health connection
Odds of winning the jackpot:
1 in 175,711,536
Odds of holding a royal flush:
The Secret World of Sugar
1 in 649,740
By Heather Ashare,
labeled sugar-free, it
can be a synonym for
MPH
probably contains lac-
sugar: brown sugar, corn
tose, a type of sugar. And
sweetener, corn syrup,
Candy, soda, ice
even if your daughter’s
maple syrup, dextrose,
cream – these are some
juice box’s label reads
fructose, glucose, high
of the obvious foods that
“No Added Sugar,” it may
fructose corn syrup, corn
contain sugar. But, what
contain fruit juice con-
syrup, honey, invert sug-
Odds of missing a mortgage payment after last night’s loss:
about salad dressing
centrate, albeit a natural
ar, lactose, maltose, malt
and pasta sauce? It’s
sugar, but a sugar none-
syrup, molasses, raw
true. Sugar lurks in store-
theless.
sugar and sucrose.
1 in 1
bought foods that we
Canned Foods:
To reduce the amount
don’t expect to be sweet.
From tomato soup to
of sugar you and your
The average Ameri-
canned cheese ravioli,
family consume, it’s im-
can consumes 160
these packaged foods
portant to read food la-
pounds of the white stuff
are likely to contain sugar
bels very carefully. Keep
each year or 20 tea-
even though their sweet
in mind that the ingredi-
spoons a day. That’s a
flavor is not very obvi-
ents are listed progres-
lot of jelly beans or Thou-
ous.
sively according to their
sand Island dressing!
Frozen Foods: Waf-
quantity so the first in-
And while it’s true that
fles, lo-cal entrees and
gredient cited will be the
sugar is a kind of car-
pizza, all of these frozen
primary added ingredient
bohydrate and carbohy-
items probably contain
and the last ingredient
drates are the main ener-
some form of sugar that
will be used in the small-
gy source for our bodies
subtly add a slight sweet
est amount.
to function, we are clearly
flavor to their savory
To keep hidden sug-
eating way too much of
taste.
ars out of your diet, rely
Some odds you can’t change, some you can. It just takes one call to
it. In fact, our out-of-con-
Crackers and snack
on a whole-foods, natural
trol sugar consumption
foods: Even crunchy and
and minimally-processed
the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-270-7117 to get started.
is a likely factor in being
salty treats like Wheat
diet since sugar tends to
overweight, developing
Thins or plain cheese
find its way in processed
Our counselors provide free, confidential help to turn the odds back in your favor.
diabetes or insulin resis-
crackers contain hidden
and heavily-packaged
tance.
sugar. Energy and gra-
foods.
Here are some of the
nola bars are secret stor-
While it’s tough to eat
biggest stealthy culprits:
age sites for the sweet
a completely sugar-free
Condiments: Ketch-
stuff too.
diet, with the exception
up, salad dressing, syr-
So how do you con-
of fresh fruit, greatly re-
up, teriyaki sauce and
trol how much sugar that
ducing the amount you
other marinades are of-
sneaks into your food?
consume can be accom-
ten loaded with sugar.
Two words: read labels.
plished with diligence
“Sugar-free” or “No-
According to the Ameri-
and modifying what foods
Added Sugar” foods:
can Dietetic Association,
land in your grocery cart.
Even if you’re yogurt is
any of the following terms
18 The Michigan FrontPage • May 29, 2009
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