There are many common culprits when it comes to sugary foods: cake, cookies, donuts, soda… But sometimes, it’s difficult to know the worst things to avoid because they’re unsuspecting. That includes foods that my not even taste sweet. As it turns out, there are plenty of secretly high-sugar foods that could be spiking your blood sugar and thwarting your weight loss efforts.
To shed some light on a few of the worst, most surprising foods with hidden sugars, we spoke to Shana Abraham, a NASM-certified personal trainer and Precision Nutrition-certified nutrition coach; dietitian Catherine Gervacio; Juliana Tamayo, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and health expert at Fitness Clone; Jesse Feder, a personal trainer and registered dietitian; and Dr. Rimas Geiga, MD. They warned against granola bars, bagels, and more. Find all of their expert insight below.
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1. Granola Bars
We're all busy, especially in the mornings! So as tempting as it is to load up on granola bars you can easily grab on your way out the door and eat on-the-go, a lot of options are unhealthy because of the hidden and high amounts of sugars. "Many commercially available breakfast bars are high in sugars and low in fiber," cautions Dr. Geiga.
His recommendation? "Look for bars with whole grains, nuts, and seeds, or make your own at home." This ensures you have control over the ingredients and can avoid excessive sugar.
2. Sweetened Yogurts
Many sweetened yogurts are usually marketed in a way that makes you think they’re healthy for you. While yogurts like plain Greek yogurt have tons of benefits, it’s a different story with sweetened, processed ones. Sweetened yogurts often contain high amounts of added sugars, which are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Like the other foods and drinks that are mentioned, these yogurts also lead to a quick increase in blood glucose levels.
"These days, you will notice that commercial yogurts are full of sugar and sweeteners with minimal protein content. Avoid regular yogurts that have no protein and only give you excess sugar," Tamayo tells us. Instead, try high-fiber Greek yogurt topped with fruit.
3. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice may sound healthy, but believe it or not, many of them contain a lot of sugar with barely any fiber. Fruit juices are often concentrated sources of natural sugars, like fructose, which are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Contrary to whole fruit, these juices lack the fiber that helps slow down the absorption of sugar.
"Artificially flavored fruit juices with high amounts of added sugars are the worst for weight gain and blood sugar. These typically include things like fruit punch, lemonade, Hawaiian punch, high-c, and fruit cocktail juices. These fruit juices contain very little fruit, if any at all," says Feder.
4. Fast-food French Fries
You may associate fast food menu items with weight gain, but they can also impact your blood sugar levels. Usually these potatoes are deep-fried in unhealthy oil, which can increase their calorie and fat content, but the main concern is the refined carbohydrates. These are quickly broken down into sugar in the bloodstream.
"French fries contain trans fat that contributes to inflammation and insulin resistance by interfering with the normal function of insulin," Gervacio says. "Also, trans fat is linked to an increase in visceral fat, which is stored around internal organs."
Instead, she says to "prepare French fries at home instead and bake them." However, "It’s also best to have boiled potatoes instead or opt for sweet potatoes for a lower glycemic index food." Luckily, there are healthier fast food options out there.
5. Bagels
While certainly delicious, many bagels are dense and often large, meaning they contain high amounts of carbs in one serving. Without enough fiber or protein to slow down glucose absorption, eating a bagel can lead to a sharp blood sugar spike. This is especially true when paired with sugary and high-calorie spreads or consumed on its own without balancing proteins or fats.
"Refined carbohydrates like bagels lack fiber and can lead to rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Opting for whole-grain or alternative flour options can provide sustained energy and aid in weight loss," Abraham reveals.
