first step to a healthier diet. It’s no secret that sugar finds its way into an array of products that we consume daily. Yet, how often do we pause to check the ingredients listed on our food labels to spot concealed sugar? In most cases, not nearly enough.
The road to a healthy, low-carb diet is paved with meats, full-fat dairy, vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils. Here’s a comprehensive list to help you make informed choices. However, the labyrinth of food labels may be leading you to consume more sugar than you think. This might come as a surprise, but a staggering 74% of packaged foods that fill our shopping carts contain added sugars.
Despite eliminating desserts and grain products from your diet, you may still unknowingly surpass your daily sugar limit. The loophole lies within the regulatory policies set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Though the FDA insists on full ingredient disclosure on packaging, manufacturers have discovered ingenious methods of incorporating sugar without openly mentioning it. The sugar often hides in plain sight, camouflaged under various aliases, fooling even the most health-conscious among us.
Before we dive further into this sweet deception, it’s essential to highlight that not all sugar is our enemy. Naturally occurring sugars, as found in fruits and vegetables, are a healthy part of our diet.
Why then do food manufacturers insist on adding sugar? The reasons range from enhancing taste and boosting flavor, to the more cunning motive of triggering sugar cravings.
As Christine Gerbstadt, a well-known dietitian and member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), affirms, sweetness is an innate preference in humans right from birth. Unsurprisingly, even foods claiming to be ‘low-carb’ can be sugar-loaded in disguise. Misleading health claims on front packaging can falsely convince consumers of the product’s health benefits.
Commonly overlooked sources of hidden sugar in a daily low-carb diet include:
- Bacon
- Premade Seasonings Packets
- Salad Dressings and Marinades
- Peanut Butter
- Tomato Sauce and Ketchup
- Pickles
- Processed Cheese Slices
- Protein Bars and Weight Loss Energy Bars
- Canned Vegetables
It’s time to decode the 61 secret names of sugar. This list will help you unmask the hidden sugars in your food:
1. Agave nectar
2. Barbados sugar
3. Barley malt
4. Barley malt syrup
5. Beet sugar
6. Brown sugar
7. Buttered syrup
8. Cane juice
9. Cane juice crystals
10. Cane sugar
11. Caramel
12. Carob syrup
13. Castor sugar
14. Coconut palm sugar
15. Coconut sugar
16. Confectioner’s sugar
17. Corn sweetener
18. Corn syrup
19. Corn syrup solids
20. Date sugar
21. Dehydrated cane juice
22. Demerara sugar
23. Dextrin
24. Dextrose
25. Evaporated cane juice
26. Free-flowing brown sugars
27. Fructose
28. Fruit juice
29. Fruit juice concentrate
30. Glucose
31. Glucose solids
32. Golden sugar
33. Golden syrup
34. Grape sugar
35. HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup)
36. Honey
37. Icing sugar
38. Invert sugar
39. Malt syrup
40. Maltodextrin
41. Maltol
42. Maltose
43. Mannose
44. Maple syrup
45. Molasses
46. Muscovado
47. Palm sugar
48. Panocha
49. Powdered sugar
50. Raw sugar
51. Refiner’s syrup
52. Rice syrup
53. Saccharose
54. Sorghum Syrup
55. Sucrose
56. Sugar (granulated)
57. Sweet Sorghum
58. Syrup
59. Treacle
60. Turbinado sugar
61. Yellow sugar
In today’s health-conscious world, added sugar has rightfully earned its reputation as a primary health adversary. Overconsumption of sugar has been linked to several chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
To keep your family and yourself healthy, remain aware and cautious of hidden sugars. Some foods marketed as healthy, like yogurt or whole grain products, may hold more sugar than a glass of soda.
Beware, hidden sugar can sabotage your journey towards achieving ketosis and reaping the associated benefits.
For future reference, pin this list or save it to your computer. This list is your secret weapon in the battle against harmful added sugar!
How To Avoid Sugar?
So, how can you navigate this sweet labyrinth?
1. Always check the ingredient list: Manufacturers often use different names for sugar. If the ingredient list contains words ending in ‘ose,’ such as dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, or sucrose, it’s likely a type of sugar.
2. Understand portion sizes: A food label may list a relatively small amount of sugar, but this could be per serving. If the packet contains several servings, eating the entire package may mean you’re consuming far more sugar than you realize.
3. Beware of ‘health foods’: Foods like granola, protein bars, yogurt, and smoothies are often marketed as healthy but can contain high amounts of sugar. Always check the labels.
4. Go for whole foods: Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains are the best choice, as they’re naturally low in sugar and high in fiber.
5. Practice moderation: It’s okay to have a sweet treat occasionally. The key is to control portion sizes and not let it become a regular part of your diet.
6. Substitute with healthier options: Use natural sweeteners like honey, agave, or stevia. While they still contain sugars, they’re far less processed and contain other beneficial nutrients.
Did you know that sugar comes in so many forms? Let a comment below!
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