Nobody needs to give up sugar completely in order to have a balanced diet. It’s all a question of moderation and ensuring that we eat a colourful mixture of different foods. However, sugar is frequently also hidden in the most unexpected places. And the plot thickens: sugar can appear under lots of different names in lists of ingredients. Both of these facts are problematic, as it means that we can easily lose track and actually quickly consume too much sugar.

 

Fed up with those sneaky sugar traps? Then join us on the hunt today and find out where this sugar is hiding out in your food and what it is called!

 

The 5 biggest sugar traps

 

1. Fruit juices

 

They sound healthy but are incredibly sweet! Shop-bought fruit juices contain a huge amount of fruit sugars. For example, a litre of apple juice contains about 50 g of fruit sugar. And yes – fruit sugar is sugar! In contrast to a whole apple, however, the juice does not contain any fibre. This means that the sugar in the fruit juice quickly passes through the organism, causing blood sugar levels to rise sharply. So why not grab some fresh fruit instead or dilute the juice to make a spritzer and enjoy in moderation.

 

2. Shop-bought muesli

 

For breakfast, do you like to eat pre-packaged muesli with fruit or chocolate or cook up some instant or microwavable porridge? Then you may be filling your bowl with an actual sugar bomb as these are products that also contain hidden sugar. Bought cereals often contain very little fruit but a lot more sugar, which may well be added as honey. Why not take some raw oats instead and mix with fresh fruit and natural yoghurt or a vegan yoghurt alternative. Top with nuts.

 

3. Ketchup, tomato sauce and salad dressings

 

They’re just so handy! Open the bottle or jar and these sauces and dressings can add that extra burst of flavour to salads, pasta and the like. But unfortunately these delicious additions also contain a lot of sugar: a litre bottle of ketchup can contain up to 43 sugar cubes, for example. Tip: Simply rustle up your own delicious sauces with a few fresh ingredients! Some tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil and spices will make sure you are on the right track.

 

4. Fruit yoghurt

 

You’ve guessed it – the fruit yoghurt you pick up in the supermarket is also packed with sugar, making it more of a dessert than a healthy snack. By the way, even low-fat products contain a lot of sugar in order to retain the flavour and consistency of the full-fat varieties. So why not try some natural yoghurt with fresh, puréed berries instead? Yummy!

 

5. Ready-made salads and pickles

 

Pre-packaged herring salads, coleslaw, gherkins and jars of red cabbage all have one thing in common: they are all real sugar traps! Would you have thought it? But luckily there are plenty of clever alternatives. The trick is to make them yourself! It’s simple – if you use fresh ingredients in your meals, you know exactly what is in them. It doesn’t mean that you have to immediately become an expert in pickling and fermenting. Salads made with fresh cucumbers or cabbage can be whipped up in a flash and taste super-delicious.

 

On the hunt for sugar

 

So how do you know if a food contains a lot of sugar? Take a look at the list of ingredients. The main ingredient is right at the start of the list, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts. Remember also that sugar can often appear under very different names, such as:

 

  • maple syrup
  • invert sugar
  • golden syrup
  • apple sweetener
  • grape syrup
  • fruit juice concentrate
  • fruit sweetener
  • barley malt extract
  • honey
  • inulin
  • glucose syrup
  • yoghurt powder
  • maltodextrin
  • whey powder
  • sweet whey powder

 

Eat less sugar – you’re sweet enough already!

 

Your Dole team