These are the hidden sugars

It is wise to leave that jar of Nutella alone a bit more often, girlfriends. Many people think that fat is the culprit when a roll has appeared around the waist, but nothing could be further from the truth. Because while fat gives us a feeling of satiety, sugary foods only give us more cravings. Now, cookies, candy, and ice cream are things we know are full of the white poison, but nowadays there are also a whole lot of sugars hidden in our food under another name. There are endless names for the sweet substance that we have no idea about. This makes it quite a task to recognize those sugars on the ingredient list.

Producers use several different sugars to ensure that the word ‘sugar’ does not appear at the top of the list. With a bar of Côte d’Or chocolate, you know you’re getting a sugar kick, but did you know, for example, that tomato ketchup contains a considerable amount of hidden sugars? And what about those packets of marinade that you only need to sprinkle over your chicken for some extra flavor? Let’s not even mention breakfast cereals and pre-packaged fruit juices. Want to know what’s in your food? Here’s how you can recognize those hidden sugars from now on:

1. Alternative names for sugar

Glucose syrup

Fructose syrup

Dextrose

Fructose

Caramel

Corn syrup

Caramel syrup

Lactose

Sucrose

Sucrose

Maltose (malt sugar)

Monosaccharides

Polysaccharides

Maltodextrin

Molasses (syrup)

2. Fake sugars

If there’s anything you should ban even more than ‘normal’ sugars, it’s the substitutes, also known as fake sugars. The only thing these sweeteners do is make us reach for more treats. Not to mention the health risks they bring with them. The most common fake sugars that are particularly found in light products are:

Acesulfame-K

Aspartame

Cyclamate

Lactitol

Maltitol

Mannitol

Saccharin

Sorbitol

Xylitol