Today, I am doing something completely out of character. I am not focusing on the list of ingredients and instead looking at how much sugar is in SOOO many products these days.
The Problem With Sugar
The problem with sugar is honestly not sugar itself, but the quantity in which it’s being consumed. Over the last few decades our consumption of sugar has skyrocketed to “nearly 130 pounds of added sugars per person, per year,” which is ⅓ pound (or ⅔ cup) per day! That’s as much as four times as what's recommended...keep this chart handy as you review the products below:
The American Heart Association’s recommended daily allowance of sugar:
- 3 teaspoons of added sugar for children
- 6 teaspoons of added sugar for women
- 9 teaspoons of added sugar for men
According to Mark Bittman, "Added sugar . . . is the tobacco of the twenty-first century" and “probably the most dangerous part of our current diet.” One of the biggest concerns is that many people don’t realize how much added sugar they’re actually consuming. You might think you’re in the clear if you simply avoid sweets, but added sugar lurks in some pretty unexpected places, including salad dressings, dried fruit, spaghetti sauces, breads, cereals, condiments, flavored yogurts, beverages, and even crackers.
Added Sugar vs. Naturally Occurring Sugar
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Nature does a good job of packaging whole fruit with the right amount of sweetness and also the right amount of other nutrients (including fiber, which helps to slow absorption). So thanks to nature naturally occurring sugar that's found in whole foods is not to fear (whew!)...the much bigger problem is the white stuff! With this in mind, I tried to mostly select products for my little "Sugar Project" below that I believe are low in naturally occurring sugar so we can for sure know that the grams of sugar listed on the label are mainly referring to refined, added sugar (the stuff we need to cut back on). There are always exceptions to the rule though, which I explain below.
Why Artificial Sweeteners are No Better
Now if there's one thing I want to be sure of - I don't want anyone walking away from this post thinking they should go for the artificial sweeteners instead since they don't add up on the nutrition label. Just for the record, I'd MUCH rather eat "real" sugar over the artificial stuff any day. More on that here.
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1. Frosted Mini Wheats
This product is one of those that could be healthy if it weren't coverd in a blanket of sugar. If you're feeding this to your children for breakfast, yes, they'll be consuming some much-needed whole grains, BUT they'll also almost max out on their recommended daily allowance of added sugar with just one serving. Next time go for the plain wheat cereal ...even if that means sprinkling a ¼ teaspoon of your own sugar on top (which would be a huge improvement)!
2. Fruit Snacks
I am so tired of seeing these treats labeled as "fruit." The main fruit these contain is fruit juice, which, referencing what I said above about naturally occurring sugars, has been stripped of all the good nutrients and fiber that nature intended to go with all the natural sugar. So, while I'd personally rather drink fruit juice than eat straight-up sugar, I believe it should still be consumed in moderation as well.
3. Granola Bars
This right here is inspiring a "health foods that aren't healthy" post. Granola bars tend to have a "healthy" reputation (and I love the homemade version where you can control the amount and what type of sugar is added), but be careful that you aren't maxing out your added sugar for the day with one bar!
4. Froot Loops
I am guessing most of you don't think of "Froot Loops" as a health food, but isn't it interesting that even with the first ingredient in this cereal being sugar that it contains just as much added sugar as those "healthy" granola bars shown just above? And I promise my point here is not for you to eat more Froot Loops!
5. Sprinkles
Once again, we all know this product isn't a health food either, BUT I was a little surprised that just in 2 tablespoons of sprinkles my children would easily exceed their recommended daily allowance of sugar. Let's remember this doesn't even consider the sugar used in the cake or the frosting. So the next time you want to add some colorful sprinkles to your child's dessert, I would just say be cognizant about not going overboard.
6. Gatorade
Here's another "health" food that's really not. Kids are downing this stuff left and right and as you can see here, it's FULL of sugar - not to mention it's loaded with artificial dyes and other questionable ingredients. I think it's also worth mentioning that the bottle pictured here contains 2 ½ servings, which means it contains more than 13 teaspoons of sugar in total - ack! I personally think water is a great thirst quencher after being active, but I know some more serious athletes feel like they need "more" than that. Homemade gatorade recipes can be found online, and coconut water is another popular alternative to consider and discuss with whomever told you to drink this stuff in the first place!
