Many consumers feel pride in avoiding the glazed pastries in the supermarket and instead opting for \u201call natural\u201d granola that\u2026<\/p>\n
Many consumers feel pride in avoiding the glazed pastries in the supermarket and instead opting for \u201call natural\u201d granola that comes packed with extra protein. Same goes for low-fat yogurts \u201cmade with real fruit,\u201d \u201corganic\u201d plant-based milks and bottled \u201csuperfood\u201d smoothies.<\/p>\n
Buyer beware: Healthy grocery buzzwords like those often cover up an unhealthy amount of sugar<\/a>.<\/p>\n Added sugars<\/a> are difficult to quickly spot because many companies use clever marketing to distract consumers, said Nicole Avena, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical School and Princeton University who has studied added sugars.<\/p>\n Avena said while some health-forward brands know people are starting to become aware of the hazards of added sugars, \u201ca lot of the bigger brands don\u2019t worry so much about people\u2019s health.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to spot hidden sugars and what to do about it.<\/p>\n What to look for<\/p>\n Along with saturated fat and salt, eating excess sugar is linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other health risks<\/a>.<\/p>\n The average American consumes 17 grams of added sugar a day, which adds up to 57 pounds (26 kilograms) per year, according to the American Heart Association<\/a>. About half of that comes from beverages, but much of the rest is sneaked into cereal, salsa, prepared sandwiches, dairy products, bottled sauces and baked goods, including many brands of whole-grain bread.<\/p>\n To help control sugar intake, start by checking the nutrition label. Since 2021, food companies have been required to list the quantity of added sugars separately from total sugar content. But the plan backfired, Avena said.<\/p>\n Companies reduced common sweeteners like refined beet sugar and high-fructose corn syrup but added alternatives, such as monk fruit and the sugar alcohol erythritol, which aren\u2019t considered \u201cadded sugars\u201d under FDA regulations.<\/p>\n \u201cNow our foods are even more sweet than they were back in 2020,\u201d Avena said.<\/p>\n What should you do?<\/p>\n Collin Popp, a dietitian and professor at NYU Langone Health, said the current FDA recommendation allows for some flexibility. People should get no more than 10% of their calories from added sugar, which amounts to about 50 grams per day if eating 2,000 calories, or a bit more than what\u2019s in a typical can of soda.<\/p>\n But that might be too flexible, Popp said.<\/p>\n \u201cI would actually like to see that be less than 5%, and closer to zero for some, if they have diabetes or prediabetes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The key is to be mindful of what you\u2019re eating<\/a>, even if the product seems healthy<\/a> or if the package is labeled organic, Popp said. Roasted nuts, plant-based milks and wasabi peas, for example, can include a surprising amount of added sugars. So can English muffins and Greek yogurt.<\/p>\n One Chobani black cherry yogurt, for example, has zero grams of fat but 9 grams of added sugar, or more than 2 teaspoons. Silk brand almond milk has 7 grams per cup.<\/p>\n Popp recommends taking control of how much sugar goes into your food. That could mean buying plain yogurt and adding honey or berries, or asking the barista if you can put your own oat milk into your coffee.<\/p>\n Taking from one column to add to another<\/p>\n