What’s the new enemy number one in the Western Diet? Sugar. All those spoonfuls of sugar are not only making us gain weight, but they’re also linked with increased risk of diabetes type 2, tooth decay, cardiovascular disease and provide absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever.
We know to avoid foods like cake, chocolate, ice cream and candy if we’re trying to avoid the sweet stuff. But, as you pack your supermarket cart with savory meals and apparently nutritious foods, you may be surprised to learn they can also be packed with sugar too.
Head to Toe spoke with nutritionist Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, from the Good Housekeeping Institute, about the dangers of eating too much sugar, the so-called healthy foods that are full of sugar and tips for binning your sweet habit.
Head to Toe Wellness: According to recent studies, we are consuming upwards of 22 teaspoons/day. What do you attribute this to?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: You expect to find sugar in something like a donut, cupcake, or candy bar, but many people are surprised to find it in things like bread, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, and ketchup. Also, sugar can be really excessive in healthy-sounding foods like yogurt, smoothies, granola, and oatmeal—even green juices! Sugary beverages are a top source: The average can of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch provides about 150 calories, almost all of them from sugar. That’s the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of table sugar!
Head to Toe Wellness: What happens to our bodies when we consume too much sugar?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: Sugar can wreak havoc with your insulin levels, which in turn can send you false hunger signals. Sugar can also take a toll on the skin by interfering with the normal repair of collagen and elastin, resulting in signs of aging. On top of that, according to a recent study, people who are routinely eating a lot of added sugar might be at 30% risk of increased cardiovascular death. *
Head to Toe Wellness: Sugar seems to come in the form of many different guises i.e. agave, fructose, brown sugar. Aside from memorizing the various different names for ‘sugar’, what else can the consumer do to help ensure they are not buying products with high amounts of sugar? What should we look for on labels?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: As often as possible, avoid foods with sugar (or one of it’s aliases) as the first ingredient. It’s even better when sugar is farther down on the list of ingredients. Outside of knowing the code words for sugar and zeroing in on their location on the ingredient list, it’s hard to know how much you’re getting because the food label doesn’t tease out sugars that occur naturally (like those from the milk sugar lactose, which is fine) from those that are added. Below is a list of words that mean sugar.
Names for sugar found on food labels:
– Agave nectar
– Brown sugar
– Brown-rice syrup
– Cane crystals
– Cane sugar
– Corn sweetener
– Corn syrup
– Crystalline fructose
– Dextrose
– Evaporated cane juice
– Fructose
– Fruit juice concentrates
– Glucose
– High-fructose corn syrup
– Honey
– Invert sugar
– Maltose
– Malt Syrup
– Maple syrup
– Molasses
– Raw sugar
– Sucrose
– Syrup
Head to Toe Wellness: Obviously, we know brownies, chocolate and cookies (e.g.) are full of sugar. Could you go through 5-10 foods that we would be surprised to learn are full of sugar? And, please suggest healthier alternatives.
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD:
– Fat-free salad dressings –use oil and vinegar instead
– Tomato-based pasta sauces – Look for a sauce where any type of sugar (corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, etc.) is either not listed at all or is near the end of the ingredient list.
– Smoothies—Don’t buy them. Make your own using skim milk or plain nonfat Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit such as blueberries or bananas.
– Barbeque sauce—look for sauces that don’t have high-fructose corn syrup and/or molasses in the first couple of ingredients, or make your own so you can control the amount of sugar you add
– Multi-grain cereals and crackers—Keep an eye out for added sugars, and stick with plain (rather than flavored) versions of cereals, such as Shredded Wheat.
– Granola and granola bars—the sugar content of some can rival candy bars. Use granola just as a garnish, or make your own.
– Cocktails containing tonic water—one 12 oz. can contains 32 grams of sugar (to put into perspective, the same amount of Coca-Cola contains 35 g)
– Baked beans—often contain brown sugar or molasses. Choose kidney beans or black beans instead.
– Fruity yogurt—Go for plain varieties of yogurt and sweeten it with real fruit instead. You could save up to 20 grams of sugar.
– Vanilla soymilk—has almost twice the amount of sugar that plain soymilk contains. The answer is obvious—choose plain.
Head to Toe Wellness: If we’re used to the taste of sugar/sugar substitutes our drinks, what’s the best way to cut down without feeling like we’re drinking something unpleasant?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: Fruit-flavored water is the way to go! Here are some ideas:
– Add a slice of lemon, lime, or orange, or a sprig of fresh mint to water for flavor
– Add cucumber slices or spears to a pitcher of water
– Look for one of the no-calorie flavored waters on the market
– Choose sparkling water, seltzer, or club soda—all of which have a little more pizzazz (and the carbonation tricks your tummy into thinking it’s full!)
