Let's dive into a topic as sticky and sweet as the syrup in your favorite soda—sugar (or high fructose corn syrup if you’re in the US… but that’s a whole separate conversation.
Sugar… we all love to hate and hate to love. But did you ever wonder why you just can't say no to another scoop of that sorbet or an extra sip of that soda?
To Put It Simply - Sugar Is Addictive.
This study here does a great job at really detailing WHY sugar is so addictive. It’s no wonder we can’t put down the candy or sodas.
But guess what? It's not just in your the obvious sweet things - the candy, cookies, cakes... It's in almost everything. Yes, you heard it right, EVERYTHING!
I dare you to head to your kitchen right now and pick up 5 items from your pantry, especially if they’re boxed meals or pre-made snacks.
Then come back here and tell me how much sugar is in each.
Make sure you look both at the Sugar field AND at the Added Sugar field, because there’s two different things happening.
Here's the twist: that first “Sugar” field includes ALL types of sugar - the natural ones like fructose in fruits and lactose in milk, and the refined rascals like high fructose corn syrup and granulated sugars.
That Added Sugar space is just the EXTRA sugar they’ve sprinkled on top. Sleazy as heck, right?
Let’s look at some examples - A few examples of sugar in various food and beverages, based on 1 serving size:
- DelMonte Fruit Chillers Frozen Fruit Sorbet. 26 gms sugar or 𝟔.𝟓 𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐬
- Motts Apple Sauce: 22 gms of sugar or 𝟓.𝟓 𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐬
- 1 𝟏𝟎 𝐨𝐳. 𝐜𝐚𝐧 of CocaCola: 39 gms of sugar, almost 𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐬
Think you’re choosing the healthier option of a non-soda drink? Think again…
- Gatorade Organic, Lemon, 16.9 oz bottle: 29 gms of sugar or 𝟕.𝟐𝟓 𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐬
- Naked Juice, Apple to Lavender, 12oz juice bottle: 25 gms of sugar (ingredients apple juice, cucumber juice, beet juice, cranberry juice, lemon juice, passion fruit juice, lavender oil)
- Quaker Breakfast Shake, one 11.1 oz bottle, 20 gms of sugar or 𝟓 𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐬
- Tropicana Pure Premium 10oz glass of OJ. 29 gms of sugar or 𝟕.𝟐𝟓 𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐬. It’s almost equivalent to a can of soda!
- AMPED Energy Original Flavor, 16oz can 58 gms of sugar that is 𝟏𝟒.𝟓 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐬!!
What’s The Takeaway?
So, what's the takeaway from all this?
First, read those labels. Make informed choices about your sugar intake. And don’t ignore the sugar field by just looking at the added sugar - both count and both can be addictive.
Second, pay attention to your body. After that sugar rush, do you feel tired, have a headache, or experience digestion issues? Your body's telling you something important.
Cutting down on sugar isn't just about avoiding cavities or staying lean. It's about listening to your body and understanding what you're really consuming. So, next time you reach for that seemingly innocent snack or drink, take a moment to consider what's really inside.
