In the daily diet, "invisible sugars" are widely found in all kinds of processed foods, and these sugars are often added in different forms and names, making it difficult for consumers to notice. Here's a detailed inventory of the "invisible sugars" in your daily diet:
1. Hidden sugars in processed foods
- Bread & Baked GoodsIndustrial bread: In the production of bread, a certain amount of sugar is often added to improve the taste and shelf life. It is estimated that 10~20 grams of sugar may be added to every 100 grams of flour during the production process. Baked goods: such as cakes, biscuits, etc., which are usually high in sugar and often added in many forms of sugar (e.g., sucrose, glucose syrup, etc.).
- Condiments and saucesTomato sauce, salad dressings, barbecue sauces, and other condiments: These sauces often contain a lot of added sugar, which is used to enhance taste and flavor. For example, some brands of ketchup may contain around 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Soy sauce and sauces: In Chinese cooking, sugar is often added to braised dishes, spicy dishes, soy sauce dishes, and stewed dishes, and sauces such as soy sauce may also contain sugar.
- Dairy and beverage alternatives: such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, lactic acid bacteria drinks, etc., these drinks tend to be high in sugar. For example, lactobacillus drinks generally contain twice or more as much sugar than cow's milk. Sports drinks and energy drinks: These drinks, while billed as energy and electrolytes, tend to be high in added sugar. A typical 590ml bottle of a sports drink may contain about 34 grams of sugar.
- Snacks and puffed snacks: such as snow cakes, shrimp crackers, etc., although these foods are salty to eat, they actually contain a lot of starch and hidden sugars. Dried fruits and jerky: Foods such as pork jerky, beef jerky, etc., are made with sugar to enhance taste and water retention.
- Instant food and convenience foodInstant paste food: such as walnut powder, sesame paste, etc., additives such as starch dextrin will be added during the production process to make it contain high sugar. Prepared and ready-to-eat foods: These foods often contain additives such as modified starch and sugar to improve taste and extend shelf life.
2. How to identify and avoid "invisible sugar"
- Read the ingredient list on the food label: Check the sugar content in the food ingredient list, and watch out for various hidden sugar aliases, such as sucrose, fructose, syrup, maltose, corn syrup, etc. Sort by content: The ingredients in the ingredient list are listed from highest to least amount, and if the sugar is ranked first, it means that the product contains a higher percentage of sugar.
- Choose whole foodsTry to choose whole foods such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, which are naturally found and low in sugar.
- Control your intakeTake care to limit your intake of processed foods, beverages, and snacks and avoid excessive intake of hidden sugars.
The "invisible sugars" of the daily diet are ubiquitous, and they are added in different forms and names to all kinds of processed foods. In order to stay healthy, we need to be vigilant and learn to recognize and avoid these hidden sugar intakes. By reading food labels, choosing natural foods, and controlling intake, we can effectively reduce the adverse health effects of sugar intake.