The sweet stuff is everywhere – lurking in unexpected places and often disguised under innocuous-sounding names. For the unsuspecting consumer, sugar can be a trap, leading to a range of health issues including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. So, how did we get here? Well, the food industry has long known of sugar’s addictive qualities and has been using it to their advantage. They sweeten processed foods and drinks to make us crave more, ensuring we keep coming back for another hit.

One of the biggest challenges in avoiding sugar is its ability to hide in plain sight. It goes by many names: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, and syrup, to name a few. These different types of sugar are often added to processed foods, making it difficult to identify and avoid. For example, a seemingly healthy fruit yogurt can contain as much as four teaspoons of added sugar! Even savory foods like salad dressing, ketchup, and bread can be loaded with the sweet stuff.

Reading nutrition labels is key to uncovering hidden sugars. Unfortunately, it’s not always as simple as looking for the word “sugar.” That’s why it’s important to familiarize yourself with the various names and forms that sugar can take. Another red flag is when sugar is listed as one of the first ingredients. Ingredients are usually listed in descending order of prevalence, so if sugar is near the top, that’s a sign that the product may be loaded with it.

But it’s not just about avoiding processed foods. Sugar also naturally occurs in certain foods, like fruit and milk. While these sources provide additional nutrients and shouldn’t be demonized, it’s important to be mindful of your overall sugar intake. For example, opting for whole fruit instead of juice can provide the same sweetness along with valuable fiber that slows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.