
What are some foods that contain a lot of sugar?
Surprising Foods That Contain Added Sugar
- Bread. Take a moment to really think about what kind of bread you’re choosing for your sandwiches or morning toast.
- Peanut Butter. “Another hidden source of sugar is peanut butter,” warns Berger. ...
- Protein Bars. ...
- Salad Dressings. ...
- Yogurt. ...
- Vitamin Water. ...
- Ketchup. ...
- Almond Milk. ...
- Fruit Juice. ...
- Instant Oatmeal. ...
What food has the most sugar?
List of Fruits High in Sugar
- Litchis (Lychees) Nutrition Facts for Litchis.
- Passion-Fruit (Granadilla) Nutrition Facts for Passion Fruit (Granadilla).
- Pomegranate. Nutrition Facts for Pomegranates.
- Mangos. Nutrition Facts for Mangos.
- Cherries. Nutrition Facts for Cherries (Sweet).
- Bananas. Nutrition Facts for Bananas.
- Oranges. Nutrition Facts for Oranges.
- Kiwifruit. ...
- Grapes. ...
- Guavas. ...
Which foods have the least Suger?
Foods low in sugar. As we can see in the list, legumes and nuts have the least amount of sugar and should be added into a balanced healthy diet. Fruits, which are recommended as an ordinary healthy diet, can be harmful in a high sugar diet because they have large amounts of natural sugar.
What foods have sugars in them?
Here are a few examples:
- Almonds — 1.2 grams of sugar per serving (1 oz)
- Walnuts — 0.7 grams of sugar per serving (1 oz)
- Dry-roasted cashews — 1.4 grams of sugar per serving (1 oz)
- Pistachios — 2.2 grams of sugar per serving (1 oz)
- Pumpkin seeds — 0.4 grams of sugar per serving (1 oz)
See more

What percentage of sugar in food is high?
Labels on the back of packaging Products are considered to either be high or low in sugar if they fall above or below the following thresholds: high: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g. low: 5g or less of total sugars per 100g.
What percentage of groceries in stores contain sugar?
An article in The Upshot from the New York Times featured our research showing over 60% of the foods and beverages purchased in American grocery stores contain added sugar. Some of those products are more obvious sugary foods, but not all.
Does everything we eat contain sugar?
All sugar, whether natural or processed, is a type of simple carbohydrate your body uses for energy. Fruits, vegetables and dairy foods naturally contain sugar. "Added sugars" are the sugars and syrups added to foods during processing.
What foods secretly have sugar?
Surprising Sources of Hidden SugarPasta Sauces. 1/12. They taste savory, not sweet -- but many have between 6 and 12 grams of sugar per half-cup serving. ... Granola Bars. 2/12. ... Yogurt. 3/12. ... Instant Oatmeal. 4/12. ... Salad Dressing. 5/12. ... Breakfast Cereals. 6/12. ... Energy Drinks. 7/12. ... Packaged Fruits. 8/12.More items...
Which food has the most sugar?
High sugar foods to limit or avoid include puddings, milkshakes, ice-cream, fruit juices, sugary soda drinks, cakes (especially with frosting), candies, fruit yogurts, fast foods, cereal bars, and commercial cereals. In this list, both the grams of sugar and teaspoons of sugar is given.
Are bananas high in sugar?
Despite being a healthy fruit, bananas are pretty high in both carbs and sugar, which are the main nutrients that raise blood sugar levels.
Does the body need sugar?
Our bodies need one type of sugar, called glucose, to survive. “Glucose is the number one food for the brain, and it's an extremely important source of fuel throughout the body,” says Dr. Kristina Rother, an NIH pediatrician and expert on sweeteners.
Is Rice high in sugar?
Rice is naturally low in sugar when prepared simply with no additions.
How many foods in America have sugar?
Seventy Four Percent of Food Products Contain Added Sugar According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, of the more than 85,000 food products sold in the United States, 74% contain added sugars. Sugar is an edible crystalline carbohydrate that is used for different dietary purposes.
How many products is sugar in?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food producers to list all ingredients in their foods. But added sugar comes in many forms – which is why it's so hard to find on the ingredients label. There are at least 61 different names for sugar listed on food labels.
Is sugar a grocery item?
Grocery items, sometimes called staples, include, by way of illustration and not limitation, sugar, flour, spices, dry pasta, loaves of bread, ground coffee, coffee beans and loose or bagged tea, bottled and unopened wine, cooking oils, four (4) or more rolls, donuts or other baked goods, canned, bottled, and jarred ...
How much sugar does the average American eat per year?
American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day, more than 3 times the recommended amount for women. This adds up to around 60 pounds of added sugar annually – that's six, 10-pound bowling balls, folks! The numbers are even worse for children.
