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We’ve all been on a low-sugar diet at least once or twice before, but cutting out the cookies and ice cream doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll suddenly lose a ton of weight.
Health experts are constantly telling us to ban sugar if we want to lose weight, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference in the long-run.
The truth is: Even when you stop eating sugar, you’re probably still eating sugar. No matter how health conscious you are, ingredient labels can find ways to trick you into eating more sugar than you thought.
Before you banish sugar from your diet completely, it’s important to know that—yes—our bodies absolutely do need sugar to function properly.
Your body is powered by a very simple form of sugar called glucose, and when eaten in moderation, glucose truly is good for you.
The problem is that glucose is not the only sugar we eat. In fact, there are plenty of different types of sugar out there—and some of them are worse than others.
If you really want to get serious about starting a low-sugar diet, you need to study up on all the different sugars you might be eating first:
- Agave: There was a time when everybody believed that agave was truly the healthy sugar we’ve all been waiting for. Since it has a low glycemic index—meaning it takes longer to show up as glucose in your bloodstream—even health experts started recommending it as the go-to alternative sweetener. What they didn’t realize back then, though, is that agave is mostly made up of fructose—a simple sugar that travels straight to your liver after you eat it. It’s different from glucose because it has to be metabolized multiple times to give your body the energy it needs. Since fructose puts such a burden on your body, the best thing you can do is switch out your agave sweeteners for plant-derived milks—like almond or cashew—which have a sweeter flavor without any added sugar.
- Sucrose: The FDA recently mandated the names “cane syrup” and “dried cane syrup,” so this common sugar can no longer be known as the less intimidating “evaporated cane juice.” Concentrated from a sugar rather than a juice, sucrose is basically table sugar. This is what you’ll find in baked goods, packaged foods, and even some breads and butters. It breaks down in your body so quickly that you’re always bound to have a major sugar crash after eating anything containing sucrose. If you know you’re about to indulge in something containing this extremely common type of sugar, try combining it with foods rich in protein and fiber to help slow down the imminent energy crash.
- Dextrose: This particular sugar is most often derived from corn, and you’ll likely find it in starchy and sweet foods—like potatoes, candy, cookies, ice cream, and even sports drinks. Like sucrose, dextrose breaks down in the body very quickly, hitting you with a powerful energy crash later. It’s processed in the same way as glucose, so if you’re body doesn’t need any extra dextrose for energy, it will get converted into fat and stored in fat cells. To stop weight gain in its tracks, try reaching for healthier foods high in sugar, like carrots and apples.
- Corn Syrup: Not to be confused with high-fructose corn syrup, this particular type of sugar derived from corn actually contains more glucose than fructose—the exact opposite of HFCS. That said, eating too much corn syrup is never good for your health, or your waistline. To avoid high cholesterol, unwanted weight gain, or high blood pressure, avoid eating too many cereal bars, canned fruit, and soft drinks.
- Sorbitol: Ever seen the words “low-sugar” or “sugar-free” on a snack you might consider buying? Well, sorbitol is the sugar alcohol companies replace other types of sugar with to make you think their products are healthier. Because it’s derived from both a sugar and alcohol molecule, sorbitol still enters the bloodstream in the same way that all sugar does. While it does affect your blood sugar less drastically, sugar alcohol comes with a slew of less desirable side effects—like gas, bloating, and diarrhea. The best way to avoid eating this pesky hidden sugar is to stop buying all “low-calorie” snacks—including sugar-free gum!
How do you avoid eating these hidden sugars? Let us know in the comments!
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