Surprising Sources of Sugar

Sugar Shockers: Surprising Sources of Sugar in Your Diet

Recent studies are showing how toxic sugar can be and point to the evidence that diabetes and obesity rates continue to climb in lockstep with the amount of added sweeteners we’re eating.

A new study reported in the NY Times, highlights how rates of diabetes are increasing in countries where there is an increased amount of added sugar to the food supply. The incidence rates of diabetes were independent of rates of obesity, suggesting that if you’re obese but don’t eat a sugary diet, you may not be at as much risk for diabetes compared to someone who is less overweight and eats a lot of added sugars.

The study also suggested that small increases in added sugars can lead to hundreds of thousands of new cases of diabetes population-wide.  For every 150 calories more from added sugars, a .1 percent rise in diabetes in predicted.

We all know that drinking soda and pouring table sugar into our coffee in the a.m. isn’t recommended, but what you may not realize is that sugar is increasing in foods that you wouldn’t even expect, from soups and sauces to energy bars, protein supplements and dairy products.

As a nation, we’re consuming more added sugars than ever before—some 355 calories a day or about 23 teaspoons. The recommendation from the American Heart Association is no more than 100 calories or 6 teaspoons per day for women.

A recent study from University of North Carolina found that 75% of the foods purchased in the US between 2005-2009 contain sweeteners. Some 68% of those were calorie-containing sweeteners like table sugar, fructose or honey and 1% were calorie-free sweeteners like aspartame and 6% contained both.

Sweeteners are found in more than 95% of cakes, cookies, pies, granola and energy bars, breakfast cereals, sweet snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Noncaloric sweetener are in >33% of yogurts and sports and energy drinks, 42% of waters (plain or flavored). Corn syrup is the most commonly listed sweetener, followed by sorghum, cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and fruit juice concentrate.

To me, sugar shockers are those foods and beverages that you don’t expect to contain added sugars. They include: soups, sauces, condiments, reduced fat dressings, granola bars, whole grain cereals, crackers and other processed carbohydrates.

Lick Your Sugar Habit

Use these tips on how to become a sugar sleuth to keep your added sugars to no more than 100 calories per day. Try these steps to lick your desire for sweets once and for all.

Surprising Sources of Sugar is a post from: Appetite for Health