What percentage of packaged foods have sugar?
A team of researchers at the University of North Carolina conducted a detailed survey of the packaged foods and drinks that are purchased in American grocery stores and found that 60 percent of them include some form of added sugar. When they looked at every individual processed food in the store, 68 percent had added sugar. Some of those products are more obvious sugary foods, but not all. The list includes many sauces, soups, fruit juices and even meat products.
Why is added sugar important?
The emphasis on added sugar comes from new nutrition guidelines that urge Americans to consume a “healthy dietary pattern” containing certain types of foods. According to the regulation, hidden added sugars make it difficult to understand whether the food you are eating is part of that healthy pattern. Medical evidence shows that high sugar consumption is linked to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay — though not all of that work distinguishes between added sugar and total sugar.
Does yogurt have sugar in it?
You might think it’s easy to figure out whether the food manufacturer added sugar to your food, but it isn’t always so. While some foods include “sugar” in their ingredients, many use different words for products that are nutritionally similar. Most of us have heard of high-fructose corn syrup, a sugar made from processing corn. But there are also things like the “evaporated cane juice” in the yogurt, and “rice syrup” and “flo-malt,” which are less obvious and amount to the same thing.
Does pasta sauce have sugar?
Some pasta sauces have high amounts of added sugar.
Is sugar better for baked goods or soft drinks?
Some sugars are better for baked goods, while others are better in soft drinks. Some are also cheaper than others. Sugar tariffs and import laws make it expensive to bring in too much foreign sugar. But not all of the sugar formulations count toward the laws’ quotas.
Is apple juice concentrate sugar?
There’s also the matter of fruit juice concentrates, which are juices that have been stripped of nearly everything but sugar and evaporated. A lot of seemingly natural foods include ingredients like “apple juice concentrate.” That’s sugar. That will be a lot clearer when the labels are updated.
Why is sugar added to food?
Consumption of added sugar has increased rapidly over recent years and is believed to contribute to rising rates of obesity, type II diabetes and heart disease.
How much sugar is in a teaspoon?
In this list, both the grams of sugar and teaspoons of sugar are given. 1 teaspoon is equal to 4 grams of sugar.
How much sugar is in a white cake with coconut frosting?
Nutrition Facts for White Cake With Coconut Frosting. (Source) Cakes, cookies, and pies can vary from 10-65g of sugar per serving, depending on how they are made, and how much sugar is added. See the complete ranking of 200 baked foods high in sugar.
Is cereal bar healthy?
Note: There are some healthy cereal bars available if you check the ingredients and choose wisely. Look for bars made of whole grains such as oats, containing nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and without added sugar, sweeteners, or chemical additives.
Which food has the most sugar?
In the U.S., breakfast cereals are among the most commonly consumed foods with high levels of added sugar.
Why is it important to be aware of the sugar content in food?
Being aware of the existing and added sugar content in foods and drinks is vital to overall health . So many products have sugar added to them that, in the modern food market, people must take extra steps to avoid consuming more than the recommended amount.
How much sugar is in a teaspoon?
A single teaspoon of sugar is around 4 g. The AHA recommendation for daily added sugar intake, 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men, is equal to 24 g and 36 g of added sugar, respectively. Below are some common everyday foods and drinks, listed with their sugar content.
Why is the AHA urging people to cut their intake of sugar?
The AHA has urged people to cut their intake of added sugar because of evidence that it can lead to the following health conditions:
How much sugar is in a chocolate bar?
While there are less harmful chocolate options, such as dark or raw chocolate, there is a wide range of chocolate bars available on the market and the sugar content varies between brands and products. Snickers bar (57 g): 5.83 teaspoons of sugar. Milky Way bar (58 g): 7.02 teaspoons of sugar.
How much sugar is in Jamaica ginger beer?
Old Jamaica Ginger Beer (one can): 10.18 teaspoons of sugar. A study. Trusted Source. published in Circulation, the journal of the AHA, identified a link between drinking more than one can of soda a day and an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
How to keep control of sugar levels?
To keep control of sugar levels, it can be helpful to know just how much sugar is in the most widely-available foods. This MNT Knowledge Center article is a one-stop resource listing the sugar content for a range of both processed and natural foods that people in the U.S. eat every day.
How much sugar is in coffee?
Coffee drinks can be particularly high in sugar, easily containing 40 or more grams of sugar per serving
How much sugar is in canned fruit?
Canned fruit, especially the kind preserved in syrup, can contain 16 or more grams of sugar per serving
How much sugar is in granola?
Granola comes in many different varieties, some of which contain 12 or more grams of sugar per serving
Is yogurt high in sugar?
Yogurt, particularly yogurt labeled as “low-fat,” can be shockingly high in sugar. Some yogurts contain 45 or more grams per serving
Does pasta sauce have sugar?
