Many products contain unexpected sugars. Products that you might expect to be healthy. It's a shame that so many products contain sugars—and honestly, it's not fun to know—but it's very important if you want to be more conscious about your diet.
Many supermarket products contain hidden sugars. This makes it extra important for you to be vigilant and invest in reading labels. This way, you'll know better what you're consuming and can make a conscious choice about whether it's still the right option for you.
These products contain unexpectedly high amounts of sugar:
- Plant-based milk: many plant-based milks have added sugar for taste... what a shame!
- Spice mixes: spice mixes are sometimes filled with sugars to improve taste or as ‘filler’. You secretly buy sugar instead of spices.
- Muesli or protein bars: these are often sugar bombs; just check the labels and judge for yourself if it's still worth it ;)
- Sauces: many sauces contain added sugar, for example, in satay sauce and chili sauce.
- Muesli: sugar is added to muesli to give it flavor.
- Fruit juice: fruit juice is pure sugar, because the fibers of the fruit are filtered out, only the sugar remains. It often feels healthy because it's made from fruit, but unfortunately, it isn't.
The alternatives
If (one of) these products are on your shopping list, it's good to know what you can swap them for or how you can make a healthier choice.
- Plant-based milk: choose the unsweetened version to limit your sugar intake.
- Spice mixes: opt for spice mixes that have no added sugars; ideally, they should only contain spices. You can also choose to mix the spices yourself!
- Muesli or protein bars: go for a bar with very pure ingredients like nuts and seeds. And carefully check the nutritional values for the amount of sugar it contains. Sometimes bars contain dates, for example, which increases the sugar content. In that case, it's still better to choose this version than a bar with added sugar.
- Sauces: it's very easy to make your own sauces! For example, use (plant-based) yogurt as a base with herbs and garlic, and you'll have a delicious sauce for your dish.
- Muesli: choose products with as few ingredients as possible on the ingredient list. It's also an easy option to make your own muesli. Very simple to make in the oven with honey, nuts, and seeds, for example!
- Fruit juice: always choose a fresh smoothie over fruit juice. Chewing your smoothie also helps with processing. When you chew, enzymes are released that help you digest the smoothie better.
- Alternatives as a base for cooking: honey, green stevia, and dates, for example. These are natural products that are very sweet on their own. A good replacement for refined sugar. And here too, pay attention to the quantities. Ultimately, sugar is still sugar.
So, fortunately, you have many options for making healthier choices! Initially, it requires an investment of your time to read labels or make alternatives yourself. But once you realize that you're unknowingly consuming a lot of sugars, it also gives you the opportunity to reduce this. When you do, your body and brain will thank you!
