Thread by @AVONHMO

Many people know too much sugar is bad for their health and are doing their best to minimise their intake. However, there are a lot of foods with 'hidden sugars'; they don't even have to taste sweet.

Here are 10 of them...
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1. Low-fat yoghurt

Yoghurt is highly nutritious but not all yoghurt is created equal. Like many other low-fat products, low-fat yoghurts have sugar added to them to enhance flavour.
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For example, a single cup (245 grams) of low-fat yoghurt can contain over 45 grams of sugar, which is about 11 teaspoons. This is more than the daily limit for men and women.
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Furthermore, low-fat yoghurt doesn’t seem to have the same health benefits as full-fat yoghurt. It’s best to choose full fat, natural, or Greek yoghurt and avoid yoghurt that has been sweetened with sugar.
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2. Barbecue sauce

Yes, it can make a tasty marinade but 2 tablespoons (around 28 grams) of sauce can contain around 9 grams of sugar. This is over 2 teaspoons worth

In fact, around 33% of the weight of BBQ sauce may be pure sugar.
fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/…
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To make sure you aren’t getting too much, check the labels and choose the sauce with the least amount of added sugar. Also, remember to watch your portions.
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3. Ketchup

It's one of the most popular condiments worldwide, but like BBQ sauce, it’s often loaded with sugar. Try to be mindful of your portion size when using ketchup, and remember that a single tablespoon of ketchup contains nearly 1 teaspoon of sugar.
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4. Fruit juice

Like whole fruit, fruit juice contains some vitamins and minerals. However, despite seeming like a healthy choice, these vitamins and minerals come with a large dose of sugar and very little fibre.
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It usually takes a lot of fruit to produce a single glass of fruit juice, so you get much more sugar in a glass of juice than you would get by eating whole fruit. This makes it easy to consume a large amount of sugar quickly.
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In fact, there can be just as much sugar in fruit juice as there is in soda. The poor health outcomes that have been convincingly linked to sugary soda may also be linked to fruit juices.

See ehn, just eat whole fruit.
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5. Sports (Energy) drinks

Sports drinks can often be mistaken as a healthy choice for those who exercise. However, they are designed to hydrate and fuel trained athletes during prolonged, intense periods of exercise.
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For this reason, they contain high amounts of added sugars that can be quickly absorbed and used for energy.

In fact, a 591-mL bottle of energy drink will contain 37.9 grams of added sugar and 198 calories. This is equivalent to 9.5 teaspoons of sugar.
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Sports drinks are therefore categorized as sugary drinks. Like soda and fruit juice, they’ve also been linked to obesity and metabolic disease.

Unless you’re a marathon runner or elite athlete, you should probably just stick to water while exercising.
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6. Granola

Granola is often marketed as a low-fat health food, despite being high in both calories and sugar.

The main ingredient in granola is oats but this has been combined with nuts and honey or other added sweeteners.
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In fact, 100g of granola contains around 400–500 calories & nearly 5–7 teaspoons of sugar.

If you like granola, try choosing one with less added sugar or making your own. You can also add it as a topping to fruit/yoghurt rather than pouring a whole bowl.

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7. Iced tea

Iced tea is usually sweetened with sugar or flavoured with syrup. It’s popular in various forms and flavours around the world, and this means the sugar content can vary slightly.
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Most commercially prepared iced teas will contain around 35 grams of sugar per 340-mL serving. This is about the same as a bottle of Coke.

If you like tea, pick regular tea or choose iced tea that doesn’t have any sugars added.
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8. Breakfast cereal
Cereal is a popular, quick, and easy breakfast food. However, the cereal you choose could greatly affect your sugar consumption, especially if you eat it every day.
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Some breakfast cereals, particularly those marketed at children, have lots of added sugar. Some contain 12g or 3 teaspoons of sugar in a small 34g serving.

Check the label and try choosing a cereal that’s high in fibre and doesn’t contain added sugar.
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9. Cereal bars

For on-the-go breakfasts, cereal bars can seem like a healthy and convenient choice. However, like other “health bars,” cereal bars are often just candy bars in disguise. Many contain very little fibre & are loaded with added sugar.
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10. Canned baked beans

Baked beans are another savoury food that’s often surprisingly high in sugar.

A cup (254g) of regular baked beans contains about 5 teaspoons of sugar.
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If you like baked beans, you can choose low sugar versions. They can contain about half the amount of sugar found in regular baked beans.
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In conclusion, added sugars aren’t a necessary part of your diet. Although small amounts are fine, they can cause serious harm if eaten in large amounts on a regular basis.
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The best way to avoid hidden sugars in your meals is to make them at home so you know exactly what’s in them.

However, if you need to buy prepackaged food, make sure you check the label to identify any hidden added sugars.
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