What are Hidden Sugars?
Ice cream. Cookies. Cake. Who doesn’t love a sugary treat once in a while? But on supermarket shelves and beyond, sugar turns into a hidden danger: Hidden sugars. Let’s dive in!
What is a hidden sugar?
Our body needs sugar to survive, although we get enough of it from food that isn’t dessert. However, because our brain depends on sugar, our body makes us crave as much sugar as it can get. Which means it’s far too easy to get sick from eating too much sugar.
You might think you’ll be fine as long as you skip dessert. But what you might not know is that many foods have extra sugar added to them to make your body crave them more, including breads, sauces, soups, and other foods.
What’s the danger of hidden sugars?
They taste sweet, but what do these hidden sugars do to you over time? Cavities are only the beginning. For those with diabetes, too much sugar can be dangerous. And too much sugar can lead to diabetes, as well as obesity and heart disease. But tell that to your body! Despite the dangers of too much sugar, the body keeps craving more! To defend yourself and others, it's important to learn to find these hidden sugars.
How do I find out how much sugars is in my food?
You can see the amount of sugar in a food by reading its nutritional label. The total sugar is the amount in the entire food, while the added sugar is what you have to watch out for. These numbers are in grams. Four grams is about one teaspoon of sugar.
It seems simple enough, but hidden sugar has many disguises. Sometimes the added sugar isn’t written down, which means you’ll have to check the ingredients. But in the ingredients, hidden sugar can appear under different names,
like dextrose, corn syrup, and evaporated cane juice.
And sometimes, extra sugar hides inside foods that look “healthy”, like yogurt and granola bars.
And you’d better keep on your toes, because sugar is added to three-quarters of all packaged foods!
So what can I do about hidden sugars?
First, be aware. Learn about hidden sugars and defend yourself against their tactics.
Next, take control of what you eat. Look for fresh foods that have no need for hidden sugar.
For fresh and processed foods alike, always check to make sure that eating them is a good idea for you.
How much sugar should I eat?
Of course, a sugary treat now and then, despite its dangers, isn’t all that bad. A good idea is to limit your added sugar to less than six teaspoons a day. By taking control of what you eat, sugar doesn’t have to be your enemy. It can even be your friend!
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