Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, and dairy. Sugar is also added to processed foods and beverages. There are different types of sugar, including fructose (found in fruit and vegetables), lactose (found in dairy), and sucrose (white table sugar made from sugar cane or sugar beets).1
Though some people prefer honey, molasses, agave nectar, maple syrup, and other "natural" sweeteners, there seems to be no significant health benefit to choosing them over regular sugar. The bottom line is that all these "natural" sweeteners are still made of sugar and should therefore be consumed in moderation to avoid negative health effects.2
Before you cut all fruit out of your diet because it is too high in sugar, it is important to note that the American Heart Association and other authorities recommend focusing on minimizing added sugars, not necessarily sugars that occur naturally in whole foods like fruit and dairy products.3 The AHA recommends no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day for women and 36 grams per day for men.4
It can be difficult to track sugar consumption, because sugar turns up in many processed foods under many names, such as dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, etc. 4
Sugar on the Nutrition Facts label in the US currently does not distinguish between naturally-occurring sugars and added sugars.5 Proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts label will finally show added sugars separately.6 In the meantime, it is a good idea to look for sweeteners in the ingredient list.
Sugar-rich Foods
| Ingredient | g of Sugar per 100g | g of Sugar per 100 calories |
|---|---|---|
| splenda brown sugar blend | 100.0 | 20.0 |
| evaporated cane juice | 100.0 | 30.0 |
| sugar | 99.8 | 25.8 |
| turbinado sugar | 99.2 | 24.9 |
| powdered sugar | 97.8 | 25.1 |
| sweet and sour mix | 97.3 | 25.4 |
| brown sugar | 97.0 | 25.5 |
| country time lemonade mix | 94.7 | 25.1 |
| instant pistachio pudding mix | 92.9 | 24.6 |
| chocolate sprinkles | 91.0 | 21.5 |
| orange jell-o | 86.0 | 22.6 |
| maple sugar | 84.9 | 24.0 |
| chocolate milk powder | 83.9 | 20.7 |
| candy corn | 82.9 | 22.7 |
| red cinnamon candies | 82.4 | 23.3 |
| honey | 82.1 | 27.0 |
| ovaltine | 81.8 | 20.5 |
| peeps | 81.0 | 24.3 |
| candied citron | 80.7 | 25.1 |
| kool-aid drink mix | 80.5 | 20.7 |
| butterscotch chips | 80.5 | 20.6 |
| glaze | 80.4 | 23.6 |
| splenda sugar substitute | 80.3 | 23.9 |
| instant vanilla pudding mix | 79.3 | 20.9 |
| golden syrup | 79.2 | 24.8 |
| dark corn syrup | 77.6 | 27.1 |
| light corn syrup | 76.8 | 27.1 |
| dried pineapple | 76.2 | 22.9 |
| candied ginger | 75.8 | 23.6 |
| molasses | 74.7 | 25.8 |
| amaretti cookies | 73.4 | 17.5 |
| simple syrup | 73.2 | 27.2 |
| fudge | 73.1 | 17.8 |
| almond bark | 71.4 | 12.5 |
| jelly beans | 70.0 | 18.7 |
| agave nectar | 68.0 | 21.9 |
| instant chocolate pudding mix | 67.9 | 18.0 |
| peppermint candies | 67.6 | 16.7 |
| mincemeat | 67.4 | 22.3 |
| dried currants | 67.3 | 23.8 |
| butterscotch | 67.1 | 12.4 |
| chocolate malt powder | 66.7 | 16.2 |
| cream of coconut | 66.7 | 15.4 |
| medjool dates | 66.5 | 24.0 |
| caramels | 65.5 | 17.1 |
| palm sugar | 65.2 | 20.0 |
| dried cranberries | 65.0 | 21.1 |
| dark treacle | 64.0 | 22.1 |
| chocolate covered caramel candies | 63.9 | 13.5 |
| peppermint patties | 63.8 | 16.6 |
| cream cheese frosting | 63.5 | 15.3 |
| toffee bits | 63.5 | 11.3 |
| dates | 63.4 | 22.5 |
| frosting | 63.1 | 15.1 |
| chocolate chips | 62.5 | 12.5 |
| candy-coated chocolate pieces | 62.5 | 12.5 |
| candied almonds | 62.5 | 13.2 |
| chocolate covered raisins | 62.2 | 16.0 |
| dried pears | 62.2 | 23.7 |
| marshmallow creme | 61.5 | 20.0 |
| angel food cake mix | 61.3 | 16.8 |
| orange marmalade | 60.0 | 24.4 |
| vanilla paste | 60.0 | 15.0 |
| lemon curd | 60.0 | 17.9 |
| hot cocoa mix | 60.0 | 15.0 |
| maple syrup | 59.9 | 22.2 |
| brown rice syrup | 59.5 | 22.7 |
| golden raisins | 59.2 | 19.6 |
| white chocolate | 59.0 | 10.9 |
| gumdrops | 59.0 | 14.9 |
| chocolate frosting | 57.7 | 14.5 |
| miniature marshmallows | 57.6 | 18.1 |
| tamarind paste | 57.4 | 24.0 |
| dried apples | 57.2 | 23.5 |
| peppermint baking chips | 56.8 | 10.5 |
| sweetened condensed milk | 54.4 | 16.9 |
| chocolate kisses | 54.1 | 11.5 |
| Nutella | 54.1 | 10.0 |
| dried apricots | 53.4 | 22.2 |
| jalapeno jelly | 53.3 | 22.9 |
| reese's pieces | 53.3 | 10.7 |
| caramel popcorn | 53.2 | 12.3 |
| dried mango | 52.6 | 16.7 |
| dried blueberries | 52.5 | 15.0 |
| nonfat dry milk powder | 52.0 | 14.4 |
| dried cherries | 51.8 | 16.3 |
| chocolate | 51.5 | 10.2 |
| funfetti cake mix | 51.1 | 12.8 |
| Snickers | 50.5 | 10.3 |
| chocolate syrup | 49.7 | 17.8 |
| german sweet chocolate | 49.7 | 8.8 |
| brownie mix | 49.6 | 11.2 |
| carob powder | 49.1 | 22.1 |
| mango chutney | 48.5 | 17.4 |
| almond joy | 48.3 | 10.1 |
| dried figs | 47.9 | 19.2 |
| malted milk powder | 47.6 | 11.1 |
| peanut butter cups | 47.2 | 9.2 |
| cookie mix | 47.1 | 10.8 |
| vegan chocolate chips | 46.9 | 9.3 |
Sources
- University of Maryland Medical Center - Sweeteners - sugars
- QuickAndDirtyTips.com - Is Natural Sugar Better for You?
- American Heart Association - Sugar 101
- Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Source - Added Sugar in the Diet
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics - How Can I Tell If Foods Have Added Sugar?
- CNN - Nutrition labels getting a makeover
