You might think that you’re choosing “healthy” snack and drink options and avoiding added sugars, but often there are hidden sugars that were added during processing and aren’t that obvious from the taste.
These sugars can come in many different forms, such as:
- Cane sugar
- High fructose corn syrup/corn syrup
- Agave nectar
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Honey
- Fruit juice concentrates
The first step to understanding how much sugar is too much is knowing what the daily recommended sugar limit is for:
- Children: 3 – 6 teaspoons (12-25 grams)
- Women: 6 teaspoons (25 grams)
- Men: 9 teaspoons (38 grams)
To avoid these hidden sugars as much as possible, it’s important to:
Read labels: Check food labels for ‘total sugars’ and ‘added sugars’. Total sugars include natural and added sugars, while added sugars are the sugars added during processing.
Check percentage of the daily value (%DV): The daily value is the daily recommended intake of added sugars. When analysing different foods and beverages, aim for 5% DV of added sugars or less when reading labels.
Convert grams to teaspoons: 1 teaspoon of sugar is roughly 4 – 5 grams. For example, if a drink or snack contains 12 grams of sugar, that’s equivalent to 3 teaspoons. This often makes it easier to visualise how much sugar you’re really consuming.
Which drinks and snacks have hidden sugars?
- Soft drinks: 39g per 330ml can
In most popular soft drinks, all the sugar is added not naturally occurring in the product, and sugary drinks can contribute significantly to a person’s daily sugar intake. Just one can is already higher than the recommended daily limit of sugar.
- 100% fruit juice: 24g per 250ml glass
Remember that even 100% natural fruit juice contains fructose. While this is a naturally occurring sugar, it still forms part of a person’s daily sugar contribution.
- Sports drink: 20g per 330ml bottle
Marketed as a beneficial drink for active individuals, it’s important to note that there’s still a significant amount of sugar in a sports drinks to enhance the flavour.
- Flavoured Yoghurt: 17g per 150g
While yoghurt has beneficial calcium and probiotics, it’s worth noting the type of yoghurt, as many yoghurts (in particular the flavoured ones) have added sugar for taste.
- Granola bar: 12g per bar (40g)
These are often marketed as a healthy snack, but many granola or cereal bars contain added sugar for flavour.
- Smoothies: 35g per 450ml bottle
Store-bought smoothies are another snack that is marketed as healthy, but they can also contain high amounts of both naturally occurring and added sugar.
- Fruit roll-ups: 13g per piece (20g)
There’s a misconception that anything with fruit is 100% healthy! These fruit snacks contain a lot of added sugar to preserve the flavour.
- Tomato Sauce: 4g per 1 tablespoon (17g)
Condiments and even certain savoury foods such as ready-to-eat meals will contain added sugars, so it’s best to check.
First published on Get It Magazine.
