Think you’re an ace at finding hidden sugar in foods? Ok then– you over there! Yes you! COME ON DOWNNNNN!
You’re the next contestant on Personal Trainer Food!
Let’s put your skill at finding hidden sugar to the test with our fabulous Hi Lo Sugar game!
To play, take a look at the foods below and choose the one that has more hidden sugar in it.
Ready? GOOOO!
Let us know how you did in the comments below!
Higher or Lower– Which has More Hidden Sugar?
Yogurt or a Half Cup Fruit Loops?
Eating yogurt instead of sugary cereal while you watch Saturday morning cartoons is seen as a grown-up thing to do. But it isn’t helping your waistline. Yogurt has 18 grams of sugar versus 12 grams in the Fruit Loops.
2 Tablespoons BBQ Sauce or a Krispy Kreme Donut?
The Krispy Kreme donut has 10 grams of sugar but the the BBQ sauce has 13! And who eats a strict 2 Tablespoon serving of BBQ sauce anyways?! If you want to lose weight, it’s best to avoid BBQ sauce or find a sugar-free option.
1/4 Cup Craisins or a Protein Bar?
A mere 1/4 cup of Craisins has a crazy amount of sugar– 20 grams which is 5 teaspoons full! But, the protein bar beats it with 22 grams.
A Glass of Vanilla Almond Milk or a Lollipop?
The lollipop has more, at 17 grams. But despite all the healthy hoopla surrounding almond milk, one glass has about 15 grams of hidden sugar, just a little less than the lollipop.
A Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie or a Cookie that Contains Gluten?
The gluten-free label doesn’t mean something is automatically healthier for you. A cookie is a cookie, gluten-free or not! Both have 8 grams of sugar. Both will will make you gain excess fat.
A Roll of Smarties or Two Tablespoons of Ketchup?
You might as well untwist a roll of smarties on your hamburger, it might not taste as good, but it would be healthier. Smarties have 6 grams of sugar, and ketchup has 8 grams of hidden sugar in each serving. Opt for a sugar free ketchup if you want to avoid eating too much sugar.
Banana or a Scoop of Ice Cream?
A banana has the same amount of sugar as a scoop of ice cream. Yes, bananas are fruit but only your taste buds know the difference. The rest of your body sees them as sugar. In fact, banana sugar (fructose) can trigger belly fat.
Odwalla Superfood Juice or a Grande Caramel Macchiato –with Whip?
We know you are trying to make a healthier choice by selecting the green smoothie at the coffee shop. But that smoothie has 50 grams of hidden sugar in it, more than the 44 grams in the caramel coffee!
Vitamin Water or a Mars Bar?
Drinking sugary water, even with some vitamins in it is as bad for you as eating a candy bar. Except the Mars bar has less sugar, 30 grams compared to 33 grams in one bottle of Vitamin water.
Tomato Soup or a Chocolate Chip Granola Bar?
There’s nothing more comforting than sugar…er…soup? for dinner. Tomato soup has 12 grams of sugar per serving– almost twice as much as a chewy granola bar which has 7 grams.
A Starbucks Brownie or a Dunkin Donuts Reduced-Fat Bran Muffin?
Yes, fiber is a good thing, but eating 40 grams of sugar along with it isn’t! The brownie has less sugar in it; 28 grams. You are much better off getting fiber from vegetable sources. They are better for your system than rough bran that can irritate your digestive system.
Full-Fat Ranch or Fat-Free Ranch?
Fat-Free Ranch has three times the sugar as the full-fat version– 3 grams versus 1! And if you read the label, there are 14 more ingredients added to make up for the flavor. Full fat dressings are always your best bet for fat loss!
A Slice of Whole Wheat Bread or 2T Peanut Butter?
2 tablespoons of Skippy peanut butter has 3 grams of sugar in it. One slice of bread? 4 grams of added sugar! And most people typically eat two slices, making 8 grams total.
Bonus Round: Make a PB&J Sandwich.
So let’s make a sandwich for lunch…
And for more protein let’s have some yogurt, too:
Question: If you eat this typical lunch, are you higher or lower than what some say is the most sugar you should consume in one day?
Answer: Your lunch has 50 grams of sugar in it, 14-26 grams OVER the upper limit of what the AHA says an adult should consume. And by they way, the little bit of protein in the yogurt is not enough to support a strong fat-burning metabolism, especially with the overwhelming amount of sugar in this lunch.
Here’s a Handy Infographic to Help You Find Hidden Sugars…
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About the Writer: 100 pounds ago, Jan knew what it is like to be obese, unhappy, and stuck. She has spent the last 17 years as a fitness writer, trainer, yoga teacher, and Weight Loss Coach. Today, she’s proud to be a part of the Personal Trainer Food team so she can continue her goal to help others live their fullest lives possible. Email [email protected] if you have any questions!
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Weight loss results not guaranteed and are based on various factors. Copyright © 2024 Personal Trainer Food, All rights reserved.
Excellent review, Jan–thank you!
You are most welcome, and thank YOU for reading! (:
Wow, although I know that food manufacturers want their products to taste good and are healthy, the added sugar in some of the products were shocking!
Cheryl,
Yup– When I was overweight I didn’t understand when some of my relatives said that the sandwiches I served them were too sweet. They didn’t like the bread, or the deli meat (honey ham). Now I get it. The more you know!
My fat ankles went down after I had given up sugar during the first two weeks I was on the program. I always thought I had eaten a lot of salt. But, no it was the sugar making my legs and ankles fat.
Giselda,
GIRL! I know exactly what you are talking about! Sugar makes me retain water like crazy, especially in my lower legs. Whenever that happens, I know that I need to shift my diet or I will gain fat. Such a great point to remind everyone about. Thank you!
Great eye opening article. I am a HUGE fan of PT Food and have lost weight, my cravings for sugar is almost not there anymore and I can actually taste natural sugar in veggies, etc. thanks PersonalTrainerfood.com
Hi Shar!
Yes! Isn’t it amazing how sweet veggies can be? Congrats on your progress towards a healthier, happier lifestyle!
This is such great information!! And shocking to me on quite a few of them!! My husband and I are still loving your food and eat it a majority of the time now. Thanks!!