Experts recommend that women consume only 24 grams of sugar per day, while men can consume up to 36 grams. But did you know that a can of soda already contains about 40 grams of sugar? Well, everyone knows that sodas are high in sugar, but many do not know that a can of tomato soup can contain up to 20 grams of sugar per serving, and your favorite apple juice, even if labeled unsweetened, it has about 25 grams of sugar per cup.
We are putting a spotlight on certain foods that we previously thought were healthy low-sugar options.
Canned Soup
You would think that store-bought soup would be a healthy combination of water and nutritious vegetables. But when you expand on the nutritional information, you will notice that the sugar content of a single can cover the entire daily sugar intake required.
This is especially common in tomato-based sauces, where sugar is used to balance the acidity of the tomato.
Low-fat Yogurt
While low-fat foods can be tempting for those seeking a healthier lifestyle, not all of them are really better for you, especially when it comes to yogurt. A serving of whole plain yogurt contains 4.7 grams of sugar, while a serving of Greek yogurt can have 6 to 12 grams of sugar.
The addition of sugar to low-fat options is used to compensate for the loss of flavor and consistency that comes from the fat. Many flavored low-fat yogurts also contain unhealthy forms of sweeteners, such as sucrose or high fructose corn syrup.
Fat-free Salad Dressing
Like yogurt, salad dressings that are lower in fat and calories contain higher amounts of sugar. 2 tablespoons of your favorite store-bought salad dressing can have 7-10 grams of added fat.
Experts recommend making your own salad dressing at home to ensure no sugars, preservatives, or other harmful ingredients are added.
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A healthy salad dressing that you can easily make at home is a 3-ingredient vinaigrette: olive oil, 2 parts vinegar, and a little salt and pepper.
Ketchup
This bottled sauce is listed as one of the most popular condiments in the world. Having a combination of sweet and sour and umami flavors, ketchup is most popular in fast food burgers and as a dip for French fries.
However, a single tablespoon of this red seasoning is equivalent to putting a sugar cube in your mouth. With about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon, most commercial ketchup bottles contain significant amounts of high-fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to obesity and heart disease.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a popular source of protein and a versatile pantry staple. Although natural types of peanut butter contain little or no sugar, many commercial variants are full of unhealthy oils and added sugars, turning a seemingly healthy mix into a potentially dangerous one.
Some popular brands can have up to 8 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoons. Nutritionists recommend reading the ingredient labels on peanut butter to see which are the most natural and healthy.
Which of these high-sugar foods surprised you the most?
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Source: crfatsides
