For some time, I’ve been getting the Powerhouse Salad when I go to Potbelly. It’s high in protein and full of veggies. Not to mention, it’s delicious! I happily poured their fat-free vinaigrette over the salad, feeling confident that I’d made a healthy choice.
Then I looked up how much sugar is in their fat-free vinaigrette. I. Was. SHOCKED. And also a little embarrassed that I always tell others to read labels and had neglected to do so myself. The phrase “fat-free” was the red flag I totally ignored.
37 grams of sugar.
The daily recommended intake of sugar for adult women is 25 grams. So by eating this salad dressing I was already surpassing the amount for a whole day in ONE meal! I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to have sugar I’d much rather eat a dessert than waste it in my salad.
Healthy Choice or Sugar Bomb?
This got me wondering what other common “healthy” foods people are consuming, completely oblivious to how much sugar they’re having. Here are a few that I uncovered:
Amount of sugar in….
- Jamba Juice Mango-A-Go-Go Smoothie (large): 109 grams
- Arizona Iced Tea (23 oz): 69 grams
- Vitamin Water (20 oz): 32 grams
- Raisin Bran (1 cup): 19 grams–more than Frosted Flakes!!!
- Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt (5.3 oz): 15-17 grams
- Clif Bar Chocolate Chip: 21 grams–almost a Snickers!
- KIND Healthy Grains Granola Bar: 15 grams
- Acai Bowl: 50-70 grams
How Sweet It Is
Daily added sugar recommendations from the American Heart Association are 25g for women, 36g for men, and under 25g for children. “Added” sugar does not include sugars naturally occurring in fruits or vegetables.
Many adults think they are playing the system by consuming products with zero calorie artificial sweeteners. Think again! Aspartame, sucralose, saccharin and sugar alcohols (xylitol, erythritol) unlock their own health dangers such as disturbing the gut microbiome or leading to GI issues. The only sugar substitutes I include in small amounts are stevia and monk fruit.
Other natural sweeteners that don’t spike blood sugar as intensely as cane sugar are honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. These should still be used in moderation.
Secret Sugar Strategies
Salads
My trick for salad dressings is to ask for simple olive oil, vinegar, and/or lemon to dress your salad. Most restaurants have these on hand. Just in case, you can also carry single-serve olive oil packets in your bag, and then you’re set no matter what! At the very least, asking for the dressing on the side gives you more control over exactly how much you’re eating.
Sauces
When it comes to condiments, most of us know that sauces like ketchup, BBQ, or sweet & sour (really, anything with the word “sweet”) isn’t going to be helpful in sticking to sugar goals. Skip these condiments in favor of mustard (but not honey mustard!), hummus, or avocado/guacamole.
Drinks
Swap sodas or sweetened iced tea for sparkling water with lemon or lime, or go for unsweetened iced tea. If you’re addicted to your Starbucks flavored coffee drink, try cold brew with a splash of milk, or a latte wiith cinnamon or vanilla extract instead of sugary syrups. For kids (ar adults) who have to have their juice, dilute fruit juice 50/50 with water–or better yet, skip the juice and serve water and whole fruit on the side.
Breakfast
I think this is the sneakiest meal when it comes to added sugars. Make sure any yogurt you buy is plain, and add your own fruit, nuts, cinnamon, or peanut butter to flavor. Adding honey is ok–but keep it light. For cereal, I highly recommend the brands Three Wishes and Magic Spoon, which are WAY lower in sugar and high in protein–also gluten free! Granola can be a super sneaky sugar source. Either make your own, or use sparingly. Purely Elizabeth and Three Wishes make delicious low sugar granolas.
Snacks
Most granola and protein bars are really just candy bars in disguise. Tread carefully here if you must get store-bought. I’m a fan of Aloha protein bars, which have minimal cane sugar. Or, make your own no-bake protein balls using my recipe*! Dried fruit also packs a lot of sugar–replace with fresh fruit or make it a rule to find a version with no added sugar (I still cannot understand why we need to add sugar to already-sweet fruit???)
Red Flags
Be very wary of any labels that advertise…
- Fat Free
- Low Fat
- Low Calorie
- Lite/Light
- Diet
- Natural
- Simple/Simply
These labels want you to read the healthy catch phrase and trust the product without checking the label. Don’t be fooled.
Sweet Takeaways
At the end of the day, sugar isn’t the villain–it’s just really good at sneaking into places it doesn’t belong. The trick is spotting it before it piles up on your plate (or in your cup). Remember that little swaps make a big difference! Once you know where sugar hides, you’re back in charge…and your sweet tooth still gets to enjoy dessert when it really counts.
Here’s to feeling good–without the unintentional sugar crash,
~Nicole
PS: Can I just share my absolute horror when my son brought over a bottle of Pepsi at a recent party…69 grams of sugar! I’m horrified that there are people drinking one or more of these daily. That’s more than two days worth of sugar in just a few gulps. Gulp!
*My protein ball recipe was sent to my newsletter subscribers as exclusive content. Let me know if you’d like it!
