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You are here: Home / Eating Healthy / Diabetes 101- Looking For Hidden Sugar

Diabetes 101- Looking For Hidden Sugar

September 30, 2020 By Toby Smithson

Do you love sweets? The good news is you can fit sweets in moderation into a healthy eating plan for diabetes. The bad news is that you may be getting hidden sugar in prepared and packaged food without even knowing — all the carbs, none of the pleasure. Let’s learn how to find that hidden sugar?

Welcome to diabetes every day….I’m Toby, your favorite diabetes lifestyle expert. Since I’m your favorite, it’s time for you to subscribe to my channel by clicking the icon below….it’s free and painless.

Now, if you’ve followed me for any length of time here on YouTube or at DiabetesEveryDay.com or in my book Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies you will know that I enjoy sweets now and then….and I want you to enjoy them too. Just over the past few months, I’ve posted “Diabetes and Sugar”,“Can People With Diabetes Eat Chocolate”, “Does Melon Have Too Much Sugar”, and recipes for Chocolate Lava Cake and popsicles. My most popular video ever is 90 calories chocolate cupcakes.

Be Sure To Check Out – Can People With Diabetes Eat Fruit?

Can “All Foods Fit” With Diabetes?

Most dietitians subscribe to the idea that “all foods can fit” into a healthy diet, and I fit chocolate into my diet every single day. But where diabetes is involved it’s always about portion size and how many total carbohydrates we consume each day. There are way too many healthy carbohydrate foods we should be eating for us to eat sweets with total abandon. Sweets should be eaten “in moderation.”

Those carbohydrate grams that we spend on sugar and sweets therefore should be maximized, right. Since there’s no nutritional value to sugar except calories and we know we’re going to see an effect on our blood sugar levels, the only redeeming value to sweets is purely emotional….purely pleasure.

Carbohydrate Grams You “Spend” On Sugar

So, if you were looking to maximize your pleasure for the carbohydrate grams you “spend” on sugar would you choose eating one of those chocolate lava cakes I mentioned earlier at 21 grams of carbohydrate or would you choose sipping on ½ cup Homestyle Pasta Sauce at 16 grams carbohydrate? Or, maybe ketchup is more up your alley for a decadent dessert…..or baked beans with a little whipped cream? The point is that a sizable percentage of packaged or prepared foods….more than 70% of them… have hidden sugar….added sugar not natural to the food itself which simply adds calories and raises your blood sugar levels with no other benefit. And this is not so easy to figure out.

Take yogurt for example. Yogurt naturally includes milk sugar….lactose…and often includes fruit which brings naturally occurring sugar along. But Yoplait Original Strawberry “with real fruit” also includes 13 grams per serving of added sugar…plain old cane sugar… so the total carbohydrate per 6 ounces serving is 26 grams…the added sugar doubles the carbohydrate. That’s 13 grams of sugar from healthy foods and 13 grams of hidden sugar.

This is a big deal….my personal meal plan calls for about 8 “carbohydrate choices” per day…each carb choice is about 15 grams total carbohydrate, like a medium apple. I want my carbohydrates to be from healthy foods for a healthy life….sweet potato, lentils, peaches, oatmeal, peas, barley, blueberries, grits, watermelon, yogurt….and I want chocolate now and then. I do not want to spend one of my 8 carb choices today on 3 teaspoons of sugar hiding in my yogurt.

And apologies to Yoplait for singling this one product out, but this example is nothing unusual….this is common in prepared foods…..peanut butter, frozen dinners, condiments, salad dressings, nutrition bars, cereal….and not just the obvious cereals….Kellogg’s raisin bran has 9 grams of added sugar…..breads, sauces, soups, “fruit” juices. How do you know?

Manufacturers and Added Hidden Sugar

Fortunately, many products from large manufacturers are now required to include a specific amount of “added sugars” on their nutrition facts label….smaller manufacturers have until 2021 to comply. You can also look at the ingredients list, but manufacturers have some nifty tricks…if you see sugar, cane sugar, or some sort of syrup or nectar you’ll know, and that would include the infamous high fructose corn syrup. You may see “cane juice”, “honey”, “fruit juice” or “molasses” But other words ending in “ose” are also often listed….dextrose, fructose, glucose, sucrose, or maltose…all added sugar.

Dietary guidelines suggest less than 6% of your daily calories should come from added sugars. Dietitians love food math, but you probably don’t. So my practical advice to you is to look at the nutrition label under “total sugars” where you’ll find the statement “includes X grams added sugar”. If “added sugar” is more than a few grams look for a similar product that has less added sugar or find something different to eat.

