The Sugar Sleuth: Identifying Hidden Sugars on Ingredient Lists

What are hidden sugars?Food companies use many different names for sugar. When you see ingredients like corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, or cane juice, that's sugar in disguise! Ingredients are listed in order from the largest amount to the smallest. By using several different types of sugar, companies can make each one appear lower on the list, hiding how much total sugar is really in the product.Why does it matter?While some sugar provides quick energy, too much added sugar can lead to energy crashes, weight gain, and other health issues. As an active person, you want fuel that provides steady, lasting energy, not a quick spike followed by a slump.

You see a cereal box that says 'Made with Whole Grains' on the front. You turn it over to be a Sugar Sleuth.INGREDIENTS: Whole Grain Oats, Brown Sugar, Canola Oil, Corn Syrup, Oat Flour, Honey, Salt, Molasses, Natural Flavor.The Sleuth's Findings:Notice that 'Whole Grain Oats' is the first ingredient, which is good.However, look at all the different sugars: Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup, Honey, and Molasses.If you were to combine the weight of all those sugars, they would likely be the #1 ingredient! This 'healthy' cereal is actually very high in added sugar.

You're choosing between plain yogurt and a strawberry-flavored yogurt cup for a post-workout snack.FLAVORED YOGURT INGREDIENTS: Cultured Grade A Reduced Fat Milk, Strawberries, Fructose, Water, Modified Corn Starch, Cane Sugar, Natural Flavor, Carrageenan, Citric Acid.The Sleuth's Findings:Milk and strawberries naturally contain some sugar (lactose and fructose).However, this yogurt also has added fructose and cane sugar listed high up on the list.This means a large portion of the 20g of sugar on the nutrition label is added sugar, not the naturally occurring kind. The plain yogurt would be a much better choice.