Hidden Sugars: What to Look for

by Coach Sarah,
Eau Claire Moms on the Run Coach and MOTRwell program facilitator 

Did you know that sugars are routinely hidden in common household foods such as salsa, mustard, spaghetti sauces, mayonnaise, chicken broth, salad dressings, crackers, peanut butter, bread, bacon, and beef sticks? It’s no wonder we crave sugar and feel out of control with it at times. It is now estimated that Americans consume anywhere between 17-40 teaspoons of sugar a day! Am I the only one that thinks that’s crazy?! Picture a teaspoon of sugar. Now picture yourself eating 17 of them a day. Gross. 

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I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to eat sugar, I want to know that I’m eating it. So, what can I do about all of these hidden sugars? I can be a smart consumer. Instead of only looking at the advertising on the front of the product or reading the nutrition label, I take an extra 30 seconds to read the ingredient list on the back of the bottle or package. If I see sugar in a product that doesn’t need sugar, I find another similar one close by that doesn’t include it. It’s that easy! 

Here are common names to look for when reading ingredient labels. Don’t forget that the items are listed in order of highest quantity to lowest quantity. Happy ingredient label reading!

Sugar • Dextrose • Maltose • Glucose • Fructose • Corn sweetener • Honey • Corn syrup • Sucrose • Sorghum syrup • Sorbitol • Brown sugar • Lactose • Molasses • Syrup • Fruit juice concentrate • High-fructose corn syrup • Evaporated cane juice • Dehydrated cane syrup •  Fruit juice concentrate • Barley malt • Glucose solids • Maltodextrin • Honey • Maple syrup • and anything ending in -ose (fructose, sucrose, maltose, galactose, dextrose)

For more information about MOTRwell or our latest program, Sugar Shakedown, click here.