Posted on November 13, 2015 by Kate Halsall
When we advise people to reduce their intake of refined sugar, there are obvious food and drink choices which come to mind – bread, all processed food and meat, squash and fizzy drinks, sweets and condiments, etc. On the face of it, it seems to be easy! BUT……. I challenge you to look at the food labels of the foodstuffs in your fridge and cupboard as you may be shocked! Sugar is EVERYWHERE!
Here are just some of the items we found when we discussed this with some of our clients:
- “Lazy Garlic” – you know, those time saving essentials you keep in your fridge; jars of pre chopped garlic can contain refined sugar!. Some brands do, some brands don’t so double check first.
- Tinned Tomatoes & Passata – what home doesn’t use these? But beware, some cheaper brands = refined sugar!
- Alternative Milks – some makes of soya, almond, hazelnut and rice milk add (and not just the sweetened varieties)……..you guessed it = refined sugar!
- Precooked/prepacked Lentils – they’re low salt, low fat, time saving packs of = sugar
- Hummous – guilty as charged! I’m rubbish at making hummous, but I’ve just read the labels of the ones sat in my fridge <sigh> = refined sugar!. So start making your own.
- Peanut Butter – Most organic peanut butter doesn’t contain sugar, but the non-organic ones often do, so double check those labels.
Once you start looking into this (and there is a whole host of information out there on refined sugar foods, diets etc) it gets even harder. It’s not just the word “sugar” you need to be looking for if you want to remove refined sugar from your diet. Here are just some of the other “sugars” you need to look for – and this is NOT a definitive list!!
Cane crystals, cane sugar, corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, sucrose, sugar and rice syrup.
That “eat clean” phrase rears it’s head again. The only way to truly cut out ALL refined sugar to cook everything you eat from scratch, no cheating or quick alternatives involved. You need to decide, based on your goals, how much sugar you let edge it’s way into your foodstuff. But for some, it’s time to take a closer look at those food labels!