sugar – In everyday life, we often snack on food without paying attention to its content. Snacks do need to be provided during breaks between large meals. This is necessary so that at mealtime, we do not overeat due to excessive hunger. Snacks are also needed, to keep us energized between large meal breaks from one time to another which is sometimes indeterminate. Sometimes, we skip breakfast, pairing it with lunch. Because of busyness, sometimes the break from lunch to dinner is too far. That’s when snacking on the sidelines of a meal is indispensable.


However, snacking cannot be just food. Many snacks are high in sugar, which not only poses a risk to your health, but also has the potential to derail your weight loss plans.

What foods have high sugar levels?

Without us knowing it, there are some foods that contain high sugar levels. Anything?

  1. Fruit flavored yogurt. Who doesn’t love fruit-flavored yogurt served cold? Besides being refreshing, this yogurt is also available in supermarkets at affordable prices and easy to get. But did you know that yogurt like this contains high sugar levels? For a healthier choice, instead of buying fruit flavored yogurt, buy plain yogurt that has no taste, then add your favorite fresh fruits like strawberries, oranges, mangoes, and so on.
  2. Salad dressing. Salad usually consists of various fruits and vegetables, very healthy for consumption. However, it’s a different story if the salad is served with mayonnaise and even grated cheese, which not only contains added sugar, but is also high in fat.
  3. Soft drink. Drinking soft drinks is refreshing, but the fact is they contain lots of sugar. The sugar content in soft drinks is estimated to be around 39 grams to 99 grams. Besides containing sugar, this carbonated drink can also make your stomach bloated. Apart from soft drinks, other drinks that sound healthy, such as chocolate milk and packaged juices, often have added sugar.
  4. Packaged tomato sauce or bottled sauce. Eating french fries, spaghetti, or sausage with tomato sauce is delicious. Did you know that this sauce has a high sugar content? Yes, sugar is used to minimize the sour taste found in tomato sauce. Also, adding sugar will make the tomato sauce last longer.
  5. Jam. Jam is served with bread, a food which is one of the main sources of carbohydrates. The sugar content possessed by bread is about 2 grams per one slice of bread. Eating bread with jam makes the sugar content even higher, unless you replace it with whole wheat bread.
  6. Granola bar. Granola bars are usually used as a filling snack alternative. Eating granola is healthier, but granola bars are arguably more like candy because they have added a lot of sugar to make it taste better.
  7. Honey. One of the foods that are also healthy. The sugar in honey does occur naturally, but you have to be careful, because there is honey added to artificial sweeteners or added sugar. According to Audrey Dharmanto, Bsc., RD., LD, which was covered by Fimela, one tablespoon of honey has more calories and carbohydrates than one tablespoon of sugar.
  8. Various cakes. Cakes are very good to eat as a dessert. Cake can also be enjoyed while chatting casually with friends. But don’t over consume the cake. Cakes contain high sugar, because cakes are processed from certain ingredients such as flour, butter and sugar.
  9. Pudding and ice cream. This food cannot be avoided by sweet food lovers. Just like cakes, pudding is also served as a dessert. The sugar content in pudding and ice cream is also high. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat ice cream anymore, but try to buy ice cream only occasionally, and avoid buying ice cream in large cups
  10. Candy. One more sweet food that cannot be avoided. Candy is usually eaten to increase energy. Not only liked by young children, candy is also liked by adults. However, about 60% to 90% of candy is sugar.

Why should we limit the amount of sugar consumed?

Consuming excess sugar is not good for body health and can lead to diseases such as diabetes, obesity, dental problems, and even heart disease. Especially when you are a passive person and rarely do physical activity. We recommend that, when you feel you consume a lot of sugar, you should also take the time to exercise.

A type of metabolic disease, diabetes is a condition where an individuals suffers from high blood sugar level due to poor insulin production or the cells’ inability to respond well to insulin. Those who suffer from this ailment may experience frequent urination, and their appetite may increase significantly.

As of 2013, about 382 million individuals worldwide was diagnosed to be suffering from this illness, based on a study by researchers. In addition, about 10 percent of people with this condition have type 1 while 90 percent of cases belong in type 2. On the other hand, pregnant women who experience elevated glucose level are positive with gestational diabetes.

Those who have this ailment are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Moreover, it is possible for the cholesterol and blood pressure levels to increase, which means regular monitoring is essential. It is also important to stop smoking as this can further trigger cardiovascular disorders, and the risk heightens with the presence of diabetes.

Causes of the Disease

There are several ways for a person to have this ailment. For instance, type 1 is characterized by the body’s inability to produce insulin. In most cases, those who suffer from this condition are in their teens, early adulthood, or before they reach 40 years of age. Patients with this condition must take insulin injections and maintain their glucose levels to normal ranges by following the right diet.

As for people withb type 2 form of this disease, their body cells fail to react positively to insulin, or there is insufficient amount of insulin obtained for proper body functions. Individuals who are obese or overweight are at greater risk of this disease, particularly those with too much visceral fat in their body. Thus, causes of this ailment include being physically inactive, drinking soda regularly, and consuming the wrong foods. There were also studies that showed how low testosterone levels in men can increase the risk of this disease.

Overall, diabetes is a condition that can affect people of all ages and various walks of life. It is commonly triggered by poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. Over time, the condition may progress to other diseases that affect the heart as the cholesterol and blood pressure levels become elevated aside from the glucose. Hence, consulting a health expert, managing weight, following a regular exercise program and maintaining a stress-free life can improve one’s health and prevent the occurence of this disease.