Why Is Sugar In My ___?

Feb 3, 2025

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Hidden Sugars
 If you read the ingredients label of nearly everything at the grocery store, you'll be surprised to find that most companies are sneaking added sugars into all their products; even the ones you would not expect. Whether it's a little or a lot, it's nearly impossible to find any sort of processed food without any added sugar in some form.


 If you're anything like me, then you're always reading the back of food products, scanning their ingredients lists and nutrition facts. Added sugar is shoved into just about everything packaged on grocery shelves. The 3 main reasons are:
  1. It's cheap
  2. It tastes good
  3. It's addicting


 Now, I get that cookies, brownies, and cakes will be filled with added sugar. These are desserts, and therefore a place you would expect to find sugar, as they are super sweet. I'm also not calling added sugar the single smoking gun for all our modern health issues, although it is one of the largest contributing factors. It's okay to consume some sugar here and there, assuming it is actually in moderation.


 I personally like to bake a lot of low sugar and sugar free healthier desserts, as I find most classic desserts to be overly sweet and lacking flavor. Additionally, I find healthy desserts fun to make, as I get to experiment what works and what doesn't, and find out ways to make classic treats much better for you with little compromises in flavor. But I fully understand that this approach isn't for everyone, and they just want their cookie to be a cookie.


 However, the point of this post is to shine some light foods that have secretly have added sugars, making you a more conscientious and healthy grocery shopper. Below that, I will also cover a list of many of the different names "sugar" can fall under, so you know what to watch out for.


Foods With Hidden Sugars
  • Cereal
  • Instant oatmeal
  • Granola
  • Granola bars
  • Trail mix
  • Flavored nuts
  • Peanut butter
  • Nutella
  • Jelly
  • Jam
  • Dried fruit
  • Fruit juice
  • Smoothies
  • Sports drinks
  • Energy drinks
  • Coffee
  • Iced tea
  • Chocolate milk
  • Plant based milks
  • Yogurt
  • Cottage cheese
  • Crackers
  • Chips
  • Popcorn
  • Bread
  • Muffins
  • Pancakes
  • Waffles
  • Protein bars
  • Gluten free snacks
  • Rice cakes
  • Banana bread
  • Dark chocolate
  • Salad dressings
  • Mayo
  • Light mayo
  • Pasta sauce
  • Ketchup
  • BBQ sauce
  • Ranch
  • French onion dip
  • Frozen meals
  • Canned soup
  • Ramen cups
  • Vegan meat
  • Baked beans
  • Cornbread
  • Canned fruit
  • Flavored cheeses
  • Soy sauce
  • Teriyaki sauce
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Mustard
  • Honey mustard
  • Oyster sauce
  • Chili sauce
  • Pretzels
  • Flavored water
  • Electrolyte drinks
  • Drink mixes
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Lite syrup
  • Bagels
  • Tortillas
  • Flavored creamers
  • Pre-prepared meals
  • Flavored rice dishes
  • Italian dressing
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Balsamic vinaigrette
  • Caesar dressing
  • Whipped cream
  • Beef jerky
  • Meal replacement shakes
  • Protein shakes
  • Instant mashed potatoes
  • Jarred sauce
  • Pesto
  • Alfredo
  • Cocktail sauce
  • Pizza sauce
  • Tartar sauce
  • Marinades
  • Relish
  • Pickles
  • Stuffing mix
  • Coleslaw
  • Mashed potatoes
  • English muffins
  • Rolls
  • Smoothie bowls
  • Frozen fruit
  • Frappuccino
  • Cereal bars
  • Sushi
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Coconut water
  • Coconut yogurt
  • Kefir
  • Balsamic glazes
  • Dijon mustard
  • Curry sauces
  • Canned vegetables
  • Biscuits
  • Tea
  • Chili
  • Sandwiches
  • Deli meat
  • Kombucha
  • Kimchi
  • Iced lattes
  • Sweet and sour sauce
  • Raspberry vinaigrette
  • Salsa
  • Protein powders
  • Flavored nut butters
  • Boxed mac and cheese
  • Baby food
  • Baby formula
  • Ham
  • Chia pudding
  • Red bean paste
  • Korean BBQ sauce
  • Marzipan
  • Maraschino cherries
  • Chocolate almond milk
  • Almond milk
  • Rice milk
  • Oat milk
  • Cashew milk
  • Pea milk
  • Coconut flakes
  • Salt
  • Spices
  • Powdered chicken bouillon
  • Banana peppers
  • Greek yogurt
  • Nuts
  • Low fat peanut butter
  • Low fat salad dressing
  • Low fat crackers
  • No stir peanut butter
  • Pickled beets
  • Wraps
  • Dips
  • Spreads
  • Dessert hummus
  • Hummus
  • Low sodium soy sauce
  • Coconut aminos
  • Hot dogs
  • SPAM
  • Pepperoni
  • Vanilla yogurt
  • Strawberry yogurt
  • Dairy free yogurt
  • Strawberry milk


The Different Names of Sugar
  1. Agave Syrup
  2. Beet Sugar
  3. Brown Rice Syrup
  4. Brown Sugar
  5. Cane Sugar
  6. Caramel
  7. Coconut Sugar
  8. Corn Syrup
  9. Date Sugar
  10. Date Syrup
  11. Dextrose
  12. Fructose
  13. Fruit Juice Concentrate
  14. Glucose
  15. Glucose Syrup
  16. Granulated Sugar
  17. High Fructose Corn Syrup
  18. Honey
  19. Invert Cane Syrup
  20. Invert Sugar
  21. Maltodextrin
  22. Malt Syrup
  23. Maple Syrup
  24. Molasses
  25. Organic Cane Sugar
  26. Powdered Sugar
  27. Rice Syrup
  28. Sucrose
  29. Sugar
  30. Syrup
  31. Barley Malt Syrup
  32. Blackstrap Molasses
  33. Buttered Syrup
  34. Carob Syrup
  35. Castor Sugar
  36. Confectioner's Sugar
  37. Corn Sweetener
  38. Crystalline Fructose
  39. Dextran
  40. Diastatic Malt
  41. Ethyl Maltol
  42. Evaporated Cane Juice
  43. Golden Sugar
  44. Golden Syrup
  45. Isoglucose
  46. Lactose
  47. Liquid Glucose
  48. Maltose
  49. Panela
  50. Raw Sugar
  51. Sorghum Syrup
  52. Sweet Sorghum
  53. Treacle
  54. Turbinado Sugar
  55. Yellow Sugar
  56. Barbados Sugar
  57. Barley Malt
  58. Cane Juice Crystals
  59. Corn Syrup Solids
  60. Demerara Sugar
  61. Diatase
  62. Florida Crystals
  63. Fruit Juice
  64. Glucose Solids
  65. Grape Sugar
  66. Icing Sugar
  67. Muscovado Sugar
  68. Organic Raw Sugar
  69. Organic Beet Sugar
  70. Organic Date Sugar
  71. Organic Coconut Sugar
  72. Panocha
  73. Refiner's Sugar
  74. Nectar
  75. Coconut Nectar
  76. Organic Coconut Nectar



Sources
  1. FlatIcon
  2. Learn to recognize the 56 different names for sugar