Surprising Sugar Bombs (Article)

Ready for a shocking statistic? The average American woman eats almost 70 percent of her body weight in added sugar each year! By added sugar, we mean the stuff that gets pumped into pretty much everything to make food products more enticing, whether you want it or not. Why not save your sugar for when you decide to have some, say for dessert or a sweet treat? It can be tricky to figure out how much sugar is lurking in your favorite food products—nutrition labels list only total grams of sugar, lumping together those that were added with those that occur naturally in the food—but you can get around it with few simple tips. For starters, look not only for the word sugar in the ingredients list, but also its aliases. Most common are syrup (high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup), juice (evaporated cane juice) and words ending in -ose (dextrose, fructose, glucose, sucrose). Honey, agave nectar, molasses and maple syrup count as well. And sidestep sneaky offenders at every meal with these quick sugar-slashing strategies.

BREAKFAST SUGAR BOMB: Smoothies
“The number-one source of added sugar in our diet is beverages, and smoothies are loaded with it,” says Sari Greaves, R.D., a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Jamba Juice’s 24-ounce classic smoothies, for instance, have 70 grams or more of total sugar, most of which is added sugar from juice, sherbet and frozen yogurt.

DEFUSE IT: “At the counter, custom-order your beverage: Ask for whole fruit, little or no juice, lowfat milk or plain yogurt, and ice,” Greaves says.



LUNCH SUGAR BOMB: Lowfat and fat-free salad dressing
They often contain sugar in place of fattening oils, and many have 5 g to 7 g per 2-tablespoon serving. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up. Besides, do you really need sugar with your lettuce?

DEFUSE IT: Bypass dressings that list sugar as one of the first three ingredients. (Annie’s Naturals is a good choice.) Or make your own with three parts balsamic vinegar, one part olive oil, and mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.



SNACK SUGAR BOMB: Flavored yogurt
This diet darling can be a nutrition dud: Many brands have more than 25 g sugar per 6-ounce serving. “That amount of yogurt has about 12 grams of sugar from lactose,” says Suzanne Farrell, R.D., of Denver. “Anything above that means there’s extra, typically from preserves—which is basically fruit marinated in sugar—or straight table sugar.”

DEFUSE IT: Reach for plain lowfat yogurt, and stir in chopped fruit or fresh berries, Farrell suggests. You’ll satisfy your sweet tooth and get a dose of fiber and antioxidants.



DINNER SUGAR BOMB: Pasta sauce
“Recipes for homemade marinara call for a pinch of sugar to add a hint of sweetness to the sauce,” Farrell says, “but commercial varieties can contain a lot more than that—8 grams or more per half cup.”

DEFUSE IT: Check ingredients lists and skip varieties that include extra sugar. (One tomato has 3.2 g sugar, so most sauces will naturally contain some.) Two no-sugar-added options: Classico Tomato & Basil and Lucini Italia Tuscan Marinara Sauce With Roasted Garlic.

(Article courtesy of Yahoo Health)