A diet high in sugar can increase your risk of diabetes and can also compromise the health of your entire body. Ian K. Smith, author of "The Take-Control Diet: A Life Plan for Thinking People," a large consumption of sugar can also cause you to gain weight and can reduce the amount of vitamins and minerals you consume. Knowing what foods contain unhealthy amounts of sugar can help you adjust your diet to include healthier choices.
Chocolate
Chocolate, without added sugar, can be a part of a healthy diet, says Roberta Larson Duyff and the American Dietetic Association, authors of "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide." Most chocolate bars contain a large amount of added sugar to enhance the taste and make them taste sweeter than plain chocolate does. Adding sugar to chocolate reduces the nutrition by adding calories. Duyff and the American Dietetic Association also add that chocolate is often added to cookies, cakes and brownies, which are already packed with sugar and calories. A small amount of chocolate without a great deal of added sugar, such as some dark chocolates, can be part of a healthy diet, but most chocolates cannot be considered healthy.
Soft Drinks
Not only do soft drinks contain a large number of calories, they also contain several teaspoons of added sugar as well. H. Leighton Steward, Morrison Bethea and Sam Andrews, authors of "The New Sugar Busters: Cut Sugar to Trim Fat," say that soft drinks are the leading source of added sugar in many people's diets. A 12 oz. serving of soda can have 10 or more teaspoons of sugar. Other sugary soft drinks, including fruit drinks and some juices, can have similar amounts of sugar in each serving. Many people drink two, three or even more servings each day, resulting in an unhealthy amount of sugar consumption, say Steward, Bethea and Andrews.
Condiments
Steward, Bethea and Andrews say that many condiments are high in sugar but low in nutrition. Many jams and jellies contain more sugar than fruit, making them high in calories without the added benefit of vitamins and minerals. Ketchup and barbecue sauce can also contain several teaspoons of sugar. Salad dressings may not taste particularly sugary, but Steward, Bethea and Andrews comment that many brands and flavors actually have quite a bit of added sugar. Asian food sauces, such as teriyaki sauce, also contain large amounts of sugar per serving. Traditional peanut butter can have several teaspoons as well compared to natural peanut butter, which has less sugar.
References
- "The Take-Control Diet: A Life Plan for Thinking People"; Ian K. Smith; 2005
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff and American Dietetic Association; 2006
- "The New Sugar Busters: Cut Sugar to Trim Fat"; H. Leighton Steward, Morrison Bethea and Sam Andrews; 2003
