When you look at this label what do you see? I notice that, after the enriched flour, and two types of B vitamins added in, there are four different kinds of sugar - corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and sugar. In fact, if they used just one type of sugar it would likely be the first ingredient (instead of flour).
Too much added sugar in your diet can be a problem. Added sugars are concerning for people with hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, people who are overweight or obese, and those with ADHD.
If you choose to eat processed foods you need to be aware of the hidden added sugars in foods. Added sugars in foods release chemicals that make us feel happy when we eat them. And then our bodies crave sugar again.
Get into the habit of reading labels and looking for added sugars. The daily recommended limit of added sugar is 9 teaspoons for men and 6 teaspoons for women and children. There are 4 grams of sugar in each teaspoon - keep that in mind when checking labels. Just think "SUGAR IS GOOD '4' NOTHING" to help you remember.
Some common foods that have a high amount of hidden added sugars are:
Most "Healthy" breakfast cereals
BBQ sauce and ketchup (take a look at most of the sauces you use - high fructose corn syrup is likely one of the top three ingredients).
Salad dressing (even the savory ones like Ranch)
Peanut butter
Yogurt
Tomato soup
Breads and crackers
So what do you think our mystery product with the ingredients listed above is? Many of our kids can find it in the school snack bar for a morning snack. I've even seen them in hospital vending machines.
Notice the added sugars (in the label below) of 16 grams is per pastry. Most everyone doesn't eat just one so you're getting 32 grams of sugar in one packet. If you remember "that sugar is good 4 nothing" that adds up to 8 teaspoons of sugar which is well over the 6 teaspoon RDA for women and children. Add a Gatorade to wash it down with and you've added 34 more grams of sugar. Yikes!
Think about the foods you eat throughout the day. How many foods are you choosing with added sugar? What choices can you make instead? Let me know in the comments below.