7 Foods With Hidden Sugar as Warnings Intensify
During a press conference on Tuesday, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., preceded by FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, declared that sugar "is poison" and unveiled a plan to educate Americans. "Sugar is poison, and Americans need to know that it's poison," he stated, adding that government agencies recommend "a huge amount of sugar" for children, "and it's hurting them, and it's addicting them, and it's changing their taste buds."
The FDA recommends no more than 10 percent of anyone's diet consist of added sugar. Are you exceeding those numbers? It's possible, as there is hidden sugar in many foods you regularly eat. Eat This, Not That! chatted with Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, and asked her about the sneakiest foods with hidden sugar to watch out for.
Yogurt Products
The first sneaky food is flavored yogurts and yogurt drinks. "Read labels carefully," says Collingwood. "Fruited yogurts often have very little fruit but can have a lot of sugar." One way to eliminate this issue? Buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit and sweetening products.
Granola Products
Granola and granola bars also have a lot of added sugar. "Granola can be described as crumbled cookies because of the amount of sugar they can contain," says Collingwood. "Even if the sugar comes from natural sources like honey and maple syrup, it is still sugar."
Smoothies and Juice Blends
If your smoothies and juice blends taste like dessert, they may be filled with sugar. "Bottled smoothies and juices often have natural sugar from fruit, but they often also have quite a bit of added sugars," says Collingwood.
Cereals/Instant Oatmeal
Oatmeal is considered one of the healthiest breakfast foods. However, you need to be careful of instant oatmeal and cereal products. "Even cereals that can appear to be 'healthy' can have a lot of sugar added. Read labels for added sugar on the nutrition facts panel," says Collingwood.
Salad Kits
Salad kits are another item with hidden sugars. "Lettuce is not the problem! However, a lot of salad dressing has sugar added, not to mention the dried fruit or candied nuts also contributing quite a bit," says Collingwood.
Ketchup and BBQ Sauce
Condiments, including ketchup and BBQ sauce, are also sneaky when it comes to sugar. "Many sauces have high fructose corn syrup added, so read labels carefully," Collingwood advises.
Nut Butters
Nut butters, including peanut and other types of nuts, are commonly loaded with sugar. "Most commercially prepared nut butters will have sugar added in processing," says Collingwood.
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