7. Snickers Bar
Snickers commercials like to suggest eating their candy as a "snack," but now we can see that if you're really craving a candy bar you should consider eating half of one and most definitely count it as a dessert instead!
8. Sprite
Obviously regular sodas are full of sugar. But I must admit I was taken aback with how much! 16 teaspoons in this 1 bottle? Yikes! But don't think reaching for the diet version is any better. Be sure and check out my post on artificial sweeteners to read more about that.
Were any of these surprising to you? I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
(PS - If you want to do a little "Sugar Project" of your own at home - my kids actually thought this was fun to do - download my free Sugar Conversion Chart to help you decide exactly how many teaspoons are in all those grams you see on the label.)
Rebecca Cherry says
I thought you might be interested in the experiment this family did on the amount of sugar consumed by each family member. Interesting read!
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-46739905?fbclid=IwAR2iWk5eyq1iD6Qu5sQam1yEAN1eIFKdmQibT1OPxL_Q_iy5P3qnBgzVBog
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Laura Beth says
Yogurt is always something that has surprised me! I would assume that it would just be the sugar naturally occurring from the milk- but NOOO, most yogurt companies add sugar and I have seen individual servings with as much as 36 g of sugar!!! UGGHH!
Melissa Holgate says
I have a question about cereal. You posted about cereals a while back but I can't find it. My kids like Raisin Bran, but I have always wondered if the sugars are mostly naturally occuring because of the raisins, or if it's added sugar. What's your take on raisin bran cereal? Is it ok for some mornings even though the sugar content is high?
Thanks for your feedback,
Melissa Holgate
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Melissa. I know how tough it is to break the sweet cereal habit. :) I think this recent post on cereals will help guide you: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2016/01/14/whats-in-your-cereal/.
Margaret says
Which sugar causes "dumping syndrom?"
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
This might help: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dumping-syndrome/basics/symptoms/con-20028034
Verena Tonnesen says
What are your views on Stevia? Views on Zevia soda?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Lisa is not a stevia user. If you choose stevia, look for one that is pure stevia.
Severine says
I was surprised to read this morning that a culp of milk has 11g of sugar!!!
I am confused: we are supposed to eat no more than 6 teaspoon of sugar a day (= 25g = 100 calories), but does it include the sugar from fruits? From milk?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. This is referring to added sugars.
Lori says
I wouldn't call any of these items foods. They are all GMO'S, food dyes and chemicals. The organic yogurts are just as bad with the sugar counts. Some of the yogurt sticks for kids have 23 grams of sugar. Just eat real food and make your own bars. None of this shocks me and it's why diseases are so rampant.
Jackie says
Pasta sauces are terrible culprits as well.
Elizabeth says
I think what surprises me the most is the amount of sugar in vitamin supplements! I have Calcium/Vit. D with 6 grams of sugar and Fish Oil with 3 grams! I am searching for a more wholesome way to get my nutrients - did not expect this in supplements.
Ninja Saga free gold says
Yes! Finally something about pot.
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Sadie Steffens says
I'm confused here because I've been looking for a granola-type bar to grab for breakfast on mornings that I'm running late and am having a hard time finding any with less sugars. I know you suggested larabars in another post, but when I compared them in the store, they had the same amount of sugar as the Clif bars listed here.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sadie. If you are looking for a different type bar and can handle nuts, Kind bars are pretty low in sugars. I am hypoglycemic and it is one of the only bars I can eat and it has a pretty clean ingredient list. ~Amy
Sarah says
Sadie - Try Dale's Raw Foods protein bars. They are 100% plant based, gluten free, non-GMO, dairy & soy free. http://www.dalesrawfoods.com/
Julie says
So, my favorite Greek yogurt is Greek Gods - honey flavored. I just checked the label and saw that there is 33 grams of sugar per cup! That's 8 teaspoons right? And if a woman's daily intake is 6 grams, then I just went over my limit on yogurt!! I like to mix it with fruit and walnuts. Is there a better Greek yogurt out there?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Julie. Lisa uses plain unsweetened yogurts and dresses them up herself: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/03/recipe-berry-sauce/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/08/06/recipe-simple-yogurt-crunch/. ~Amy
Darcy says
Grams of sugar in yogurt also include the milk sugars (lactose), along with the "added sugar" which is the biggest concern, I believe it's about 12 grams of milk sugars-give or take-in a cup of yogurt. That would still give you roughly 20 grams (5 tsp) of "added sugar" in a cup!
