How to avoid added sugars in your diet

With all the debate over high-fructose corn syrup and its effects on health and obesity, the Corn Refiner's Association has actually applied to change the name of the product to simply "corn sugar."

Change the name, and it's still, well, sugar.


Consuming too much refined sugar in any form isn't healthy. It adds to the calorie density of food, and quickly raises blood-sugar levels. What makes corn syrup seem so bad is that it's the most commonly used sweetener for most of the foods on the grocery shelves. But when it's all said and done, any added sugars are bad news. Here's how to avoid them.

 Eat whole-grain breads: The milling of grain into white flour requires the removal of the bran and the germ. This results in the loss of natural fiber, bran and 22 vitamins and minerals. Some of these nutrients are added back to the mix, with the finished product called. "enriched flour." With whole grain breads, more of the good stuff is kept intact, resulting in a much healthier, more filling bread with little to no added sugars. Multi-grain breads are even better, usually being higher in protein and fiber.

 Skip out on sugary drinks: The fastest way to fat is to drink sugar. Sweetened soft drinks send blood-sugar levels shooting sky high because there is no protein or fiber to reduce the glycemic effect. Unfortunately, unless you've just worked out, most of that sugar might be sent right to the "fat stores" after being converted into glucose, the simplest of sugars. Save the sweetened drinks for post workout, when your body might use more of the sugar for energy.

 Avoid packaged foods: Many of the manufactured, packed foods such as cookies, crackers, heat and eat meals, and the like usually contain a fair amount of added sugars. This is especially true for "low fat" products, as more sugar is added to "improve" the taste. Even some of the products touted as healthy can be loaded up with added sugars.

 Here's the deal: Food manufacturers are no different than any other large corporation. They want easy to produce, high-profit products in mass quantities. You have to read those labels, and know what you're eating. Eat an entire day's worth of foods with added sugar, and you've created an environment for fat storage and elevated blood-sugar levels, which can eventually lead to type-2 diabetes. Neither one is a desired outcome.

Be smart, skip the added sugar, and you'll be in a good position to look, to feel and to perform better.


Chad Smith is a Hagerstown personal trainer, radio show personality, and author of www.hometeamfitnessblog.com. Find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hometeamfitness.