Sugar: Hiding in Plain Sight
By Sara Butler
Most Americans eat too much sugar. The problem is, many people aren't aware of it. That's because sugar is hiding in plain sight in many foods you eat every single day. From bread to deli meat, sugar is everywhere. You should check the ingredients lists of the foods you buy to ensure you're not getting too much added sugar in your diet, but sugar also has some names you may not automatically recognize and therefore avoid. Here's how to beat sugar at its own game and recognize it no matter what it's listed as.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
This one has gotten a lot of publicity, so there's a good chance you know it's important to avoid in order to avoid extra sugars. Many companies have stopped using the stuff but are replacing it with sugar substitutes that go by other names, so you must be diligent! Assume anything with the word syrup in the name is a form of sugar.
Evaporated Cane Juice
Evaporated cane juice and cane juice solids are basically sugar. Though it isn't as processed as some other types of sugars used in food manufacturing, it's still simply sugar and should be avoided if you're trying to keep an eye on how much added sugars you're eating.
Any '-OSE'
Any word that ends in "ose" is simply sugar in disguise. This includes:
- Dextrose
- Sucrose
- Maltose
- Sucrose
- Lactose
If you can eliminate foods that contain these ingredients, then you're well on your way to reducing the amount of added sugars in your diet.
Maple Syrup, Molasses, and Honey
These types of sugars aren't highly processed but that doesn't make them any better for you. At the end of the day, your body processes each of these just like sugar so anything you eat with these included will cause your blood sugar to spike. It's always good to know what's in the foods you're eating, even if that food is marketed as being "natural."
Fruit Juice
Fruit is good for you, but the juice from fruits isn't. While used to naturally sweeten foods, they're still sugar, and your body will treat it as such. Plus, fruit juices have had the fiber removed, which makes it a step down from healthy fruit any day of the week.
You can't avoid sugars you don't know are there, so educate yourself about what to look for in order to keep added sugars out of your diet.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Arvada, Colo.