Hey Wolverines, happy Friday! This week’s Food Savvy Friday investigates added sugar. Did you know, according to the American Heart Association, the average American eats around 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day? While we all love a sweet treat now and then, most of this excess sugar comes hidden in our everyday diet—not from candy or desserts! It’s important to know what’s in your daily meals so you can keep your body powered and ready to take on the day.
Most of us know that we probably shouldn’t consume huge amounts of sugar, but it may have more of an effect on your body than you realize. In addition to raising the risk of obesity and diabetes, excess sugar can also have an impact on heart health: High blood pressure, inflammation, and increased fat on organs such as the liver can all be amplified by sugar intake and lead to more serious issues, such as heart attack and stroke.
The nutrition facts label is required to inform you how much sugar is in a food item. Natural sugar is found in many nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Added sugar is easily hidden since there are more than 60 names for these additives. To identify added sugars, look at the ingredients list. Some major clues that an ingredient is an added sugar include:
- It has syrup (examples: corn syrup, rice syrup)
- The word ends in “ose” (examples: fructose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose)
- “Sugar” is in the name (examples: raw sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, confectioners’ sugar)
- Other examples of added sugar include fruit nectars, concentrates of juices, honey, agave and molasses.
Here are some common examples of sugary foods that might just surprise you!
Breakfast cereal
Just because it says “whole grain” or “fortified with vitamins and minerals” doesn’t mean no sugar is present.
Health tip: Try to choose a cereal with 10–12 grams or less of sugar per serving. Granola and granola bars are notable sources of added sugars, so make sure to check their labels.
Yogurt
If you like flavored yogurt, peek at the nutrition facts label. Oftentimes, these can be high in added sugar.
Health tip: Try looking around and experimenting with other, less sugary yogurts such as plain Greek yogurt. You can add flavor by topping it yourself with fruit or nuts.
Condiments
Sometimes your food just needs a little extra kick, but keep in mind that there may be added sugars here as well. Ketchup, barbecue sauce, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressings and relish all have added sugars that mount up.
Health tip: Remember to look at serving size. Added sugar may not look like a lot until you multiply it by the number of servings you’re having.
Beverages
Studies have found that drinking low levels of sweetened beverages is associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease.
Health tip: Be careful and read the nutrition facts label when choosing carbonated beverages, flavored milks, sports drinks and juice.
Understanding the truth about sugar is important so we can make better food choices for our health. Be sure to use these tips when visiting the grocery store or reaching for food items that you wouldn’t suspect to be high in sugar. Because when you keep your sugar in check, you keep your health in check, too.