Blog: Where Sugar is Hiding
Added sugar is one of the biggest threats to our health, and most of us don't even know it. It's hidden in all sorts of places, from the food we eat to the drinks we drink. And it's not just bad for our waistlines - added sugar can have serious consequences for our overall health, including our risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Sugar feeds many things we don’t want in our bodies from yeast to cancer cells to hormone imbalances so it’s critical that we can appraise our diets and cut the extra sugar—for our overall health. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the sneakiest ways sugar is getting into our diets and why it matters.
One of the many ways sugar sneaks into our diets is through breakfast foods, particularly flavored yogurts. Yogurt is generally considered to be a healthy food, but many flavored yogurts are loaded with sugar. Even when buying items that are advertised as organic or non-dairy which you may be thinking are naturally healthy, there is often an unhealthy dose of added sugar to sweeten it up. A single cup of some popular brands of flavored yogurt can contain as much as four or five teaspoons of sugar! That's more sugar than you'll find in a can of soda! So, next time you're at the grocery store, be sure to check the labels on your favorite yogurt before you buy it.
Another big offender of added sugars is salad dressings and condiments. While it may be a small serving, these items can add a big punch of unnecessary sweeteners and other inflammatory oils. Added sugar can also be found in a lot of other processed foods. Foods like canned soups, frozen meals, and even some bread are often high in sugar. In fact, many processed foods contain more sugar than they do healthy nutrients. This is one reason it's so important to read the labels on all the foods you eat - you might be surprised at how much sugar you're actually consuming. It’s best to look for cleaner brands or products with a limited ingredient list. Better yet, make your own when possible and you’ll know exactly what is in it!
Sugar is also hiding out in a lot of our favorite drinks. Fruit juices, sports drinks, and even some types of milk can contain large amounts of sugar. And while sugar from natural sources like fruit juice isn't necessarily bad for you, the sugar in these drinks can quickly add up. In addition, fruit juices aren’t balanced with the fiber in the actual fruit so it is often absorbed into the body quicker, causing blood sugar to spike more than if consumed as a whole fruit.
These are just a few of the sneaky ways sugar is getting into our diets. And while it might not seem like a big deal to have a little bit of sugar here and there, the truth is that sugar can have a serious impact on our health. If you're trying to eat a healthier diet, one of the first things I recommend is cutting added sugar. It might just be the key to better health and getting to the root cause of your symptoms. If you would like to know more about how added sugar or other factors may be impacting your overall health, book a call with us to discuss how we can personalize a plan to meet your health goals today.