– Add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to zero-calorie coffee or tea
Head to Toe Wellness: Could you provide suggestions that may help us to eliminate sugar cravings?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: Start by simply cutting back. With all the sugary foods we’re eating, we’re trained to want things that are excessively sweet, so the key is to retrain yourself to consider fruit sweet and other foods less sweet.
– Choosing whole, unprocessed breakfast foods – such as an apple with peanut butter, or a bowl of steel-cut or old fashioned oatmeal – that don’t have lengthy ingredient lists is a great way to avoid eating added sugars.
– Have a glass of water and wait 10 minutes before indulging a craving—some cravings may actually be caused by mild dehydration
– Don’t use sugary treats as a “reward” to yourself. Treat yourself to a yoga class, manicure, or call a friend instead.
– Get plenty of sleep. Sleep loss is associated with a slowed metabolism, an increase in ghrelin (the hunger hormone), and a decrease in leptin (the hormone that lets your body know it’s full). Not to mention that being awake longer gives you more time to snack.
– Eat regularly—don’t let yourself go too long between meals, because it sets you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that don’t cut your hunger.
– Clean out your fridge/pantry and toss guilty pleasures and unhealthy temptations. If you’re keeping them within close reach, you’re just asking for trouble
Head to Toe Wellness: That said, if we were really craving something sweet, what would you recommend that would help satisfy our craving?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD:
– Make a homemade smoothie or yogurt parfait using nonfat Greek yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit (I’m loving frozen cherries right now!) and no more than a tsp. of honey.
– Flavor fruit, like cut-up apples or bananas, by spreading slices with a total of 2 tsp. of peanut butter mixed with a sprinkle of cinnamon
– Have a frozen Greek yogurt bar; they generally have protein (good for keeping you full) and don’t contain an outrageous amount of sugar
– Enjoy 2 100% whole grain Fig Newtons—whole grains make them healthier than the regular ones.
ABOUT SAMANTHA CASSETTY
Samantha Cassetty (M.S., R.D.) nutrition director for the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and author of “7 Years Younger: The Anti-Aging Breakthrough Diet.”
http://www.amazon.com/Years-Younger-Anti-Aging-Breakthrough-Diet/dp/1936297108
Follow Samantha on Twitter - @nutritionistsam
*http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/sugary-foods-increase-heart-risks/?_php=true&_&_r=0
*https://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1819573
We know to avoid foods like cake, chocolate, ice cream and candy if we’re trying to avoid the sweet stuff. But, as you pack your supermarket cart with savory meals and apparently nutritious foods, you may be surprised to learn they can also be packed with sugar too.
Head to Toe spoke with nutritionist Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, from the Good Housekeeping Institute, about the dangers of eating too much sugar, the so-called healthy foods that are full of sugar and tips for binning your sweet habit.
Head to Toe Wellness: According to recent studies, we are consuming upwards of 22 teaspoons/day. What do you attribute this to?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: You expect to find sugar in something like a donut, cupcake, or candy bar, but many people are surprised to find it in things like bread, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, and ketchup. Also, sugar can be really excessive in healthy-sounding foods like yogurt, smoothies, granola, and oatmeal—even green juices! Sugary beverages are a top source: The average can of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch provides about 150 calories, almost all of them from sugar. That’s the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of table sugar!
Head to Toe Wellness: What happens to our bodies when we consume too much sugar?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: Sugar can wreak havoc with your insulin levels, which in turn can send you false hunger signals. Sugar can also take a toll on the skin by interfering with the normal repair of collagen and elastin, resulting in signs of aging. On top of that, according to a recent study, people who are routinely eating a lot of added sugar might be at 30% risk of increased cardiovascular death. *
Head to Toe Wellness: Sugar seems to come in the form of many different guises i.e. agave, fructose, brown sugar. Aside from memorizing the various different names for ‘sugar’, what else can the consumer do to help ensure they are not buying products with high amounts of sugar? What should we look for on labels?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: As often as possible, avoid foods with sugar (or one of it’s aliases) as the first ingredient. It’s even better when sugar is farther down on the list of ingredients. Outside of knowing the code words for sugar and zeroing in on their location on the ingredient list, it’s hard to know how much you’re getting because the food label doesn’t tease out sugars that occur naturally (like those from the milk sugar lactose, which is fine) from those that are added. Below is a list of words that mean sugar.
