Really, do we need to go over this again? Yes. We do. Added sugar is still sneaking in everywhere and it’s time to revisit (or visit for the first time) some of the sneaky places sugar hides out. I’m just going to go with what I’ve noticed in my diet and my shopping adventures lately.
Applesauce
Recently I mindlessly grabbed the first applesauce I saw and thought it was the brand I usually use. Well, it was but it’s wasn’t the “No added sugar” version. The result: The version I bought had 100 calories/half cup serving (my normal one only has 50) and it had 19g of sugar per serving. YIKES! You don’t need to add sugar to an already sweet fruit like apples. I use applesauce to bake with, to top oatmeal and yogurt and in smoothies. Since I hate throwing things away I’ve been using it sparingly to bake with or to replace any honey that I might add to oats/yogurt.
Frozen Entrees
Yes, I admit that from time to time I turn to frozen entrees to grab a bite. Usually I’m satisfied by looking at the front label to get my nutrition needs met, thinking that I’m smart enough to know when I might see something high in sugar. Nope. Recently I purchased a Lean Cuisine that had 23GRAMS OF SUGAR!!! I forget what it was, but I was so frustrated. Why is there that much sugar in a savory chicken/veggie dish? And no, it wasn’t sweet and sour chicken. Yuck.
Organic Cereals, hot or cold
God bless “organic”, but unfortunately it is sometimes translated into “Free Pass” to assume it’s the superior choice. ORGANIC SUGAR IS STILL SUGAR AND METABOLIZED AS SUCH! The organic frosted-mini-wheat style cereal I saw the other day (cleverly packaged in it’s ‘low impact’ packaging) had 17g sugar per 3/4 cup serving. I’ve seen some organic flavored oatmeals that follow the same vein. Look on the back and be savvy!!
Flavored beverages, especially those that will ‘refuel or energize’ you
Expensive and gimmicky, these beverages (like Gluekoes (sp??)) are much higher in sugar than the average weekend warrior needs. Just drink water. Hansen’s natural soda is the same. Sugar is natural, but not necessarily healthy. There are tons of other drinks out there that I don’t even know about, but again – look at the container. If it’s got more than 10g of sugar/serving that is A LOT. By comparison water (also known as skinny water these days??) has ZERO GRAMS OF SUGAR!!
Trail Mix
Question: What is the difference bewteen a Reese’s PB cup and a chocolate candy and peanut trail mix? Answer – not much really. So, don’t be fooled. Look at the label and see how much sugar is in a tiny 1/4 cup serving (not to mention fat and overall calories). Unless you’re backpacking the John Muir trail those mixes may not be a good idea unless you treat them like a dessert.
Okay, that is my two cents on the matter these days – I’d love to hear yours!
Off White Living 