We all know that sugar can be addictive, but what if the blame doesn’t rest solely on our shoulders? It’s a harsh reality that even when we strive to eat organic and wholesome foods, hidden sugars often sneak into seemingly healthy items.
“To enhance the taste of food, the food industry frequently adds additives that transform into sugars,” explains Mariana Pérez Trejo Soltwedel, a nutritionist based in Mexico City. She clarifies that these sugars masquerade under various aliases in processed products, making it challenging to grasp the true amount of sugar we consume daily.
An overabundance of sugar can trigger a cascade of health issues, including acne, headaches, insatiable cravings, chronic fatigue, mood swings, premature aging, and inflammation. If any of these symptoms resonate with you, it might be time to embark on a sugar-detecting mission in your pantry.
The first step is to scrutinize all processed foods lurking in your pantry. Read the labels on products like meal bars, bread, beer, cereals, cookies, granola, and canned sauces – sugar is a master of disguise and hides under a multitude of names such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, coconut sugar, maltose, invert sugar, fructose, maple syrup, molasses, evaporated cane juice, rice syrup, honey, or agave honey. These are all different names for the same culprit…sugar.
Secondly, remember that just because something is labelled or marketed as “healthy” doesn’t guarantee its truthfulness. If you find yourself unsure, Pérez advises opting for foods straight from nature – fruits, proteins, whole grains, and legumes. She emphasizes that dressings, juices, and sauces should ideally be homemade, although this isn’t always practical. This is where label reading proves invaluable once again. “If you examine the label of a product and encounter a lengthy list of ingredients with difficult-to-pronounce names, it likely signifies that it’s packed with preservatives, dyes, and sugar,” she states.
By adhering to these two simple rules, you’re taking a significant step towards making healthier choices and breaking free from your sugar dependence.