Names for sugar found on food labels:
– Agave nectar
– Brown sugar
– Brown-rice syrup
– Cane crystals
– Cane sugar
– Corn sweetener
– Corn syrup
– Crystalline fructose
– Dextrose
– Evaporated cane juice
– Fructose
– Fruit juice concentrates
– Glucose
– High-fructose corn syrup
– Honey
– Invert sugar
– Maltose
– Malt Syrup
– Maple syrup
– Molasses
– Raw sugar
– Sucrose
– Syrup
Head to Toe Wellness: Obviously, we know brownies, chocolate and cookies (e.g.) are full of sugar. Could you go through 5-10 foods that we would be surprised to learn are full of sugar? And, please suggest healthier alternatives.
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD:
– Fat-free salad dressings –use oil and vinegar instead
– Tomato-based pasta sauces – Look for a sauce where any type of sugar (corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, etc.) is either not listed at all or is near the end of the ingredient list.
– Smoothies—Don’t buy them. Make your own using skim milk or plain nonfat Greek yogurt, and fresh fruit such as blueberries or bananas.
– Barbeque sauce—look for sauces that don’t have high-fructose corn syrup and/or molasses in the first couple of ingredients, or make your own so you can control the amount of sugar you add
– Multi-grain cereals and crackers—Keep an eye out for added sugars, and stick with plain (rather than flavored) versions of cereals, such as Shredded Wheat.
– Granola and granola bars—the sugar content of some can rival candy bars. Use granola just as a garnish, or make your own.
– Cocktails containing tonic water—one 12 oz. can contains 32 grams of sugar (to put into perspective, the same amount of Coca-Cola contains 35 g)
– Baked beans—often contain brown sugar or molasses. Choose kidney beans or black beans instead.
– Fruity yogurt—Go for plain varieties of yogurt and sweeten it with real fruit instead. You could save up to 20 grams of sugar.
– Vanilla soymilk—has almost twice the amount of sugar that plain soymilk contains. The answer is obvious—choose plain.
Head to Toe Wellness: If we’re used to the taste of sugar/sugar substitutes our drinks, what’s the best way to cut down without feeling like we’re drinking something unpleasant?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: Fruit-flavored water is the way to go! Here are some ideas:
– Add a slice of lemon, lime, or orange, or a sprig of fresh mint to water for flavor
– Add cucumber slices or spears to a pitcher of water
– Look for one of the no-calorie flavored waters on the market
– Choose sparkling water, seltzer, or club soda—all of which have a little more pizzazz (and the carbonation tricks your tummy into thinking it’s full!)
– Add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to zero-calorie coffee or tea
Head to Toe Wellness: Could you provide suggestions that may help us to eliminate sugar cravings?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD: Start by simply cutting back. With all the sugary foods we’re eating, we’re trained to want things that are excessively sweet, so the key is to retrain yourself to consider fruit sweet and other foods less sweet.
– Choosing whole, unprocessed breakfast foods – such as an apple with peanut butter, or a bowl of steel-cut or old fashioned oatmeal – that don’t have lengthy ingredient lists is a great way to avoid eating added sugars.
– Have a glass of water and wait 10 minutes before indulging a craving—some cravings may actually be caused by mild dehydration
– Don’t use sugary treats as a “reward” to yourself. Treat yourself to a yoga class, manicure, or call a friend instead.
– Get plenty of sleep. Sleep loss is associated with a slowed metabolism, an increase in ghrelin (the hunger hormone), and a decrease in leptin (the hormone that lets your body know it’s full). Not to mention that being awake longer gives you more time to snack.
– Eat regularly—don’t let yourself go too long between meals, because it sets you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that don’t cut your hunger.
– Clean out your fridge/pantry and toss guilty pleasures and unhealthy temptations. If you’re keeping them within close reach, you’re just asking for trouble
Head to Toe Wellness: That said, if we were really craving something sweet, what would you recommend that would help satisfy our craving?
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD:
– Make a homemade smoothie or yogurt parfait using nonfat Greek yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit (I’m loving frozen cherries right now!) and no more than a tsp. of honey.
– Flavor fruit, like cut-up apples or bananas, by spreading slices with a total of 2 tsp. of peanut butter mixed with a sprinkle of cinnamon
– Have a frozen Greek yogurt bar; they generally have protein (good for keeping you full) and don’t contain an outrageous amount of sugar
– Enjoy 2 100% whole grain Fig Newtons—whole grains make them healthier than the regular ones.
ABOUT SAMANTHA CASSETTY
Samantha Cassetty (M.S., R.D.) nutrition director for the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and author of “7 Years Younger: The Anti-Aging Breakthrough Diet.”
http://www.amazon.com/Years-Younger-Anti-Aging-Breakthrough-Diet/dp/1936297108
Follow Samantha on Twitter - @nutritionistsam
*http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/06/sugary-foods-increase-heart-risks/?_php=true&_&_r=0
*https://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1819573