How much thought do you give sugar when considering your nutritional choices?

If we told you that the average American consumes 15-19 teaspoons of added sugar a day, but The American Heart Association recommends no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day for men and just 6 teaspoons for women per day, where would your daily nutrition fall?

The fact is, sugar is hidden nearly everywhere we look in the American diet, even where we least expect it. White bread and pasta, canned fruits and fruit snacks, even condiments like ketchup, mustard, and salad dressings conceal high levels of unnecessary sugars that we might not think of checking. Premade sauces and beverages are likely to contain excessive sugar as well, misleading consumers with labels that make them seem like healthy options.
Processed foods fill grocery store shelves and kitchen cupboards, often times less expensive and more convenient than their whole, healthier counterparts.

Becoming a label-savvy shopper can feel daunting, but checking out ingredient lists and sugar content can make all the difference in overall health. Because sugar has a long list of negative effects ranging from weight gain, heart disease, tooth decay, cognitive decline, and even cancer, paying attention to what’s in our food matters.

You’ve probably noticed that food labels display sugar as well as added sugar, and sometimes that can be confusing. Both are important. Natural sugars exist before processing, and are found in products like fruit, veggies, and even milk. When foods are processed, refined sugar is often added and can come from syrups, juices, and sweeteners. Although it’s important to think about the sugar in an apple and how it might affect your blood sugar, fresh fruit is a better choice than processed apple sauce, which can have less nutritional value and more than twice as much sugar as an apple.

Selecting low-sugar or ‘no added sugar’ versions of your favorite condiments, sauces, jams, and dressings can significantly reduce sugar consumption. Comparing the labels of two similar products can often be a shock when looking at the difference in sugars, give it a try the next time you’re out shopping. We’ve found that taste is rarely impacted when the excessive sugars are absent, which leaves us to wonder why it’s added in the first place.

Knowing terminology on these labels is helpful, with words like sucrose, fructose, dextrose, and syrup all meaning the same thing…added sugars. Healthline published a helpful article titled “How to Read Food Labels Without Being Tricked” which provides a lot of useful information. Find it here:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-read-food-labels

Although not as convenient as the sliced bread available at the store, baking your own goods is a proactive step toward knowing what’s in them. There are so many more options for healthier versions these days, but nothing beats homemade! Experimenting with various sweeteners and oils is a great way to find what works for you. We recommend Swerve as an alternative to sugar, which is available at any grocery store, and opting for a healthy oil like olive or coconut.

Staying hydrated is an important aspect of everyday life, vital to the way our bodies and minds function. Often, a large portion of the sugar we consume is hidden within beverages where added sugars lurk. Always check the label for the sugar content and ingredients or opt for a healthier version. Adding sliced fruit to sparkling water or zero-sugar flavors can make a huge impact on the amount of water we drink. Our team at AMFAS recommends Stur, a natural water enhancer with a variety of flavors and no sugar!

https://sturdrinks.com/

Opting for a reusable water bottle that’s glass or stainless steel is a much better choice than using disposable plastic bottles. Not only is it better for the environment, but microplastics can leach into the water stored in plastic bottles which are then consumed when we drink that water.

Herbal teas or coffee, either hot or iced, are another flavorful option without necessary added sugar. If you do need a hint of sweetness, using unsweetened honey or Stevia are great choices.

By reading labels, understanding the effect sugar has on the mind and body, and incorporating these strategies into your daily routine, sugar consumption can be significantly reduced. Doing so can lead to a multitude of health benefits, so bringing awareness to hidden sugars in the average American diet is an important issue. Many health risks can be reduced just by eliminating excessive, hidden sugar, including the hindering of cognitive function and focus, so knowledge about this topic can motivate lifestyle changes. At A Mind For All Seasons, we encourage you to start today!
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