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How often do you flip over a food package and check the sugar content?
If your answer is “rarely,” you're not alone. Sugar hides in over 70% of packaged foods, often under innocent-sounding names and in places you’d never expect. From your favorite "healthy" granola to your go-to salad dressing, it’s easy to blow past the recommended daily sugar intake without even realizing it.
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar for women and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men per day. Yet most of us are unknowingly doubling—or tripling—that number thanks to sneaky sugar bombs hiding in our pantry staples.
Here are 10 common foods that sneak sugar into your diet, along with better-for-you no-added sugar alternatives you can grab on Amazon.
1. Yogurt
Many flavored yogurts, even those labeled as “low-fat” or “high-protein,” pack more sugar than a doughnut.
👉 Try instead: Plain grass-fed Greek yogurt with a handful of berries and cinnamon. Try this one on Amazon
2. Nut Butters
That “natural” peanut butter might still have added sugar. Always check the ingredients.
👉 Try instead: Unsweetened almond butter made with just one ingredient. Try this one
3. Granola
Marketed as health food, most store-bought granolas are sugar-coated clusters.
👉 Try instead: Grain-free, no-added sugar granola made with coconut, seeds, and spices. Try this
4. Tomato Sauces
Even savory sauces often include sugar to cut acidity and extend shelf life.
👉 Try instead: No-sugar marinara sauce made with just tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs. Try this one
5. Salad Dressings
Bottled dressings, especially fat-free or “light” versions, are often loaded with sugar to make up for flavor.
👉 Try instead: Primal Kitchen Green Goddess with no added sugar and healthy fats. Link here
6. Cereal
That “heart-healthy” cereal might be your blood sugar’s worst nightmare.
👉 Try instead: Three Wishes Grain-Free Cereal, high in protein and unsweetened. Link here
7. Jerky
Even “savory” snacks like jerky can sneak in sugar during the curing process.
👉 Try instead: Zero sugar beef jerky for a clean, high-protein snack. Try this one
8. Bread
Unless labeled “no added sugar,” most breads, even whole wheat, contain sugar to enhance texture and shelf life.
👉 Try instead: Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain bread with no sugar added. Find it here
9. Protein Bars
Often disguised as health food, many bars have the sugar content of a candy bar.
👉 Try instead: No-sugar RXBARs sweetened with dates and made with egg whites and nuts. Get them here
10. Nut Milks
Vanilla and “original” versions of almond or oat milk usually include added sugar.
👉 Try instead: Unsweetened vanilla almond milk with zero grams of sugar.Try this one
How To Spot Hidden Sugars On Labels
Even if “sugar” isn’t listed in the ingredients, it might be hiding under names like:
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Dextrose
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Maltodextrin
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Evaporated cane juice
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Corn syrup
Tip: If it ends in -ose, it’s probably a form of sugar.
Sugar’s Sneaky Ways Don’t Stop There…
These pantry staples are just the beginning. It also stealthily disrupts your gut, messes with your hormones, and increases your risk of Alzheimer's.
Want to understand how it’s secretly sabotaging your health?
📕 Reserve your copy of Sugar Can Fck Itself, the upcoming book from Kita Centella, founder of Loose Leaf Tea Market
This no-BS, science-backed guide will show you the truth about sugar’s impact on your body and help you finally break the cycle for good. You’ll learn how to quit sugar, reset your palate, and stay sugar-proof for life.
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