Pasta sauce can contain surprisingly high amounts of sugar. In addition to the small amount of sugar naturally found in tomatoes, extra sugar (12 or more grams per serving) is frequently added to pre-made pasta sauces, even though they are not typically thought of as even being sweet
Is sugar in drinks?
Beverages can be particularly tricky when it comes to sugar. Most drink options tend to be sweet, and many contain shocking amounts of sugar that consumers barely even register as they drink throughout the day.
Is honey sweeter than sucrose?
Honey contains large amounts of fructose (17 grams per tablespoon), which is even sweeter than glucose or sucrose. It does contain healthful antioxidants but should be consumed in moderation
How many foods have sugar in them?
As of 2015, there are over 600,000 foods in the American food industry… 80 percent of them contain added sugar.
What are the effects of sugar consumption?
Sugar consumption leads to hyperactivity, lack of focus, and cognitive difficulties.
What was the food industry's message in the 1970s?
The fractured hypothesis of the day that eating foods with no fat could not make you fat was nothing short of a big FAT lie.
What does it taste like when you take fat out of food?
When you take the fat out of food, it tastes like… well… cardboard. So, guess what was added to the products to make them taste good? If you guessed sugar, you are right. Take for example whole-fat mayonnaise, it has just over two percent sugar. However, the low-fat version has six times more!
What was the sugar trade?
At one point in history, wars were fought over sugar, and sugar was at the heart of the American slave trade. Historians call sugar the oil of the eighteenth century. A hot commodity that ignited battles and was used as a negotiating tool. Today, machines do the work that slaves once did, and the sugar industry is more powerful than ever, making it possible for the deadly truth about the poison to be hidden from the American people. Like Big Tobacco, Big Sugar is in bed with both political parties, and this is what allows deception and the destruction of health to continue.
What are the rules of eating?
Here are six of my favorite rules to eat by: 1 Don’t eat anything with five or more ingredients. 2 Don’t eat anything with ingredients you can’t pronounce. 3 Don’t eat foods that you see on commercials. 4 Eat foods that will rot and spoil. 5 Eat food that has been around for more than 100 years. 6 Eat foods that are organic, local and sustainable.
What percentage of the population is obese?
Clearly, with the horrifying truths we see today — over 60 percent of our population is obese, diabetes and heart disease on the rise — it is very hard to see that we were given the right advice. What is clear is that the sugar industry continues to be one of the most powerful forces in history at the cost of millions of lives.
How to find sugar content in ingredients?
Finding sugar content in the ingredients list. The ingredients are listed in order of weight, beginning with the ingredient that weighs the most and ending with the ingredient that weighs the least. This means that a food contains more of the ingredients found at the beginning of the list, and fewer of the ingredients at the end of the list.
Why is it important to read the sugar content on food labels?
Nutrition facts of raw apples with apples background. Understanding sugar content on food labels is important, to ensure that you’re consuming healthy amounts. Reading the ingredient lists and nutrition facts tables on packaged foods is a helpful way for you to check what kind, and how much, ...
How many grams of carbs are in a serving?
Say, for example, one serving of food contains 36 grams of carbohydrate, which includes 6 grams of fibre. The fibre portion would be subtracted from the total carbohydrate (36 grams total – 6 grams of fibre), meaning that the serving of food contains 30 grams of available carbohydrate.
Why is carbohydrate counting important?
This is important information if you use carbohydrate counting to determine your insulin dose. It’s also good to see how much sugar is in a product, to know how it will affect your blood sugar.
Why does carbohydrate have a more pronounced effect on blood sugar levels than fat or protein?
Carbohydrate is one of the body’s main sources of energy, and is broken down into glucose relatively quickly. That’s why it has a more pronounced effect on blood sugar levels than either fat or protein.
How does eating unhealthy foods affect your health?
Unhealthy foods can affect your diabetes management by causing weight gain and increasing blood sugar. Read this article to learn about the 10 foods to avoid if you have diabetes.
What are the different types of sugars?
Here are just a few types of sugar that can be listed on an ingredient list: Cane juice. Corn syrup. Dextrose.
What are the most concentrated sources of sugar?
Sugar comes in a variety of forms, from naturally occurring sugars to sweeteners like cane sugar and corn syrup. These eight foods are some of the most concentrated sources of sugar. 1. Cane Sugar. Cane sugar is the most popular form of sugar found in packaged foods, baked goods, and some soft drinks.
What is the most common form of sugar in dairy products?
Dairy. Lactose is the naturally occurring form of sugar in dairy products. Many adults have a lactose intolerance, making dairy sugars difficult to digest. 7. Fruit. All fruits contain some amount of naturally occurring sugars, or fructose. Some fruits, like bananas, are higher in sugar than others, like berries.
