Producers hide sugars in food by giving them different names- cane crystals, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, agave nectar and fruit juice concentrate among others. If a product has a lot of sugar some companies will intentionally use two or more different types so sugar doesn’t end up being number one on the list of ingredients. Sugar isn’t the enemy but it is important to be mindful of your intake.
Pay attention also to artificial sweeteners: (aspartame, NutraSweet, Splenda, sucralose, and sugar alcohols — any word that ends with “ol,” like xylitol or sorbitol), these “zero calorie” additives can make you hungry and create gas and bloating.
The FDA has proposed a change that would require manufacturers to add up all of these types of sugar and clearly list them as “added” sugars. This would surely simplify label reading right?
Let’s hope this change is adopted; however, until then be one step ahead with these tips on identifying those sneaky sugar sources in your diet. Hope it helps you to make better choices.
Kimberly Young, M.S. is a practicing Nutritionist in Dallas, Texas. Learn about her integrative and functional approach to diet and nutrition at kyoungnutrition.com
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