Ask JJ: Sneaky Sugars

Dear JJ: You talk about sneaky sugars being hidden culprits that make us fat and sick. I know obvious sources, like soda and candy, but where do "hidden" sugars lurk? It sounds so confusing! "Sugar is the new sodium, reviled for its evilness," writes Theresa Albert. "It is contributing to the rise of everything from diabetes to Fatty Liver Disease, according to The Canadian Liver Foundation." We know obvious sources. If you eat a candy bar or guzzle a can of soda, you're getting sugar, right? What become confusing are sneaky sugars that hide in seemingly innocuous foods. According to Emily Luchetti, less than 20 percent of the sugar we eat comes from real sugar. "The rest," she says, "is hidden sugar that shows up in processed foods, sodas and juices. Some of these are supposedly 'healthy' foods like some granolas, yogurts, salad dressings and smoothies. It is this hidden sugar that sneaks up on us adding pounds to our waistlines and contributing to the near epidemic levels of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease in America." Even the most health-conscious among us struggle to know everywhere these sneaky sugars hide or how to avoid them. It can feel incredibly daunting. Not only that; sugar is often not even listed as sugar on the ingredients list. It may be hiding there with names like maltodextrin, barley malt, or fruit juice concentrate. Let's call a few offenders out of hiding. Among my numerous sneaky-sugar sources include: Juices. The best vegetable juices and...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news