Yahoo Parenting

10 Surprising Sugar Sources

Beth GreenfieldSenior Editor

Updated Wed, October 22, 2014 at 2:45 PM UTC

Yogurt — Squeezable yogurt tubes may sound like a healthy snack — and they certainly are convenient. But with all of added sugar in there, as well as in other forms of flavored yogurt, offering them up is practically the same as doling out pudding. “Many flavored yogurts are packed with sugar and even artificial flavors and colors,” Halas-Liang told Yahoo Parenting. “Read the nutrition facts and be aware of the added table sugar, because it adds up quickly.” Eight ounces of plain yogurt, she noted, has about 15 grams of naturally-occurring milk sugar, while the Greek version has around 6 grams; subtract those numbers from the total number of labeled sugar grams to know how much added sugar a yogurt contains.
The solution: “If a yogurt is flavored with real fruit, it has a nutrition advantage due to the vitamins and phytonutrients present in the fruit,” noted Halas-Liang. “So the best bet is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it with fruit.” Buying frozen fruit and heating it will make it taste even sweeter.
Peter Gridley/Getty Images

Ketchup — You probably know by now that ketchup is basically sugar (there’s a reason kids go so crazy for the stuff!). One tablespoon contains just under 4 grams — but what child do you know stops at that amount?
The solution: Start with portion control. But that’s easier said than done. If you’re at home, Halas-Liang suggests mixing it, behind the scenes, with up to a half-and-half ratio of marinara sauce (but be sure to check the label on that, first, too).
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Pasta sauce — Most store-bought pasta sauces — Progresso, Newman’s Own, Classico, and Barilla included — have added sugar. “And it’s a catch-22,” Halas-Liang said, “because those without sugar can have a high sodium content.” So scan labels carefully.
The solution: It’s a bit more time consuming than reading labels, but the healthiest answer is to whip up a quick and easy batch of homemade tomato sauce. You can make a lot at once and freeze some for later. “Parents get overwhelmed by the idea of homemade,” Halas-Liang said. “But even if you just pick one thing to make once a week, it can make a big difference.”
Jupiterimages/Getty Images

Instant flavored oatmeal — Oatmeal is a great breakfast. But many of the instant versions, unfortunately, are also loaded with added sugar.
The solution: For the healthiest version, stick to plain rolled oats, which cook really quickly, even on a stovetop. Top with chopped fruit, nuts and some heated coconut milk, Halas-Liang suggested.
John Shepherd

Breakfast cereal — Finding a cereal with no added sugar is practically impossible (although this is one, and it happens to be delicious). While the worst of the bunch have even more sugar than a Twinkie, others are much more reasonable, containing a minimal amount. The solution: “We turn it into a challenge in our family — searching for options that have less than 6 grams,” Halas-Liang said. Pick your own limit and stick to it.
Maureen Carucho/Getty Images

Nut butter — There are so many options, Halas-Liang noted, “why get the one with added sugar?” Natural nut butters, whether peanut, almond, or cashew, have a rich and delicious taste without added sugar or salt (or palm oil, for that matter).
The solution: Read labels. Don’t buy the ones with more than one ingredient (the nuts).
Wendy Maeda/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Jam and jelly — One serving of traditional grape jelly contains 13 grams of sugar, which is practically one day’s daily allowance of the sweet stuff.
The solution: Stick to jams that are 100-percent fruit sweetened.
Image Source/Getty Images

Salad dressing — You serve your kids green salads? Yay, you! But what are you pouring on top of it? If it’s bottled dressing, there’s a good chance you’re dousing those leafy greens with sugar.
The solution: Stick to vinegar and oil.
Steve Wisbauer

Milks — Whether you opt for chocolate cow’s milk or soymilk — or plain soy, almond or rice milk — there’s more in your milk than you most likely bargained for: sugar, up to 10 grams per serving.
The solution: Choose those labeled “unsweetened.” For a naturally sweet treat, blend that with dates and some unsweetened cocoa — preferably on a weekend, when you’re less harried, and when doing so can become a fun project for all of you.
Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune/MCT

Sports drinks — You know that soda is bad. But Gatorade and the like is not a huge improvement. “Kids are so gung-ho on sports drinks right now,” Halas-Liang lamented.
The solution: Stick to water or coconut water — or get a bit more creative. “Cut up cantaloupe topped with a tiny bit of salt,” Halas-Liang said, has similar rehydration abilities, plus healthy phytochemicals.
Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Yogurt

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Squeezable yogurt tubes may sound like a healthy snack — and they certainly are convenient. But with all of added sugar in there, as well as in other forms of flavored yogurt, offering them up is practically the same as doling out pudding. “Many flavored yogurts are packed with sugar and even artificial flavors and colors,” Halas-Liang told Yahoo Parenting. “Read the nutrition facts and be aware of the added table sugar, because it adds up quickly.” Eight ounces of plain yogurt, she noted, has about 15 grams of naturally-occurring milk sugar, while the Greek version has around 6 grams; subtract those numbers from the total number of labeled sugar grams to know how much added sugar a yogurt contains.
The solution: “If a yogurt is flavored with real fruit, it has a nutrition advantage due to the vitamins and phytonutrients present in the fruit,” noted Halas-Liang. “So the best bet is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it with fruit.” Buying frozen fruit and heating it will make it taste even sweeter.

Peter Gridley/Getty Images

It’s probably pretty clear by now that, when it comes to kids and nutrition, sugar is the enemy — one of them, at least. But what can be murky is where to find it lurking. Avoiding the obvious like candy, cakes, cookies, and sodas is seriously well and good, but what about that plate of saucy pasta you served for dinner last night? Or the yogurt drink you happily doled out at snack time? Sneaky sugars are everywhere, which might help explain how the average American kid consumes more than 20 teaspoons of sugar (or 80 grams) in a single day — five times the recommended daily allowance. And while we’re not suggesting you drive yourself batty trying to snuff out every single drop, the amount you may be unwittingly serving your kids is certainly something worth watching — especially considering that the stuff has been linked to a litany of health woes including obesity, compromised immunity, type 2 diabetes, hyperactivity, tooth decay, allergies, and digestive problems. “The problem is that it really adds up,” Melissa Halas-Liang, pediatric nutritionist and founder of SuperKidsNutrition.com, an organization that provides nutrition workshops and resources to parents and schools throughout the nation, tells Yahoo Parenting. So here are 10 sneaky sugar sources to be mindful of.
Related: 10 Natural Alternatives to Sugar: How Healthy Are They Really?

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