If you have diabetes and you’re eating peanut butter with 5 grams of added sugar per serving….swap it out for peanut butter that has peanuts and salt as the only ingredients. Little changes every day can have huge benefits over the long term, and reducing the amount of added sugar….hidden sugar…. in your diet is one of the simplest and easiest lifestyle changes you can ever make.

Until next time, cheers to your health.

You may also enjoy:

  • How To Make a Successful New Year’s Resolution for Diabetes
  • Can Drinking Water Help My Blood Sugar?
  • Are Smoothies Good For My Diabetes?
  • Is Insulin Right For Your Diabetes?
  • Sneaky Exercise For Your Diabetes Health

Filed Under: Eating Healthy

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Toby Smithson dynamically combines her knowledge as a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian nutritionist with her life experiences successfully managing type 1 diabetes for more than five decades.

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Jan 21

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Celebrating #NationalOatmealMonth with the lowdown on best and favorite choices for people with #diabetes. Info is good for everyone to hear.  P.S .I eat #oats every morning all year long. #oatmealmonth #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesmanagement #healthyeating #carbs #carbohydrates #fiber
@bobsredmill @quaker  #oatmeal #steelcutoats #rolledoats #quickoats #hemphearts @manitobaharvest @almondsmx #pistachios #peanuts #eggenthusiast @wonderfulpistachios @peanutrd @peanutinstitute @egg.nutrition 
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Celebrating #NationalOatmealMonth with the lowdown on best and favorite choices for people with #diabetes. Info is good for everyone to hear. P.S .I eat #oats every morning all year long. #oatmealmonth #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesmanagement #healthyeating #carbs #carbohydrates #fiber
@bobsredmill @quaker #oatmeal #steelcutoats #rolledoats #quickoats #hemphearts @manitobaharvest @almondsmx #pistachios #peanuts #eggenthusiast @wonderfulpistachios @peanutrd @peanutinstitute @egg.nutrition
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Jan 15

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Have you tried this yet? Most definitely top of my list of things to do lately. This #video is worth viewing for everyone, not just for people with #diabetes. Link to video in bio  #diabetesmanagement #forestbathing #forestbathing🌲🌲🌲 #type1diabetes #type2diabetes  #type1 #type2 #relaxation #stressrelief #stressmanagement #stressreliever

Have you tried this yet? Most definitely top of my list of things to do lately. This #video is worth viewing for everyone, not just for people with #diabetes. Link to video in bio #diabetesmanagement #forestbathing #forestbathing🌲🌲🌲 #type1diabetes #type2diabetes #type1 #type2 #relaxation #stressrelief #stressmanagement #stressreliever ...

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Jan 14

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Double thankful: got my #COVID19 #vaccine today and so glad to be living in a small town because it was quick and easy...no waiting in any line, vaccine didn’t hurt, staff was super friendly and people I knew from my neighborhood! #Igotmyshot

Double thankful: got my #COVID19 #vaccine today and so glad to be living in a small town because it was quick and easy...no waiting in any line, vaccine didn’t hurt, staff was super friendly and people I knew from my neighborhood! #Igotmyshot ...

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Jan 7

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Need some distraction from the stress of the day? These two springers are step
Sisters. Rescued from the same household several states away and coincidentally reunited as the owners (myself and Diane Myers-Mosher) live in the same subdivision. ❤️ #englishspringerspaniels #englishspringerrescue #englishspringerrescueassociation @dimmosher

Need some distraction from the stress of the day? These two springers are step
Sisters. Rescued from the same household several states away and coincidentally reunited as the owners (myself and Diane Myers-Mosher) live in the same subdivision. ❤️ #englishspringerspaniels #englishspringerrescue #englishspringerrescueassociation @dimmosher
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Jan 6

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Needing a distraction from the news? Let’s talk healthy eating for the new year for people with #diabetes - Starting soon. @diabetesstrong_ig

Needing a distraction from the news? Let’s talk healthy eating for the new year for people with #diabetes - Starting soon. @diabetesstrong_ig ...

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Jan 6

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Follow up #video with a #recipe for a #diabetesfriendly #smoothie . #youtubevideo link in my bio. #diabetesmanagement #diabeteslife #healthyeating #type1diabetes #type2diabetes  #nutrition #haveaplant #diabetescommunity #diabetesonlinecommunity

Follow up #video with a #recipe for a #diabetesfriendly #smoothie . #youtubevideo link in my bio. #diabetesmanagement #diabeteslife #healthyeating #type1diabetes #type2diabetes #nutrition #haveaplant #diabetescommunity #diabetesonlinecommunity ...