Why is agave syrup used instead of cane sugar?
Agave. Some people have begun replacing cane sugar with agave syrup because it is purportedly lower on the glycemic index and therefore less likely to spike insulin. However, this has not been well supported by the research. Like honey, agave contains a higher percentage of fructose than cane sugar.
What is the best sugar to replace cane sugar?
8. Coconut Sugar. Coconut sugar, or palm sugar, is a sweetener derived from the sap of the palm tree. It has recently gained in popularity as a believed healthier alternative to cane sugar, although there is not enough research yet to support this claim. Like all sugars, coconut sugar should be used in moderation.
Which has more fructose, agave or cane sugar?
Like honey, agave contains a higher percentage of fructose than cane sugar. 4. Corn Syrup. Corn syrup, especially high-fructose corn syrup, has been implicated in the rise of obesity in the United States.
How is brown rice syrup made?
Brown rice syrup or malt syrup is derived by breaking down the starches in cooked rice. Very little research has been done on the health effects of brown rice syrup, but it is sometimes used as an alternative to corn syrup in baking and packaged foods.
What are some low sugar foods?
Brown rice, quinoa, and oats are tasty, low-sugar foods that will help you meet your daily recommended fiber intake.
How many grams of sugar are in a day?
The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. For most Americans, the main sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, desserts, and sweets.
What are added sugars?
Added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables.
How many grams of sugar are in a 2,000 calorie diet?
For example, if you consume a 2,000 calorie daily diet, that would be 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugars per day. Consuming too much added sugars can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits.
Why are single ingredient sugars and syrups labeled?
Single-ingredient sugars and syrups are labeled in this way so that it does not look like more sugars have been added to the product and to ensure that consumers have information about how a serving of these products contributes to the Daily Value for added sugars and to their total diet.
How many grams of sugar are in a serving of a sourdough bread?
This means one serving of the product has 7 grams of added sugars and 8 grams of naturally occurring sugars – for a total of 15 grams of sugar. The 7g of added sugars represents 14% of the Daily Value for added sugars.
Why do we need a nutrition label?
The new Nutrition Facts label can help you compare and choose foods that are lower in added sugars.
Why is sugar added to nutrition facts?
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is including added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label so that you can make informed choices, based on your individual needs and preferences.
What foods have a lot of sugar?
Foods that typically have a lot of added glucose include sauces, salad dressings, pies, and sugary drinks. ( 3) Foods with high levels of added sugar should be limited, as over-consumption of these foods is associated with an increased risk of type II diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
What is glucose in 2021?
Last Updated: January 22nd, 2021. Glucose is a simple monosaccharide sugar and the principal energy source for both the brain and the body. ( 1) Carbohydrates in foods are all ultimately broken down in the body into glucose. ( 1) If you are looking to manage your ...
Do carbohydrates break down into glucose?
Carbohydrates in foods are all ultimately broken down in the body into glucose. ( 1) If you are looking to manage your blood glucose levels, it is therefore important to balance your intake of both sugars and carbohydrates.

Common Meals and Main Dishes
Common Sides and Snacks
- Sides and snacks can also contain large quantities of sugar: 1. Granola comes in many different varieties, some of which contain 12 or more grams of sugar per serving 2. Protein bars and granola bars are similarly varied, so make sure you check the label and avoid those particularly high in sugar (some have 20 or more grams of sugar per serving) 3. Canned fruit, especially the …
Condiments and Sauces
- For many people, considering the sugar content in the main dishes you choose is part of the daily equation, but the extras that you add on top don’t get accounted for. 1. BBQ sauce has around 6 grams of sugar per tablespoon 2. Ketchup has 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon 3. Salad dressing can contain 3-6 grams of sugar per serving 4. Pasta sauce can contain surprisingly high amount…
Drinks
- Beverages can be particularly tricky when it comes to sugar. Most drink options tend to be sweet, and many contain shocking amounts of sugar that consumers barely even register as they drink throughout the day. 1. Coke contains 39 grams of sugar per 12 oz can 2. Mountain Dew contains 46 grams of sugar in a 12 oz can 3. Apple juice and orange juice ...
Dairy Products
- People don’t typically think of dairy products when the topic of carbs and sugar comes up, but many dairy products are shockingly high in sugar. Lactose, which is naturally found in dairy products, is a type of sugar, and added sugars are combined with many dairy products to sweeten them. 1. Yogurt, particularly yogurt labeled as “low-fat,” can be shockingly high in sugar. Some y…
Track Your Daily Intake
- For a few days (or weeks), consider tracking your daily sugar intake to get an idea of how much you actually consume. You might be surprised just how much sugar you’re putting into your body on a daily basis.