When I say hidden or added sugar what do you think of? Do you think of sweet items that just have more sugar in them then they should? Or do you think that these are foods are fine to eat and really don’t impact your health because it’s fat that isn’t good for you?
Well, I’m here to tell you that added sugar is in foods that you might not think it is in and it really does impact your health.
For many years people have been led to believe that saturated fat is the main cause of heart disease. This is what I was taught in college. There has been much research over the years, and saturated fat is far less harmful than once believed.
Added sugar here, no surprise
It is no surprise that candy, cakes, cookies, soda, and other sweets, are full of added sugar. You can easily choose to stay away from eating them. But there are other culprits that you might not think of.
These culprits are the foods which are packed with large amounts of hidden sugar.
Here, maybe a surprise
Added sugar in foods is to enhance the taste. Think plain unsweetened low-fat yogurt. Not so good, right? This means that foods you may believe to be healthy, are worse for you because they are loaded with added sugar – which keeps you hooked and going back for more.
Researchers have proved that sugar is instrumental in the rise of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Some foods you need to know about
- Most low-fat items, including yogurt and low-fat ice cream.
- Breakfast cereals, especially those aimed at children. But also, the ones that you think are healthy so look at the labels at the healthy ones too.
- Sauces and soups ranging from basic tomato sauce to spicy curry, and including soups, have big amounts of added sugar.
- Condiments and salad dressings, especially the low-fat ones.
- Canned baked beans, while high in fiber, contain lots of sugar.
- Muffins, even those with seeds and nuts, can be cakes in disguise.
- Granola and energy bars are not really healthy snacks.
- Bread unless you are making it yourself. Even the organic, perceived healthy ones.
Food scientists have calculated the fat, sugar, salt ratio in packaged products just right to make you to want more. Think Doritos, you can’t eat just one. There is actually a formula they follow to make this happen.
You can learn a bit more here. You may be eating more than you think.
So, let’s counteract what the processed food industry scientists are doing by educating ourselves. In my new program reducing sugar is a key ingredient. We take a deep dive into how to really get away from consuming too much and how to easily make this part of your daily practice.
Here’s to your well-being! ~Amy