Most of us know that desserts, soft drinks, and candy are loaded with sugar. But what can really trip people up in their quest to eat healthier are the “hidden sugars” lurking in foods that don’t even taste sweet. In fact, a staggering 74 percent of packaged foods in supermarkets contain added sugar, often under names you might not recognize at all.

Where Hidden Sugars Lurk

You’ll find surprisingly high amounts of added sugar in foods like:

• Sauces and condiments: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, jarred pasta sauce, salad dressings, and sweet chili sauce are all savory on the surface but can add a substantial sugar load to your meal. A single tablespoon of ketchup can have one teaspoon of sugar.
• Flavored and low-fat yogurt: Many flavored yogurts, especially low-fat varieties, use sugar to boost flavor, sometimes packing in more than triple the sugar of plain versions.
• Instant oatmeal and breakfast cereals: Even “healthy-looking” options like granola, oatmeal packets, and bran cereals can be loaded with added sugars — in some cases, more than half their weight is sugar.
• Granola bars, protein bars, and snacks: Lots of snack bars marketed as “energy” or “protein” foods contain as much added sugar as a candy bar. Dried fruit mixes, trail mixes, and even nut butters can also sneak in extra sweeteners.
• Packaged fruits: Canned or packaged fruits are often stored in syrup or sweetened juices instead of water, adding significant sugars.
• Bread and baked goods: Many breads, hamburger buns, muffins, and crackers, especially those labeled “multigrain” or “healthy,” still contain added sugar.
• Flavored coffee drinks and iced teas: Coffeehouse drinks can deliver more sugar per serving than soda, especially with syrups, whipped cream, or flavorings.
• Milk alternatives and creamers: Non-dairy milks and coffee creamers can be sweetened, even when labeled as “vanilla” or “original” flavor.

Don’t overlook other “healthy” foods like smoothies, veggie chips, and salad kits, which sometimes rely on sweeteners for flavor or preservation.

How to Find (and Dodge) Hidden Sugars

Modern nutrition labels list “Added Sugars” in grams beneath total sugars, making it easier than ever to check if sugar was added during processing. But manufacturers often use dozens of alternate names in ingredient lists to disguise sugar’s presence. Watch for these frequent sugar “aliases”:

• Sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, cane juice, agave, maltose, dextrose, honey, brown rice syrup, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, and more.
• In total, there are at least 56 different names for added sugar found on food labels.

To avoid hidden sugars:

• Read ingredient lists carefully and scan for the word “sugar” or any of its aliases, especially in seemingly healthy or savory products.
• Opt for whole foods as much as possible — whole fruits and vegetables, plain yogurt, whole grains, unsweetened dairy, unflavored nuts and seeds, and meats without sauces or “glazes”.
• Choose full-fat products like plain yogurt or natural nut butters since “low-fat” versions often add sugar to make up for lost flavor.
• Pick “no added sugar” or “unsweetened” versions of familiar products, such as applesauce, almond milk, or oatmeal.
• Flavor meals with spices, herbs, vinegar, citrus, or mustard, which are naturally low in sugar.

In Summary

Hidden sugar is nearly everywhere in the modern food supply. The best defense is knowing where to look, reading labels carefully, and making whole and minimally processed foods the foundation of your meals. By understanding the many disguises sugar can wear, you can make smarter choices for your health and keep your sugar intake within sensible bounds.

References

1. SugarScience UCSF: Hidden in Plain Sight (2018)
2. CDC: Spotting Hidden Sugars in Everyday Foods (2024)
3. Healthline: 13 Simple Ways to Stop Eating Lots of Sugar (2017)
4. Healthline: 17 Foods and Drinks That Are Surprisingly High in Sugar (2020)
5. Virta Health: Secret Sugars—56 Different Names for Sugar (2022)
6. Harvard School of Public Health: Avoiding Hidden Sources of Added Sugars (2024)
7. Healthline: The 56 Most Common Names for Sugar (2020)
8. WebMD: Surprising Sources of Hidden Sugar (2023)
9. FDA: Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label (2024)
10. Rutgers NJAES: Added Sugars: Hidden in Plain View (2025)
11. WebMD: What to Know About Different Types of and Names for Sugar (2023)
12. MemorialCare: Watch Out for Hidden Sugars
13. Hebert Family Dentistry: Hidden Sugars: Unmasking the Culprits in Your Diet (2023)
14. BHF: Infographic—How to Spot Sugar on Ingredients List (2017)

‍