Foods with a Whole Day's Worth of Sugar
By Sara Butler
Most people are well aware of just how much sugar a can of soda or a bag of candy has, but there are sugar bombs that hide in plain sight every day! In fact, reaching your daily limit of sugar is a lot easier than you think, mostly because sugar hides in some places you may not suspect. Here are a few of the foods that can provide you with a whole day’s worth of sugar -- and some of them may surprise you.
How Much Sugar?
Sugar isn’t a necessary nutrient in your daily life, which is why it’s recommended that you really limit it for your health and wellness. The American Heart Association endorses women get about 25 grams per day -- which is the equivalent of just six teaspoons. Men should have about 37.5 grams per day, which is about nine teaspoons.
Lemonade
Lemonade may seem like a great thirst quencher for a hot day and a good alternative to soda, but it’s not. One 16-ounce glass of lemonade can provide you with 28 grams of sugar. If you’re really craving this tart treat, then you can add a little lemon to your water instead and save yourself from the entire day’s worth of sugar in just one glass.
Blueberry Muffins
The nutrition facts on the packages of some baked goods can be tricky to distinguish. That’s because the label doesn’t help you to distinguish between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar from fruits such as blueberries and added sugar, the kind you should keep an eye on. Future food labels should make this distinction after 2020, but until then you’re going to have to gauge your blueberry muffins by the sugar content on the label and the ingredients list. If sugar is the first or second ingredient on the list, then it’s a sugar bomb. Most blueberry muffins pack a punch of at least 30 grams of sugar per muffin on average!
Yogurt
You may think that yogurt is a healthy way to go, but the truth of the matter is that most types of yogurt have a lot of added sugar. It’s best to go with plain full-fat yogurt and add sweetness to it yourself with a little bit maple syrup or honey, or other add-ins such as nuts, fruits, or rolled oats.
You have to be diligent to eat well for your body and keep in mind that what you put in your mouth has a huge impact on your health -- and sugar is hiding everywhere!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Shiloh, Ill.