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Jan 6

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Big week in my world as a registered dietitian. @usnews News 2021 Best Diets have been published and I am very honored to  be part of the expert panel ranking the #diets. 
Here’s the link to see the list.  #bestdiet #healthyeating #weightloss #usnewsandworldreport https://health.usnews.com/best-diet

Big week in my world as a registered dietitian. @usnews News 2021 Best Diets have been published and I am very honored to be part of the expert panel ranking the #diets.
Here’s the link to see the list. #bestdiet #healthyeating #weightloss #usnewsandworldreport https://health.usnews.com/best-diet
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Jan 4

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Excited for starting off this New Year with a couple of online chats about #HealthyEating for People with #Diabetes. First up is on January 6th, where I will be the guest for #diabetesstrong Fit with Diabetes Challenge Webinar.  Diabetes Strong Diabetes Strong Community #diabetesonlinecommunity #newyearsresolutions  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2716092874267/WN_Oz0vz_XWTwuueLWnDIpUjw

Excited for starting off this New Year with a couple of online chats about #HealthyEating for People with #Diabetes. First up is on January 6th, where I will be the guest for #diabetesstrong Fit with Diabetes Challenge Webinar. Diabetes Strong Diabetes Strong Community #diabetesonlinecommunity #newyearsresolutions https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2716092874267/WN_Oz0vz_XWTwuueLWnDIpUjw ...

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Dec 30

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I’m definitely excited to ring in the New Year. Make 2020 history. The video this week will give you guidance regarding this #NewYearsresolutions. Wishing you all a safe and healthy #newyear 
#diabetes #diabetesmanagement  #diabetescommunity #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesredefined #2021 #diabetescommunity  https://youtu.be/70VmjHFFzvM

I’m definitely excited to ring in the New Year. Make 2020 history. The video this week will give you guidance regarding this #NewYearsresolutions. Wishing you all a safe and healthy #newyear
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Dec 23

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Wishing all who celebrate, a happy and healthy holiday season. Make sure to stay hydrated with a focus on #water. Check out this #video on how much and why  drinking water is important especially for people with #diabetes 
#type1diabetes #type2diabetes #hydration #diabetesmanagement #bloodsugar #diabetescommunity #diabetescommunityonline

Wishing all who celebrate, a happy and healthy holiday season. Make sure to stay hydrated with a focus on #water. Check out this #video on how much and why drinking water is important especially for people with #diabetes
#type1diabetes #type2diabetes #hydration #diabetesmanagement #bloodsugar #diabetescommunity #diabetescommunityonline
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Dec 22

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Had fun developing a #diabetesfriendly #snack  using a bento box from @NationalDairyCouncil and @TodaysDietitianMagazine to make this Greek #yogurt #Apple pie with #almonds parfait. #diabetes #snacking #TDBox #nationaldairycouncil #NDC #protein #carbs #healthyfats #dairy

Had fun developing a #diabetesfriendly #snack using a bento box from @NationalDairyCouncil and @TodaysDietitianMagazine to make this Greek #yogurt #Apple pie with #almonds parfait. #diabetes #snacking #TDBox #nationaldairycouncil #NDC #protein #carbs #healthyfats #dairy ...

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Dec 18

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Dear Subscribers, Thanks for asking this question...Are #smoothies ok for people with #diabetes? The answers are in this week's #youtube #video 
Located in my bio. #diabetescommunityonline #diabetesmanagement #diabeteseducation #diabetesfriendly #healthyeating #type1diabetes #type2diabetes #type1 #type2 #diabetescommunity #fruitsandveggies #plantbasedfood #plants #wheyprotein #wheyproteinshake #wheyproteinpowder #nutribullet #peanutbutter #almondbutter

Dear Subscribers, Thanks for asking this question...Are #smoothies ok for people with #diabetes? The answers are in this week's #youtube #video
Located in my bio. #diabetescommunityonline #diabetesmanagement #diabeteseducation #diabetesfriendly #healthyeating #type1diabetes #type2diabetes #type1 #type2 #diabetescommunity #fruitsandveggies #plantbasedfood #plants #wheyprotein #wheyproteinshake #wheyproteinpowder #nutribullet #peanutbutter #almondbutter
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Dec 14

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I’ve been especially cognizant of keeping a stash of emergency food/ meals in my pantry ever since #COVID19 began. Had received a sample of this #starkistcreations tuna and it was delicious! It’s now on my grocery shopping list to keep in stock. TY @todaysdietitianmagazine  for the #tdbox @starkistcharlie #healthyeating #balancedmeals

I’ve been especially cognizant of keeping a stash of emergency food/ meals in my pantry ever since #COVID19 began. Had received a sample of this #starkistcreations tuna and it was delicious! It’s now on my grocery shopping list to keep in stock. TY @todaysdietitianmagazine for the #tdbox @starkistcharlie #healthyeating #balancedmeals ...

