7 Foods With More Sugar Than You Think

Unlike the sugars that occur naturally in whole foods, like fructose in fruit or lactose in dairy, added sugar is put into foods during processing or preparation. It has zero nutritional benefits and can have negative effects on your health.

Added sugars “are digested rapidly and cause a quick rise in blood sugar, which creates a cascade of metabolically damaging reactions,” says Julie Upton, RD, who is based in the San Francisco Bay area. “High intakes of added sugars can lead to fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and systemic inflammation. They are often linked to overweight and obesity.”

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming no added sugar at all or at least limiting it to 10 grams (g) per meal. Yet the average American adult consumes about 68 g of added sugar per day.

To manage your intake, it helps to be aware of some sneaky sources of added sugar, including seven common foods that you might not expect to be secret sugar bombs.

1

Flavored Yogurt

You might be surprised to see yogurt on this list. After all, yogurt is packed with protein, and its sugars are naturally occurring, thanks to the milk used to make it.

But the sugar content depends on what kind of yogurt you buy. For example, flavored yogurt typically contains sweeteners, and fruit-on-the-bottom varieties often have more added sugar than the amount that occurs naturally in the fruit itself.

“Read the ingredients. If sugar is in the top three ingredients, leave the item on the shelf,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, founder and owner of the New Jersey–based Vernon Center for Nutrition and Wellness.

And be aware that sugar can go by more than 60 names, including cane juice and corn syrup, on ingredient lists.

What to Eat Instead

Opt for plain yogurt, rather than flavored or fruit-on-the-bottom varieties. If you’d like to jazz it up, you can add your own mix-ins.

“Cinnamon, fresh fruit, pureed berries, unsweetened applesauce, toasted and unsalted nuts, and seeds are all great additions to provide flavor without added sugar,” says Lori Zanini, RD, CDCES, who’s based in Dana Point, California.

You can also use yogurt and fresh fruit to make a breakfast smoothie, or eat yogurt alongside savory foods like breakfast (or dinner) tacos in place of sour cream.

2

Canned Soup

You’ve probably heard that canned soup is high in sodium. But did you know it can also be chock-full of added sugar?

In tomato-based soups “sugar reduces the acidity of the tomatoes to balance the taste,” Zanini says. Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup, for example, contains more than 16 g of added sugar in 1 cup, according to the company website.

So check soup labels carefully before you buy, especially when it comes to tomato-based varieties.

What to Eat Instead

Look for canned soups with little or no added sugar. Some soups labeled as “heart healthy” might contain less added sugar than traditional varieties.

For example, Campbell’s Heart Healthy Tomato Soup has half the added sugar of the regular version. And certain light versions of Progresso soups, like the Light Chicken & Dumpling Soup, contain no added sugar.

But if you have the time and ability, soup is an easy meal to make from scratch — just chop vegetables, toss them into a pot, and simmer them in water or broth.

To keep tomato soup from tasting too acidic, you can add carrots, which are a natural sweetener so you don't need added sugar.

3

Salad Dressing

Dressing is one of the main ways that a salad can go from a low-calorie health food to a high-calorie treat in an instant.

This goes beyond the fat that’s often found in salad dressing — it may also contain significant amounts of added sugar per serving. In Thousand Island dressing, for example, sugar is sometimes listed as the very first ingredient.

Light and fat-free dressings tend to be the highest in added sugar, Zanini says: “When manufacturers remove fat from products, they often add more sugar to replace the flavor.”

What to Eat Instead

Look for dressings with nutrition labels that contain little or no added sugar.

You can also try dressing your salads with simple oil and vinegar instead of a premixed dressing. Mix in herbs and spices for an additional flavor boost.

Or you can turn to hummus, tzatziki, freshly squeezed citrus juices, and pureed berries as simple, healthy ways to dress your salads, Zanini says.

4

Tomato Sauce

Similar to tomato soup, store-bought tomato sauce is often a sneaky source of sugar, which is added to cut the acidic taste of tomatoes.

Again, naturally occurring sugars from the tomatoes aren’t the issue — corn syrup and other added sugars are. And some jarred sauces come with up to 4 g in 1/2 cup.

What to Eat Instead

If you have trouble finding sauces that are low in or free of added sugar, try a can of plain diced tomatoes instead.

“Simply drain the juices, puree, and add your own spices to make a quick sugar-free sauce,” Zanini says. You might end up creating a sauce that you like more than anything you can find on shelves.

5

Fruit Juice

Fruit juices are definitely not all created equal. Some varieties of OJ, for example, contain nothing but pure juice from oranges. Other drinks labeled as juices are packed with added sugar and other ingredients.

In a scientific analysis, one of the top two dietary sources of added sugar was sweetened beverages, including fruit juices.

What to Eat Instead

Check product labels and look for juices that list just juice from the fruit on the ingredient list or note “100 percent juice” or “no sugar added” somewhere on the label. (And even then, check the label to ensure that artificial sweeteners weren’t added.)

Or better yet, eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice. Research has shown that drinking 100 percent fruit juice reduces the fiber, vitamin, and antioxidant content you'd get from the whole fruit, and researchers note that whole fruits have more health benefits than fruit juice.

6

Granola and Snack Bars

Some granola bars are basically glorified candy bars. That’s fine for a treat, but it might not be your top choice for breakfast or a daily snack. Some products contain as much as 10 g of sugar per bar. Added sugar might come in the form of chocolate chips, agave nectar, or honey.

What to Eat Instead

Look for bars with whole-food ingredients, like rolled oats, without many added sugars. Avoid bars that list sugar in the top three ingredients.

You can also consider snacking on a handful of whole nuts and whole or unsweetened dried fruit instead. (More on dried fruit next.)

7

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit tends to sound a lot healthier than it is.

While it does contain vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and fiber, its sugars are much more concentrated, thanks to the drying process. This makes it sweeter than its whole-fruit counterpart.

On top of that, it’s common for food manufacturers to add even more sugar to dried fruit. A single handful (40 g) of dried, sweetened cranberries, for instance, can contain up to 29 g of total sugar. In fact, up to 26 of those 29 g may be added sugar.

Added sugar levels tend to be highest in dried fruits that are naturally tart, Upton says.

What to Eat Instead

Look for options that list no added sugar on the nutrition label. These may say “no added sugar” on the front of the package as well, but the safest bet is to check the ingredient list to make sure that it contains nothing but the fruit (and maybe a preservative).

As with fruit juice, you can simply turn to whole fruit instead of dried fruit for the best nutritional benefits. Fresh fruit is more hydrating than dried varieties, as well as naturally lower in sugars and calories.