SWEET!

So who doesn't have a sweet tooth?  Just about everyone likes candy, cookies, or cake occasionally. "Not me," you say, "I only eat healthy foods." What about the "hidden sugar?"  I hadn't really thought about the unexpected (or unknown) sugar in some foods.  Pickles? Really?  After reading a recent news article, "Consumer Reports Exposes Hidden Sugar," I learned that some things, including spaghetti sauce, low-fat yogurt, and pickles, may have high sugar content. Too much sugar can lead to high triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood stream) and the risk of heart disease.  It was recommended that women not have over 6 teaspoons and men over 9 teaspoons of sugar per day.
     So where is this sugar hiding?  I  recognize the sugar when it's listed under labels like sucrose, glucose, and high fructose corn syrup. According to the article, added sugar my be listed under names like fruit juice concentrate, malt syrup, and evaporated cane juice.
     After realizing I didn't know so much about sugar, I checked out some other articles. Hidden Sugars-How to become a Nutrition Spy explains a little more about the effects of sugar. When you want something sweet, both articles recommend making the healthier choice of fruit over sugary snacks.
     After realizing how little I knew about sweeteners in general, I located an article about the different kinds of sugar and sweeteners.  The Skinny on Sugar and Sweeteners tells about the different varieties of sugar and other sweeteners, such as molasses, honey, and agave syrup.  It also gives tips on cooking with the sweeteners, including artificial ones. Wow, who knew...obviously not me!

(Click on the article title to read the entire article.)