Vaughn says
I know I'm preaching to the choir but it's a shame how products such as sports drinks and energy drinks have become simple pleasure beverages. There are definitely better options even for athletes but sports drinks were intended to replenish fluids lost during long, heavy workouts. And energy drinks...well...are just a product created because it was guaranteed to sell. No legitimate benefit at all.
Anyway, thanks for this article.
lauretta says
Hi
the Gatorade surprised me. Not because I thought it was healthy, but because it is so Unhealthy. A nurse on our 1-800 provincial pediatric line told me to give my 3yr old 1/2 strength Gatorade when he had the stomach virus!!! I know now why he had so much trouble keeping it down!!!
Neil says
Are there any good prepackaged snacks out there? Sweet ones, salty ones? Should I be buying ingredients and making my own? I guess what I would like to see is; some good alternative choices, recipes that I can incorporate into our diet. DRINKS! What good drinks are out there besides water obviously. Are there any good drinks?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Neil. These posts might help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/11/06/two-real-food-approved-store-bought-snacks/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/21/for-convenience-the-best-store-bought-snacks-ii/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/04/for-convenience-the-best-store-bought-snacks/. As for drinks, my family loves sparkling water with a splash of 100% juice. ~Amy
Christine says
Ok none if this surprises me at all - they're all packaged "foods" that I wouldn't touch anyway. What surprises (and disgusts) me is the added sugar in many brands of canned vegetables!
emily says
this helped so much
Jeff Hurst says
Your subscription to your blog/info, makes no reference to any cost or other requirement to receive. Is it totally FREE ??
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
100% free. :)
Angie says
oops : ) got the math backwards on the spaghetti sauce, 1.5 tsp - regardless, still a lot of sugar!
Angie says
oops got the math backwards --- 6 grams of sugar in the spaghetti sauce is 1.5 tsp of sugar : ) - regardless that's a lot of sugar!
Angie says
This is a great post! Especially because many parents don't have a clue as to how much sugar their children are eating. If we just use the examples above - a child has fruit loops for breakfast, mom puts a Welch's fruit snack in his backpack for a snack at school, he has a 12 oz gatorade after soccer practice, they stop at the store on the way home and he gets a snickers bar at check out and somewhere during the day he drinks a sprite (this is not atypical) he has consumed approximately 132 grams of sugar (there are about 4 grams of sugar is about 1 teaspoon) THEN you have to ask what else did he eat? A school lunch could easily consist of pizza, french fries and juice; mom might make spaghetti for dinner (there about 6 grams in 1/2 cup = 24 teaspoons) Not counting the juice at school now he's had 156 grams of sugar and virtually zero nutrition in one day. And people wonder why childhood obesity is on the rise, why so many children are being diagnosed with ADHD and why it's so hard for school's to raise academic performance. This child didn't even real food -- may sound radical but at what point will we call this child abuse?
Barbara says
I would have expected more sugar in most of these products than what is listed. Tsps stands for teaspoons. Tbsp stands for tablespoons. I think a large Gatorade has maybe 5 tablespoons of sugar, not 5 teaspoons.
Deb says
Mini-Wheat...or any wheat for that matter...is not our friend.
Becky says
I'm not sure I understand why anyone is surprised that Frosted Mini Wheats, Fruit Loops, and Sprite has a lot of sugar. I think, however, the point of the article is valid. I would have liked to have seen more where it's less expected- like the spaghetti sauce mentioned.
Nancy says
I agreed with all except who eats 2 cliff bars at once -
That is a misleading comparison.
Stephanie says
It is not misleading. There are two thin bars prepackaged together just like the nature valley ones so consuming two bars is very likely.
Teapot says
I tried the welch's fruit snacks for the first time a month ago. OMG those things are yummy and addictive. Don't try them. You won't stop. You can definitely tell there is a lot of sugar in those things....