Added Sugar Is Sneaky, Appearing In Foods You'd Least Expect
At this point, it has to be impossible not to have heard about the dangers of sugar. Legislation on sugary products have been proposed from coast to coast in an effort to reduce their intake, which has been linked to not only the obvious, like diabetes, but also to obesity and its compatriots — heart disease and cancer. Yet, even health-conscious types who believe they’re making the smart choice in swapping water for soda may be fooled by the oh-so-devious sugar.
“Sugar is hiding everywhere,” the narrator of the video below says. Added sugars are the sneaky ones appearing in almost everything, with random names you might not be aware of. High-fructose corn syrup is one of them. Rice syrup and sorbitol are two others. Organic evaporated cane juice even sounds somewhat healthy, but think about it for a second, and you realize it’s just organic cane juice with the water taken out of it — otherwise known as, you guessed it, sugar.
Added sugar makes up about 13 percent of Americans’ total calorie intake, according to last year’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Another study from last year found that people whose added sugar consumption amounted to between 17 and 21 percent of their calories were at a 38 percent higher chance of dying from heart disease. If you’re looking to avoid added sugars, a good first step may actually be in knowing where they’re not hiding, and going from there.