Sugar lurks in the most unlikely places, and it is everywhere! It’s like playing I-Spy in the ingredient list because it hides everywhere and disguises itself in many different names. Here is a list of all the names of “sugar” so that you can look for them on ingredient lists:
Agave nectarBarbados Sugar
Barley malt Beet sugar Blackstrap molasses Brown sugar Buttered syrup Cane crystals Cane juice crystals Cane sugar Caramel |
Carob syrupCastorsugar
Confectioner’s sugar Corn syrup Corn sweetener Corn syrup solids Corn Sugar Crystalline fructose Date sugar Demerara Sugar Dextrin |
DextranDextrose
Diastatic malt Diatase D-mannose Evaporated cane juice Ethyl maltol Florida Crystals Free Flowing Fructose Galactose |
GlucoseGlucose solids
Golden sugar Golden syrup Granulated sugar Grape sugar HFCS High-fructose corn Syrup Honey Icing sugar Invert sugar |
LactoseMalt syrup
Maltodextrin Maltose Mannitol Powdered sugar Raw sugar Refiner’s syrup Rice Syrup Maple syrup Molasses |
Muscovado sugarOrganic raw sugar
Panocha Sorbitol Sucrose Sugar Syrup Table sugar Treacle Turbinado sugar Yellow sugar |
So many names! You don’t have to memorize all of them, though. Just use look for any kind of “sugar,” “syrup,” or anything that ends in “-ose,” and then stay away from it.
Here are some surprising foods sugar lurks in:
Condiments:
Ketchup is a major culprit. There are about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon of ketchup. That is about a teaspoon of sugar per serving. It’s like someone put sugar in the salt shaker, and you are pouring it all over your burger! Most brands use high fructose corn syrup, too. I have yet to find a brand that adds no sugar. Thankfully, I don’t like the taste of ketchup anyway. Stick to the already sugar-free mustard if you need something to dip your fries in.
Pickles and Relish. Bread and Butter, Sweet relish, and sometimes even dill pickles have sugar. Check the ingredients, or make your own! There are lots of recipes out there, but you basically just soak your cucumbers in vinegar and any other spice you want: dill, onions, pepper, garlic, jalepenos…
Jam and Jelly. All pre-made, regular jams add sugar. Look for jars that say “just fruit.” Then check the ingredient list to see if it only has fruit in it. You can always use whole fruit to top your toast or peanut butter sandwich. Try slicing fresh bananas, strawberries, or apples.
Nuts and Nutbutters. Many nutbutters contain sugar, and some nuts are roasted sugar. Look at the ingredients. It should say just “nut and salt.”
Soy Sauce. All regular soy sauces I look at contain sugar. My favorite is liquid aminos because t is not only sugar-free, but wheat-free, too.
Yogurt
I do not eat dairy, but many of you like yogurt. Beware of all of the flavored yogurts. They all contain sugar. Your best bet is buying plain yogurt and mixing it with your own fruit. Caution: “Vanilla” is not “Plain.”
Cereal
Obviously, sugar cereals like Honey-Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisps, and Frosted Wheeties have sugar, but did you know most plain cereals contain sugar, too? Regular Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Special K, Chex, and even the so-called healthy healthy cereals like granola contain sugar. Check the ingredients, or make oatmeal 🙂
Canned Goods
Soups, veggies, fruit, or sauces. It hides everywhere. Check the ingredients.
Sports Drinks and Bars
All sports bar and all sports drinks have sugar. I have yet to find one that doesn’t. Also, watch out for protein powders.
Pre-Packaged Meals
T.V. Dinners, meats, frozen pizza.
Baked Goods and Breads
Tortillas, Breads, Muffins, Pancake Mixes, Crackers.
Miscellaneous
Dried Fruit. Chewing Gum and Mints. Extracts.
Check the Ingredients!!!
I cannot stress this enough! It hides everywhere. Also, products that say they are “sugar-free” are almost always sweetened with sugar-substitutes like maltitol, xylitol, splenda, or aspartame. Check, check, check the ingredients! It takes 10 seconds. You will be surprised at what you find.
Make your own!
When all your favorite foods have sugar in it, what are you supposed to do? Make it without sugar. This is one reason way I created this website, to show you all that you can make foods sugar-free.
Here is a recipe for sugar-free Barbeque Sauce. Most barbeque sauces contain all sorts of sugars. Just like ketchup, it has about 4 grams of sugar per Tablespoon. That is a teaspoon of sugar per serving.
Homemade Sugar-Free Barbeque Sauce
~This barbeque sauce is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, an, of course, sugar-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (or 1 cove minced garlic)
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika (I suggest using smoked paprika)
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- optional: 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:
What foods are you surprised by that contain sugar? When I first went sugar-free, I was surprised by almost everything. Everywhere I turned I saw Sugar.
Is it hot in your neck of the woods? Sheesh it is hot in Florida. It is humid and mid nineties everyday now. All I want are smoothies, salads, and iced tea (or coffee).
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