Let’s face it, it may taste sweet, but too much sugar can be unhealthy, causing diabetes or heart disease. Added sugar may be the single most unhealthy ingredient in the modern diet! Most times, these added sugars are hidden within processed foods, so we don’t even realize we are eating it! Oftentimes, you may think you are buying or eating something low in sugar, but did you know that food industries use other names for sugars to fool you?! Because sugar goes by these many different names, it can be hard to figure out how much sugar a food item actually contains. But you can make yourself aware of the different names of sugar. In fact, deciphering these hidden sugars is key. So don’t be fooled by the following ingredients posed in their sweet disguise:
- Fructose
- Sucrose
- High fructose corn syrup
- Agave nectar
- Evaporated cane juice
- Molasses
- Brown rice syrup
- Rice malt syrup
- Oat syrup solids
Sugar alternatives that are artificially or chemically altered disrupt normal blood sugar levels in the body. Instead, eat sugars that are naturally present in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. These products contain only a small amount of sugar, but they are also rich in fiber and nutrients. You can also eat mostly whole and unprocessed foods as an effective way to reduce your sugar intake, as well.
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