## Hidden in Plain Sight: How Food Companies Mask Sugar in ‘Healthy’ Foods

Many consumers feel pride in avoiding the glazed pastries in the supermarket and rather opting for “all natural” granola that comes packed with extra protein. Same goes for low-fat yogurts “made with real fruit,” “organic” plant-based milks and bottled “superfood” smoothies.

Buyer beware: healthy grocery buzzwords like those often cover up an unhealthy amount of sugar.

Added sugars are tough to quickly spot because many companies use clever marketing to distract consumers, said Nicole Avena, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical school and Princeton University who has studied added sugars.

Avena said while some health-forward brands know people are starting to become aware of the hazards of added sugars, “a lot of the bigger brands don’t worry so much about people’s health.”

Here’s how to spot hidden sugars and what to do about it.

What to look for

Along with saturated fat and salt, eating excess sugar is linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes and othre health risks.

The average American consumes 17 grams of added sugar a day, which adds up to 57 pounds (26 kilograms) per year, according to the

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference in Reducing Sugar Intake

Many Americans consume far more sugar than recommended, contributing to health problems like obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Experts suggest that making small,incremental changes to yoru diet can significantly reduce sugar intake without feeling deprived.

Focus on Whole Foods

Prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods is a fundamental step. This means choosing fruits and vegetables over sugary snacks and drinks. When consuming packaged foods, carefully read nutrition labels and opt for options with the lowest added sugar content.

Dilute Sweetness

Gradually reducing the amount of sugar you add to beverages and foods can retrain your taste buds. This could mean buying plain yogurt and adding honey or berries, or asking the barista if you can put your own oat milk into your coffee.

Taking from one column to add to another

Even though they lower the calorie content of foods, artificial sweeteners like stevia and sugar alcohols may not be better because they can encourage people to overeat, Avena said. She said research shows that sweet flavors are what activate the reward centre of the brain, not the sugar itself.

That’s not to write off sugar alternatives, including allulose for people with Type 1 diabetes since it doesn’t affect blood sugar.

But for the general public, minimizing dependence on the overall sweetness of food is key to improving health, she said.

“Don’t