Food lovers eat your daily sugar intake :: Kenya

Much of the sugar we consume is hidden in processed foods traditionally not considered sweet. Even if you do not pour tons of sugar into your body, how could you consume more than you need?

1. List of small portions

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Food manufacturers often list ingredients in smaller portions than the actual size of the product to make you believe that the food contains small amounts of sugar. For example, if a food weighs 500 grams, the manufacturer can give you a list of ingredients for 100 grams. The amount of sugar in such a portion will appear low while the whole product contains far too much sugar.

2. Using different types of sugars in a single food

The ingredients on the label of a food are listed according to their weight. The more of an ingredient in the food, higher in the list, it will be put. To make a product appear as it contained less sugar, manufacturers often use more than two types of sugar so that they can appear individually further down the list, giving the consumer the chance to see them. false impression that the product is healthier than it actually is.

3. Using words commonly badociated with health on sweet foods

Food companies often play with people's psychology using words that the general population badociates with good health. For example, words like fruity will give the consumer a false perception that the article is a healthy product.

4. Using Alternative Names for Sugar on Food Labels

Added sugar takes many forms with different names, which makes it difficult to indicate on the food label. There are over 60 different types of sugars with different names from those that may appear on the label of a food. Look for names such as dextrose, fructose, sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, rice syrup and maltose.

5. Add sugar to "unsweetened" foods

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Just because a food does not have a sweet taste does not necessarily mean that it is sugar-free. Sugar can be added to all kinds of foods. For example, a tablespoon of ketchup contains about a teaspoon of sugar. Most breakfast cereals also contain sugar.

6. Use of Sugar Substitutes

Products that are sweetened with unrefined sweeteners made from fruits, seeds and honey often carry large labels indicating that they do not contain refined sugars. This is a marketing strategy that attracts the attention of many consumers. Although these sugars may be a little healthier, they are still added sugars and high consumption will have similar health effects as refined sugars.

7. Sweet versions of a low-sugar brand

Food companies often sneak up with loyal brands with loyal customers to publish newer versions that often contain too much sugar. This is usually done with can juices and breakfast cereals. For example, a low-sugar whole-grain breakfast cereal may have a new version with added ingredients, sugar, flavor, and color.