While many foods claim to be healthy, some are packing on hidden ingredients. Just because something is made out of fruits or greens, doesn't always mean it's good for you. These 15 foods may seem healthy at first glance, but they secretly contain a crazy amount of sugar, some even as much as a can of soda!
Flavored Yogurt
Flavored yogurt may seem like a go-to healthy snack, but the amount of sugar in one of these containers might surprise you. Flavored yogurts, especially the kind with the fruit on the bottom, can have more than 23 grams of sugar per container!! Even lighter versions have around 10 grams. Try sticking with plain greek yogurt for the lowest amount of sugar.
Granola Bars
Granola bars are another one of those snack foods that many see as healthy. And yet again, in some cases, the sugar actually outweighs any benefit you could get from them. Ranging from 7 grams of sugar per bar to 15 grams, granola bars aren't your best option. Stick to veggies when it comes to snacking.
Energy Bars
If you thought granola bars were bad, energy bars are even worse when it comes to the sugar content. Some granola bars can have as much as 48 grams per serving! That's almost your total recommended intake for the day! Clif bars have around 25 grams of sugar which is about the same as a Twix candy bar.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruits are another "healthy" snack that may not be that healthy after all. While eating dried fruits, you may be getting a bunch of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but you're also consuming sugar too. Five dried, pitted dates have around 32 grams of sugar! When eating dried fruits, make sure to eat them in moderation.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is one of those drinks that will definitely fool you. Sure choosing a glass of orange juice over a soda may seem like a clear choice, but did you know orange juice has almost as much sugar as a can of Coke?! If you love juice, make it at home with a juicer.
Soups
We all know that soups definitely have a bad name when it comes to their sodium content. Let's be honest, it's crazy the amount of sodium a can of soup has. While it doesn't have nearly as much sugar, a can of soup still has about 10 to 13 grams! No thank you!
Milk
We all know drinking your coffee black is far better than ordering a latte every day, especially when it comes to the sugar in each. One of the reasons behind all the sugar in lattes is the milk that is added. No matter the kind of milk, there's about 11 to 12 grams of sugar per 8 ounces of milk!
Bagels
Bagels may seem like the obvious choice over a donut or pastry when it comes to the sugar content. But, you may be surprised at just how much sugar bagels have in them. Plain bagels alone have 7 grams of sugar and you're near 11 grams for a cinnamon raisin bagel. You add even more sugar if you like yours with cream cheese. Most glazed donuts have around 13 grams of sugar. Yikes!
Salad Dressings
While the sugar content does vary from dressing to dressing, the numbers still don't look that good, especially for oily dressings. Italian and vinaigrette dressings can have as much as 10 grams of sugar per serving! Try finding a lower sugar content dressing or making your own. We love some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh lemon juice on our salads!
Flavored Water
Just like fruit juice, flavored water is another misconception. Every flavor of regular Vitamin Water (not the diet version) has around 31 grams of sugar. Once again, almost as much as a Coke. If you need flavoring in your water, try adding lemons, limes or other fruits.
Smoothies
Sometimes stopping to get a smoothie seems like a better choice over a lunch out, but smoothies aren't always the healthiest. At places like Jamba Juice and Smoothie King, smoothies can have as much as 70 grams of sugar! And that's just for a small! If you're craving smoothies, make one at home. You'll definitely save on sugar.
Ketchup
You may want to sit down for these startling facts. Ketchup has about 1 teaspoon of sugar for every tablespoon serving. Wow! Be careful when reading the nutrition label. While you may not see the word "sugar," it is often disguised as corn syrup, glucose and fructose. If you must have ketchup, try the reduced-sugar version.
Barbecue Sauce
Many barbecue sauces contain a lot of natural sugars from honey and molasses. Most bottles have about 11 grams of sugar per serving! For a lower sugar option when it comes to BBQ, try putting a rub on your meat before cooking. This will add flavor to your meat without adding a lot of sugar.
Cereal
Now not all cereal is created equal. Some brands are packed with fiber and granola, while others are packed with a bunch of sugar. When choosing your breakfast cereal, look closely at the nutrition label. You want to be able to find cereal that has the lowest amount of sugar.
Bread
Bread doesn't contain nearly as much sugar as the other food items on this list, but it still has about 3 grams per slice. So if you eat a lot of sandwiches, this can add up. Instead of white bread, try wheat or multi-grain bread from your local bakery. Chances are they use a lot less sugar in their process.