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Dec 11

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Hoping to clear up any confusion about #insulin for people with #diabetes. Link to video in bio under #youtube  #diabetesmanagement #diabetesredefined #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetescommunity #bloodsugar

Hoping to clear up any confusion about #insulin for people with #diabetes. Link to video in bio under #youtube #diabetesmanagement #diabetesredefined #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetescommunity #bloodsugar ...

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Dec 11

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Sharing first night of Chanukah the COVID safe way... via Facebook portal with our granddaughters and wonderful DIL. ❤️ Happy Chanukah!

Sharing first night of Chanukah the COVID safe way... via Facebook portal with our granddaughters and wonderful DIL. ❤️ Happy Chanukah! ...

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Dec 4

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For those trying to stick with low carb food choices, here’s a creative option if you’d like to eat a loaded “potato”. Link in bio under #youtube #haveaplant #diabetes #diabetesmanagement #healthyeating #bloodsugar #gettingcreativewithyourmeals

For those trying to stick with low carb food choices, here’s a creative option if you’d like to eat a loaded “potato”. Link in bio under #youtube #haveaplant #diabetes #diabetesmanagement #healthyeating #bloodsugar #gettingcreativewithyourmeals ...

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Nov 27

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After #thanksgiving post about #physicalactivity . No need to go to a gym. I’ve got some ideas while you #staysafeathome  TY to our #englishspringerspaniel  and my husband @smithsonanthony for helping w this #youtube #video. Link in bio. #diabetes #diabetestype1 #diabetestype2 #diabetesmanagement #exercise #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesonline #diabetescommunity #staysafe #englishspringerspanielsofinstagram #englishspringerspanielrescue #englishspringerrescueamerica

After #thanksgiving post about #physicalactivity . No need to go to a gym. I’ve got some ideas while you #staysafeathome TY to our #englishspringerspaniel and my husband @smithsonanthony for helping w this #youtube #video. Link in bio. #diabetes #diabetestype1 #diabetestype2 #diabetesmanagement #exercise #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesonline #diabetescommunity #staysafe #englishspringerspanielsofinstagram #englishspringerspanielrescue #englishspringerrescueamerica ...

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Nov 26

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Glad our #Thanksgiving tradition is COVID safe. Wishing all who celebrate, a happy and safe holiday. #englishspringerrescueamerica #englishspringerspaniel #englishspringersofinstagram

Glad our #Thanksgiving tradition is COVID safe. Wishing all who celebrate, a happy and safe holiday. #englishspringerrescueamerica #englishspringerspaniel #englishspringersofinstagram ...

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Nov 21

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Curious about which breakfast is the best idea for people with #diabetes ? Check out the link to my latest #youtube #video in my bio.  #diabetestype1 #diabetestype2 #diabetesmanagement #diabetescommunity #diabetesmonth #everydaydiabetes #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesredefined #cereal #oatmeal #bagel #eggsforbreakfast #eggs #eggenthusiast #hempseeds #whatshouldieat #whatshouldieatforbreakfasttoday #fiber #complexcarbs #almonds #goodkarmamilk #eatyourveggies #almondbutter #peanutbutter #wholegrain @peanutrd

Curious about which breakfast is the best idea for people with #diabetes ? Check out the link to my latest #youtube #video in my bio. #diabetestype1 #diabetestype2 #diabetesmanagement #diabetescommunity #diabetesmonth #everydaydiabetes #diabetesonlinecommunity #diabetesredefined #cereal #oatmeal #bagel #eggsforbreakfast #eggs #eggenthusiast #hempseeds #whatshouldieat #whatshouldieatforbreakfasttoday #fiber #complexcarbs #almonds #goodkarmamilk #eatyourveggies #almondbutter #peanutbutter #wholegrain @peanutrd ...

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Nov 19

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A special blog for @usnews in honor of #nationaldiabetesmonth  #speakingfromtheheart #diabetes #diabeteslife #diabeteslifestyle #diabetesmanagement #healthyeating #takingcareofme #takingmeds #beingactive #diabetesredefined #type1diabetes #type2diabetes #type1 #type2 #diabetescommunity #diabetesonline #diabetesonlinecommunity #youcandothis  https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/how-do-i-make-managing-diabetes-easier

A special blog for @usnews in honor of #nationaldiabetesmonth #speakingfromtheheart #diabetes #diabeteslife #diabeteslifestyle #diabetesmanagement #healthyeating #takingcareofme #takingmeds #beingactive #diabetesredefined #type1diabetes #type2diabetes #type1 #type2 #diabetescommunity #diabetesonline #diabetesonlinecommunity #youcandothis https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/how-do-i-make-managing-diabetes-easier ...

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