There's Sugar In That?!?!

Fructose, corn syrup, honey, agave, molasses, dextrose, barley malt, caramel, glucose, sucrose, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrate, lactose, maltose, sorghum syrup, sorbital, maltodextrin...  Here's a list of 50 lesser known terms for sugar and here's some definitions and applications of sugar and its associates.   Be forewarned - these lists are not comprehensive but do cover quite a few bases.  And no matter what you call it, make no mistake; it's SUGAR - sweet, delicious, insulin spiking sugar.  The "average" American consumes 1/3 of a pound of sugar or 21 teaspoons, of the 'white stuff' every day.  We all know and expect it to be in sweet tasting foods and food products, but many foods that get a "health halo" from magazines, media, and health professionals are also packed with the stuff.  Here's a look at some of the places sugar hides out...  (As a comparison a 12 ounce soda has about 40 grams of sugar).

"Healthy" Convenience Meals & Frozen Dinners:
Healthy Choice Beef Pot Roast Meal:  19 grams
Healthy Choice Spicy Caribbean Chicken:  16 grams
Lean Cuisine Tortilla Crusted Fish:  7 grams
Lean Cuisine Lasagna with Meat Sauce:  8 grams
Smart Ones Egg, Sausage, and Cheese Smart Wrap:  7 grams
Smart Ones Mini Cheeseburger Snacks:  4 grams
Campbell's Tomato Soup:  12 grams per cup
Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans:  12 grams per 1/2 cup
Deli Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef and/or Chicken - 1 serving:  1-2 grams
Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage Links - 3 Links:  1 gram


Eating Out:
BBQ Beef, Chicken or Pork - 4 ounces:  Up to 18 grams
Jamba Juice Smoothies - 12-16 ounce:  30-65 grams
McDonald's Hamburger:  6 grams
McDonald's Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad (no dressing):  11 grams
McDonald's Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad:  25 grams
Wendy's Large Chili:  10 grams

Dairy Products & Beverages:
1% Milk - 8 ounces:  12 grams
1% Chocolate Milk - 8 ounces:  28 grams
Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt:  11 grams
Yoplait Light Yogurt:  14 grams
Cottage Cheese - 1/2 cup:  4 grams
Tomato Juice - 8 ounces:  8 grams
Orange Juice - 8 ounces:  24 grams
Slim Fast Shake - 1 can:  18 grams
Special K Protein Shake - 1 bottle:  18 grams

Condiments & Dressings
Ketchup or BBQ Sauce - 1 T:  4 grams
Sweet & Sour Sauce - 2 T:  7 grams
Teriyaki Sauce - 1 T:  3 grams
Ranch Dressing, Regular - 2 T:  1 gram
Ranch Dressing, Fat Free - 2 T:  3 grams
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing - 2 T:  3-5 grams
Pasta Sauce - 1/2 cup:  5-12 grams (watch out for canned diced tomatoes too - some brands have added sugar!)

Misc. "Healthy" Foods:
No Sugar Added Ice Cream - 1/2 cup:  12 or more grams
Whole Grain Bagel:  7-12 grams
Total Cereal - 3/4 cup:  5 grams
Raisin Bran Cereal - 1 cup:  20 grams
Quaker Low-Sugar Maple Brown Sugar - 1 packet:  4 grams
Wrigley's Big Red, Double Mint, Spearment or Juicy Fruit Gum - 1 Stick:  2 grams

What does this tell us?  Food Manufacturer's are SNEAKY - there's sugar hiding in places you'd never think of looking!  Check ingredient labels - or better yet, choose foods that don't have ingredient labels: lean or grass fed meats, vegetables, healthy fats (avocado, coconut, etc.), and some fruit.  The best food doesn't need "ingredients" to make it taste good - and that's the "sweet" and simple truth.

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