1. Dairy products
Did you know to pick full-fat yoghurt, instead of low-fat options because they can be full of sugar to replace the flavour lost when the fat is taken out?
Try eating a full-fat yoghurt topped with fresh fruit and cinnamon, in order to keep sugar cravings away.
As for milk, full fat and low fat have similar levels of lactose, but when it comes to almond or coconut milk, it’s best to always pick unsweetened options.
2. Bread
To bake bread, sugar must be added to aid fermentation and encourage the bread to rise.
Some brands may add sugar to bread to help with taste, texture and get a golden outer crust, there can be a bitter taste of whole wheat, more sugar is also added to wholemeal bread.
The key is to check the ingredients list on the pack before you buy.
3. Tomato Sauce
Surprising to many is what is hidden in that sauce bottle that we often grab, just one 15ml squirt on your food includes one teaspoon of sugar. Watch out for sweet chilli sauce is even worse. It has nearly double the amount of sugar compared to tomato sauce.
TIP: If sugar appears in the top three ingredients of your sauce or salad dressing of choice, it should be a big red flag.
4. Alcohol
While we all know that alcohol contains sugar, there are actually some choices which are far worse than others.
Cocktails made with juice, syrup and soft drinks should all be avoided say nutritionists. Alternatives to these are spirits mixed with soda and fresh lime or lemon
If you choose wine, red has less sugar than white wine or champagne
5. Crackers
Some savoury snacks are packed with sugar and unfortunately crackers are one of the worst offenders. They often have sugar added to boost taste, with flavoured rice crackers being especially bad.
Try plain crackers, or corn thins and then topping them with proteins like eggs, ham or cottage cheese, tomatoes and pickles in order to improve their nutritional value.
6. Cereals
The worst will be cereals like Coco Pops, but even ones you may associate with being healthier, like muesli, can have a high sugar content.
While some cereal options are sweetened with honey and maple syrup, this doesn’t make them any healthier: the body processes the sugar in the same way.
TIP: The best way to avoid falling victim to sugary breakfast bowls is to make your own batch once a week with healthy seeds, grains and nuts.
7. Baked beans
Beans are a great source of protein, but tinned baked beans can be packed full of sugar due to their high sauce content.
Most common brand-named baked beans list sugar as their third ingredient, which should be a big red flag for those trying to limit their sugar.
You can try making your own bakes beans. That way you know exactly what you are eating.
8. Sushi
When you make sushi sugar is added to the rice for taste, options such as teriyaki, sweet chilli and mayonnaise contain high amounts of sugar, adding to what can be up to a tablespoon per cup of sushi rice.
9. Energy drinks
Most people these days are pretty clued up about how bad energy drinks are. Packed full of sugar, most have as much sugar as a soft drink.
Watch these drinks that contain caffeine, it can often be too much for the body to handle.
Tip: There are better ways to get energy, even a coffee or two a day is better than an energy drink.
