Previously, packaged foods only had to disclose their total number of sugarsboth naturally occurring and added.
It’s certainly nice to know when foods you buy at the grocery store are high in them.
To reduce added sugars in your diet, start by becoming a savvy label reader.
Photos: The brands. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Always check the “Added Sugars” line on the nutrition panel!
We’re getting you started by identifying common too-sweet culprits.
Steer clear of these 25 foods at the supermarket with high amounts of added sugar.
Mountain Dew
Soda
Mountain Dew
Have you ever heard someone call soda “pure sugar”?
Well, in the case of many bubbly beverages, they’re not wrong.
Take Mountain Dew, for example.
PF Chang’s
The 20 Unhealthiest SodasRanked by Sugar Content
Frozen Meals
P.F.
Sugars are often used as preservatives in frozen foods.
And of course, in sweet-sauced meats like orange chicken, they serve as flavor boosters.
Prego
Though added sugars may enhance taste, they don’t enhance the health factor of frozen meals.
Prego Traditional adds 4 grams to each serving.
That’s a full teaspoon per half cupas much as you might use to sweeten coffee!
Mars
Do you want that much sugar in your spaghetti?
A full-sized 3 Musketeers will land you 36 grams of the sweet stuff.
Many, like Eggo’s Thick and Fluffy Double Chocolate Waffles, are heavy on sweetener.
Kelloggs
If you’re hankering for a sweeter yogurt, purchase a plain version and swirl in some maple syrup.
But the same can’t be said for bottled, sweetened teas like Snapple’s peach tea.
A 16-ounce bottle has a jaw-dropping 40 grams of added sugar.
YoCrunch
At 160 calories, this beverage gets all its calories from sugar.
It’s the barbecue sauce, baby, and it’s not even close!
Keep it in mind when you use them for drizzling, basting, and dipping.
Smucker’s
9 Worst Barbecue Sauces to Always Leave on Grocery Store Shelves
Cereal
Cap’n Crunch Oops!
All Berries Cereal
Not every cereal is loaded with sugar.
(We’ve gotplenty of examplesthat are genuinely good for you!)
Snapple
Still, there are plenty of dessert-for-breakfast offenders on grocery store shelves.
Generally, cereals with chocolatey or fruity flavors tend to be among the highest in added sugars.
We’re lookin' at you, Cap’n Crunch Oops!
Sweet Baby Ray’s
TheUSDAsays that 1 cup of 100% fruit juice counts as a serving of fruit.
These can have scary amounts of sneaky sweeteners, like high fructose corn syrup.
You don’t have to hit your local Starbucks to get a heavily sweetened latte.
Cap’n Crunch
Canned and bottled iced coffees have the equivalent of multiple pumps of coffee shop sweetener.
Choose canned fruit packed in light syrup or fruit juice to put excess sweetener in its place.
But remember what we said about all the sugar in barbecue sauce?
Welch’s
When manufacturers add barbecue flavor to beans, they amp up the sugar content to a serious degree.
Extra brown sugar or molasses don’t help the situation, either.
The sturdy stuff of sandwiches can be a major source of added sugar.
International Delight
Look for packaged breads with zero added sugars (they do exist!).
That includes snack cakes like the ones made by Hostess and Little Debbie.
They’ll likely be a better choice than ultra-sweet sports drinks like Powerade’s Island Burst.
Del Monte
But watch outit’s easy to overdo it on sugar from ketchup.
But some store-bought cookies are worse than others.
Read labels to know what you’re getting.
Haagen-Dazs
Many snack bars have more sweetener than proteinnot to mention that they’re highly processed.
Power up your snack hour with a bar that has a better macronutrient ratio.
(We’ve gotseveral to suggest.)
Walmart
Just how much sugar are you adding to your cup?
A 12-piece serving of Sour Patch Kids comes in at 27 grams of sugar (24 added).
And let’s be honest, who can eat just 12 of these tasty little guys?
Wonder Bread
Though unflavored alt-milks frequently only have naturally occurring sugars, flavored varieties can be shockingly sugary.
For a healthier choice, look for no-sugar-added plant-based milks.
Amazon
Powerade
Whatastore
Walmart
Clif
Pillsbury
Dunkin
Sour Patch Kids
Walmart
