4 surprising foods with hidden sugar and their healthy substitutions

TOO much sugar is bad for your health.

Following this, the health-conscious may avoid overly sweet snacks in favour of healthier alternatives.

But the problem is sugar is far more common than you might think, even in less obvious food sources. Much of what we eat secretly contains a lot of sugar.

Sugar is really not your friend if you're trying to lose weight, or even if you just want to stick to a healthy diet.

Experts say that cutting down on sugar not only helps with weight management, but gives you increased energy, fewer cravings, and helps with improved skin. For many, sugar is a drug.

The problem with consuming added sugar? It isn’t just that it offers no nutrients and plenty of calories, consuming too much sugar can also lead to serious health problems including obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, and even heart disease.

Now that we have underlined the disadvantageous effects of consuming too much sugar, here’s a list of some of the foods with hidden sugar that you need to consume less of, if you are looking at living a healthy lifestyle.

Protein bars and granola bars

These products tend to be a common place to find added sugars. Read labels and become familiar with brands that contain no added sugars. Or, if you really want to understand what is in your bars, make them at home.

Cereals

While cereals are very convenient, they may not be the best pick for breakfast. Today, there are so many varieties of cereals available on the market, with different flavours and fortifications, claiming to be healthier and tastier.

But we often overlook that one of the most prominent ingredients of these cereals is sugar. Start the day with oats or muesli instead.

Store-bought smoothies

You would think the fruit in smoothies is sweet enough, but unfortunately, sorbet, juice, syrups and other sweeteners are commonly added to store-bought smoothies.

If you search, there will be providers of no added sugar smoothies out there. You can also make your own at home.

Yoghurt

While plain yoghurt does not have any added sugar, many flavoured yoghurt have an over abundance of sugars. It can be deceiving with fruit-flavoured yoghurt, as any actual fruit pieces do not count as added sugars, but many have additional sugars, syrups and flavourings mixed in.

To keep your added sugar intake low while still enjoying some yoghurt, look for low-sugar varieties or choose plain yoghurt.

You can add your own fruit pieces, and perhaps a sprinkle of cinnamon to add some flavour.