It’s hard to consume a meal or enjoy a snack without packing in some extra sugar nowadays. It’s crazy how much sugar is added to the foods we eat, and if we aren’t careful, we could be adding substantial amounts of sugar to our diet without even knowing it!

Many people believe they follow a healthy diet but are surprised to find how many of their staple food items are packed with sugar.

Sugar can cause issues with anyone, not just those with diabetes. Sugar can lead to weight gain, poor immune function, poor skin health, hyperactivity, brain fog, and even cancer. With diabetes, sugar plays an even larger role because of blood sugar levels.

We all know that keeping sugar intake to a minimum is an important part of following a healthy diet, but in order to do that, you need to know where sugar is found.

I am going to share four hidden sources of sugar with you. Warning! You may need to do a total kitchen detox after reading this.

Salad Dressing

This is an unfortunate one. Why? Well, think about it. You would want to assume that salad dressing would come with only healthy ingredients to compliment your healthy salad, but unfortunately, that is just not the case. Many salad dressing companies add loads of sugar to their recipes, and that sugar winds up being slathered all over your salad.

So much for that healthy lunch! For a good alternative, make your own olive oil and vinaigrette for a light and delicious alternative.

Tomato Sauce

Here’s another shocker. You know that marinara sauce you add to your pasta dishes? Yup, you guessed it, that too is often packed with added sugar, sometimes as much as 10 grams! Check the label on your tomato sauce jar before buying, and see if sugar is in the ingredient list. There are brands out there that do not add sugar to their product, but the easiest way to get around is to look for grandma’s famous pasta sauce recipe, and make it yourself!

Yogurt

This is a sad one for a lot of people. Yogurt is commonly enjoyed as an on-the-go breakfast, but unfortunately, some brands can add up to 30 grams of sugar in their product! That’s a massive amount of sugar, and a rough way to start your day. If you enjoy yogurt, opt for unsweetened Greek yogurt, and sweeten it yourself with some fresh fruit.

Frozen Meals

I know this is a bummer. Those frozen meals that are oh-so-convenient when you come home from a long day of work are actually loaded with sugar and sodium! It’s a total double whammy to your health. Some frozen entrees can have up to 30 grams of added sugar which is the last thing you want when you are trying to eat a healthy diet. If cooking when you get home from work is an issue, then try batch cooking on the weekends and freezing your meals to reheat during the week. You would be doing your health a favor.

Fruit Juice

As if fruits weren’t sweet enough, many companies douse their juice with even more added sugar. For those with diabetes, it’s best to stay away from fruit juice altogether, but it’s even more important to avoid the options that have extra sugar.

Sometimes it takes being a detective to get to the bottom of what’s in your food. The best advice I can give is to read every single food label before you purchase anything. This way you are sure the product is free from excess sugar, and you avoid wasting time, or unintentionally harming your health.