Beware of Hidden Sugar

At Dr. Steven W. Haywood in Timonium, we counsel our patients to mind their dental health by watching their sugar intake, in order to prevent cavities and other issues.

If you are trying to cut sugar from your diet, or at least cut back, you are probably skipping the usual suspects: candy, soda, and baked treats. But not all sugar is as conspicuous as a glazed donut.

Here are some foods found in grocery stores and school cafeterias with a surprisingly high sugar content:

  • Ketchup
  • Low fat versions of snack foods (Manufacturers often replace fat with sugar.)
  • Salad dressing
  • Breads, buns, rolls
  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Protein bars
  • Granola
  • Canned soup
  • Peanut butter
  • Yogurt
  • Fast food meals (Hamburgers, fries, sandwiches, and salads are often loaded with sugar, not to mention the dessert items.)
  • Antacids
  • Cough drops
  • Fruit smoothies (Even a small serving has a whopping amount of sugar.)

Reading the fine print on labels is a must. The following terms are all types of sugar:

raw sugar, cane sugar, glucose, lactose, galactose, fructose, dextrose, honey, sorghum, molasses, cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, crystallized cane juice, invert sugar, maltodextrin (or dextrin), maple syrup, concentrated fruit juices, evaporated cane juice

Do the math: when shopping at markets or health food stores, carefully assess food labels before you buy. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. Add up all the grams of every type of sugar listed and divide by four to truly comprehend how much sugar an item contains.

At Dr. Steven W. Haywood in Timonium, we advocate a lifetime of dental health through proper dental care. Our services include general and cosmetic dentistry.

Contact Dr. Steven W. Haywood:

410-453-9399

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

108 W Timonium Rd Ste 200
Timonium, Maryland
21093