These five foods are surprisingly high in sugar and could be doing your healthy eating a disservice.
We’re all becoming aware of the dangers of eating too much sugar, and if you’re trying to cut down you’ll know to avoid things like soft drinks, confectionery and desserts. But even if you’re trying to eat healthily, sugar may be sneaking into your diet in unexpected ways. Here are five foods you may not have known are high in sugar.
Salad dressing
We tend to choose salad when we’re trying to be healthy, but if you’re drizzling your greens in dressing, you may be consuming more sugar than you realise. Just two tablespoons of a bottled French dressing can contain a teaspoon of sugar or more. So be sure to read the labels carefully, or make your own simple vinaigrette so you know exactly what you’re eating. Or try one of these Raw Vegan Dressings.
Enhanced water
Water is water, right? Wrong. Some 600mL bottles of flavoured water can actually contain up to seven teaspoons of sugar – about the same as a can of Red Bull. You’re much better off sticking to plain water from the tap, and adding a few slices of lemon or cucumber if you want a dash of flavour.
Muesli Bars
A lunch box staple, muesli bar packaging is often covered in words like “natural” and “low fat”. But while they might masquerade as a healthy option, some muesli bars can be 15 per cent sugar – or even higher. Avoid any bar that lists sugar in the first three ingredients, or consider snacking on a handful of raw nuts instead.
Yoghurt
While yoghurt is essentially a nutritious food, you need to be careful what tub you pick up in the supermarket. Fruit-flavoured varieties tend to have high sugar levels, and some types of yoghurt even contain more sugar than the equivalent amount of ice-cream. Opt for unsweetened Greek yoghurt to get the protein and calcium benefits without the added sugar – you can always sprinkle with a little cinnamon to cut the tart flavour.
Sauces & Marinades
You probably already know that tomato sauce and barbecue sauce are full of sugar, but what about those pantry staples: pasta sauces and stir-fry sauces? Some processed tomato-based pasta sauces can have over two teaspoons of sugar in a standard serving, while a supermarket sweet and sour simmer sauce can have eight. Stick to homemade, or use a dry spice rub to impart flavour.
