What is hidden sugar and how to detect it to take care of your health?

In a world where processed foods and packaged products are the norm, there’s one ingredient that often hides behind misleading names and flashy labels: hidden or added sugar. More than just a sweetener, This component appeared as a silent threat to public health, becoming a soft hidden danger.

Added sugar is commonly used in the food industry to improve the taste of products and extend their shelf life. It is found in a variety of processed foods, such as sugary drinks, cereals, yogurts, sauces, breads and canned products. Few products are free of added sugar, so it’s important to be aware and choose healthy options. But in today’s food system, where people increasingly consume ultra-processed foods, is it really possible to avoid them?

Clinical dietitian Jessica Sylvester, nutrition practice owner and national media spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told the site room that added sugars “are only “hidden” if you don’t know how to look for them.

Hidden or added sugar in foods refers to sugars that are incorporated into products during processing or manufacturing, and are not a natural part of those foods . These sugars can appear under different names on a product’s ingredient list, sometimes making them difficult to identify.

Nichole Dandrea-Russert, registered dietitian and author of The Vegan Athlete’s Nutrition Handbook He said in the same report that some products are marketed as “healthy,” but in reality they are not and are made only with other types of sugar that are not traditional.

There American Heart Association (AHA) emphasizes that Beverages are the main source of added sugars (47% of all added sugars) snacks and sweets come in second place with 31% added sugars.

It’s tempting to view alternative sugars as a miracle solution. Products made with honey, maple syrup, coconut or turbinado sugar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup and dextrose, for example, are seen as healthier options , but this is not the case. too much sugar is too much, whatever the source, notes the AHA.

Deborah Malkoff-Cohen, a certified specialist in diabetes education and care, told Salon that there are 62 different names for sugar, from agave and malt syrup to dextrose, sucrose, fructose, barley malt among others.

The specialist emphasizes that it is crucial to be careful with sugars that end in -ose, such as fructose or dextrose. Certain sugars, such as high-fructose corn syrup, are of concern due to their prevalence in processed foods and their potential impact on metabolic health.

Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) he said that sweeteners are not effective for long-term weight control and that the use of these substances increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality in adults.

The AHA’s recommendation is that men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day. In women, the quantity is less: 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) per day. To put things in perspective, consider that a 350 ml can of soda contains 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of added sugar, thus supplementing your daily ration with just one can of drink.

Chileans consume on average 142.7 grams of sugar per capita per day almost triple the maximum limit of 50 grams which advises the WHO as a “firm recommendation”. In front of this panorama, How to detect hidden sugar in foods?

Added sugar, found in a wide range of everyday foods, from energy drinks to pasta sauces, has been linked to alarming health problems including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease . Despite growing calls for greater transparency in the food industry, many consumers remain unaware of the significant amount of hidden sugar they consume daily.

Detecting added sugar in foods can be difficult because manufacturers often use different names for sugar on product labels. Here are some strategies for identifying added sugar in foods:

• Read the nutrition labels: Look for terms like “sugar,” “syrup,” “honey,” “high-fructose corn syrup,” “sucrose,” or any word ending in “-ose” (like glucose, fructose, dextrose). Keep in mind that ingredients are listed by weight, so if you see sugar at the top of the list, it’s a sign that the product may contain a significant amount of sugar.
• Look at the ingredient lists: In addition to searching for sugar-related terms, pay attention to the number of ingredients that might indicate the presence of sugar. Sometimes added sugars can appear on the ingredient list under less obvious names, like “rice syrup” or “concentrated fruit juice.”
• Check the total sugar content: Look at the total amount of sugar on the nutrition label and compare it to the recommended serving size. Sometimes a product may seem low in sugar, but the recommended serving size may be small.
• Compare products: Compare different brands and varieties of the same type of product. Some brands may contain less added sugar than others.
• Consider alternative names for sugar: Besides the common names, familiarize yourself with the different alternative names for sugar, such as cane sugar, invert sugar, coconut sugar, molasses, among others.
• Choose fresh, unprocessed foods: Opt for fresh, unprocessed foods whenever possible. These foods tend to have less added sugar than highly processed products.

Expert Malkhoff-Cohen recommends that consumers become “label detectives” because this is the only way to know whether a food is actually healthy or not. She suggests Prioritize unpackaged foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, as they won’t contain added sugars to extend their shelf life.

He also advises “eat the real thing” when it comes to sweeteners , like honey and maple syrup, but in smaller portions. He tells Salon that, in many cases, artificial sweeteners can be even more of a concern than “real sugar”; From aspartame to acesulfame potassium to sucralose, all seemingly “better for you,” the alternatives may actually lead to an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

Eliminating these sugars may seem difficult, especially for the taste buds, but Jessica Sylvester, a registered clinical dietitian in the United States, said that The taste buds adapt every week, and very quickly you will adapt to the change, you just have to try it.