It’s sweet, it’s sneaky, it’s terribly addictive – and unfortunately it’s everywhere. On its own, sugar has no nutritional value whatsoever: no protein, no vitamins, no minerals, no enzymes, no antioxidants. In fact, sugar actually steals nutrients from the body as it’s digested. When you consume sugar, you’re consuming empty calories that actually do more harm than good.

Sugar promotes weight gain, weakens the immune system, boosts insulin and blood sugar levels as well as increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. According to some studies, sugar can also increase your risk of developing cancer. Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, can interfere with your hormones, increase your cravings and lead to anxiety, headaches, arthritis and depression. Sugar is also harmful for your teeth as it promotes growth of bad bacteria in your mouth which can lead to tooth decay.

The most common types of sugar are Brown Sugars (brown sugar, evaporated cane juice), Liquid Sugars (hi fructose corn syrup, agave syrup, molasses, maple syrup, honey) Sugar Alcohols (xylitol, sorbitol) and Sugar-free Sweeteners (aspartame, stevia, sucralose).

Ever wonder how much sugar is in your daily diet? Here is a list of commonly eaten foods whose sugar content might surprise you.

Fruit Yogurt
Yoplait Original Fruit Yogurt (Strawberry) 18g
Liberte Greek Yogurt 6g

Pasta Sauce
PC Fire-Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce 7g

Bagels
Silver Hills Bakery Sprouted Bagels Mack’s Flax 3g

Granola Bars
Nature Valley Crunchy (Oats ’n Honey) 12g

Fruit Juice
Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade (per one bottle or 4 servings) 25g

Don’t Be Fooled: Agave Syrup, which has been falsely marketed as a natural sweetener, contains anywhere from 55% to 80% fructose. Most store-bought honey contains 40% fructose, however it remains an immune-boosting antioxidant in its natural raw form.

Learn to avoid and reduce the amount of sugar you consume on a daily basis by following these tips:

1. A general rule of thumb is that if an ingredient ends in -ose (glucose, dextrose, fructose, galactose) it’s a form of sugar.
2. Read your labels! Avoid buying foods that contain more than 3g of sugar per serving.
3. Choose fresh fruit over dried fruit. Cranberries, raspberries, pears, peaches and blueberries are all low-sugar, high-fibre fruits.
4. Experiment with sugar substitutes. Unsweetened applesauce, banana, vanilla and pureed fruit are all good fill-ins.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Ashely Gordon, BSc., ND