Surprising Sources of Sugar
Most people know about the common sources of sugar in their diet but don’t realize that a huge number of products have additional added sugar that can complicate their plans to reduce sugar intake. It’s not just those sugar donuts (as good as they taste!).
Common Sources of Sugar:
- Soda
- Sports Drinks
- Energy Drinks
- Fruit juice
- Iced tea
- Candy
- Cakes, cupcakes and other desserts
- Ice cream
- Fruits
- Breakfast cereals
Tricky Sources of Sugar
- Carbohydrates including bread, pasta, potatoes, chips – In addition to many products having added sugar, your body immediately starts breaking this down into sugars in your mouth with an enzyme known as amylase.
- Many different sauces including ketchup, BBQ sauce, and spaghetti sauce. A lot of the commercial products include this in the form of high fructose corn syrup which is even worse than regular sugar
- Most yogurt brands
- Canned soups
- Salad dressings
- Granola bars
- Alcoholic drinks
- Certain gums and mints
I know when most people look at this list they think, “Wow that is everything I eat.” It is a huge problem in the western diet that so many foods have sugar. This has led to skyrocketing levels of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and what we’re especially concerned about, cavities.
Work to reduce how much of these foods you consume as well as how often! Limit them to mealtimes if possible to reduce your risk of tooth decay.
