Americans consume 152 pounds of sugar per year. This is six cups of sugar per week or 40 teaspoons a day!
You want to provide healthy foods for you and your family, but why is it so difficult? Sugar lurks in most processed foods, even “health foods.” One Krispy Kreme doughnut contains 10 grams of sugar. What are you eating that tops that 10 grams of sugar?
We are here to help you navigate through food marketing. At Bright Sky Nutrition, people are losing weight, feeling great, and are finally feeling full.
1. Yogurt
Yogurt can be a nutritious and convenient snack but opt for the plain variety and add your own “sweet” with fresh fruit. Noosa lemon yogurt contains 30 grams of sugar while Chobani strawberry packs 13 grams of sugar.
2. Select frozen dinners
You may be surprised to find that your favorite savory dinners contain more sugar than a doughnut! Healthy Choice Beef Teriyaki contains 14 grams of sugar while the Sweet n’ Sour Chicken variety packs in 22 grams of sugar.
3. Specialty Coffee Drinks
We can all agree that caffeine is necessary some days, but did you know that one coffee drink from your favorite coffee shop can contain four times the amount of sugar than one doughnut? A tall Starbucks Chai Latte contains 32 grams of sugar while the popular tall Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte contains 39 grams of sugar—that is the same as 10 teaspoons of sugar!
4. Salad Dressing
While it’s a good practice to add healthy fat to your bed of greens, finding the best salad dressing can be tricky. Ott’s Raspberry Vinaigrette contains 10 grams of sugar while Marzetti’s Honey French Dressing contains 11 grams of sugar per serving. Try a homemade dressing; you will be shocked at how easy it is to put together!
5. Smoothies
Smoothies can be packed with nutrients and vitamins from whole foods but can also contain three times the amount of sugar than one doughnut. One 20 ounce Smoothie King Metabolism Boost Strawberry Pineapple smoothie contains 35 grams of sugar while the 20 ounce Slim-n-Trim Veggie contains 28 grams of sugar.
6. Ready-to-eat Cereal
You have likely been eating cereal since childhood, but maybe you’ve opted for “healthy” options in recent years. Popular options like Raisin Bran contains 17 grams of sugar while Special K varieties, such as Red Berries and Fruit & Yogurt, contain 11 grams and 13 grams of sugar respectively.
7. Milk alternatives and fat-free coffee creamer
Almond milk on its own does not have much of a taste; a significant amount of sugar is added to increase flavor. Silk Vanilla Almond Milk contains 13 grams of sugar. The ever-popular Coffee Mate Fat-Free French Vanilla creamer packs in 10 grams of sugar in two tablespoons.
8. Granola or Snack Bars
Granola is not a synonym for “good for you.” Granola bars tend to be the go-to for busy mornings and rushed afternoons, but a single Clif bar packs in 21 grams of sugar while the ever-popular Quaker Chew Dipps bar contains 14 grams of sugar. Fiber One bars contain four types of sugar in one bar!
9. Frozen Treats
You’ve given up your bowl-of-ice-cream habit, and you’ve evolved to the “healthy brands” such as Skinny Cow and Outshine. One Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich contains 15 grams of sugar while the Outshine Pineapple Fruit bars contain 17 grams of sugar.
10. Oatmeal
We’ve all seen the commercials—oats are great for your heart, but what if they are full of sugar? A single packet of Quaker Apple and Cinnamon oatmeal contains 12 grams of sugar as does the Maple Brown Sugar variety.
Are you ready to break up with sugar?
Moral of the story? Just because a product says it’s healthy on the front of the packaging, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. If you’re ready to break up with sugar, contact us today. We’re ready to help you get started.