In France, the average consumption of added sugars far exceeds the WHO recommendations, which recommend not exceeding 50 g per day - and ideally remaining below 25 g. However, the vast majority of these contributions do not come from the sugar bowl on the table, but from sugars hidden in products that I do not always suspect. Understanding where sugar is hidden and how to identify it on labels is one of the most useful actions I can adopt for my health prevention.
1. What are hidden sugars?
Hidden sugars refer to all the sugars added by manufacturers during the manufacture of processed food products, which are not perceptible in the sweet taste. They are distinguished from sugar naturally present in foods (fructose from fruits, lactose from milk), which does not pose the same health problems when consumed in its original food matrix.
The products most affected are not always those we think of:
- ●Industrial sauces: ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, tomato sauces
- ●Breakfast cereals, even those labeled plain or whole grain
- ●Flavored yogurts, sweetened vegetable milks, milk drinks
- ●Industrial sandwich bread, crackers, rusks
- ●Brick soups and cooked dishes
- ●Industrial fruit juices and nectars, although often perceived as healthy
| Simple sugars | Natural syrups and sweeteners | Sugar derivatives |
|---|---|---|
| Sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, lactose, dextrose, levulose | Glucose syrup, glucose syrup corn, agave syrup, rice syrup, honey, molasses, maple syrup, malt syrup | Maltodextrin, dextrin, modified starch, fruit juice concentrate, malt extract |
2. The many names of sugar on labels
One of the reasons added sugar is so difficult to spot is the multitude of names it hides under in ingredient lists. Manufacturers can fragment sugars into several distinct ingredients to make them appear lower in the list. Here are the main forms to know:
Practical rule: if I see several of these terms in the list of ingredients of the same product, their effects are added. Even separated in the list, they all contribute to the total sugar content of the product.
| Product | Sugar per 100 g | Equivalent pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Ketchup | 22 g | 4.4 pieces |
| Fruit-flavored yogurt | 13 g | 2.6 pieces |
| Plain muesli type cereals | 20 g | 4 pieces |
| Industrial orange juice (250 ml) | 22 g | 4.4 pieces |
| Tomato sauce in a jar | 8 g | 1.6 pieces |
| Industrial white sandwich bread | 5 g | 1 piece |
| Drink energisant (250 ml) | 27 g | 5.4 pieces |
| Sports cereal bar | 35 g pieces |
3. The effects of excess sugar on the body
Chronic consumption of excess added sugars is associated with several pathologies documented in the scientific literature:
- ●Type 2 diabetes: high consumption of sugary drinks is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis published in Diabetes Care (2010). The mechanisms involve insulin resistance and excess weight.
- ●Cardiovascular diseases: a high intake of added sugars is associated with an increase in blood triglycerides and a drop in HDL (good cholesterol), two cardiovascular risk factors (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2014).
- ●Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD): Excess fructose, particularly through sugary drinks and high fructose corn syrup, is involved in the accumulation of liver fat.- Impact on mental health: epidemiological studies suggest a link between a diet high in added sugars and an increased risk of depression and anxiety, probably via systemic inflammation and gut dysbiosis.
- ●Dental caries and inflammation: fermentable sugars promote oral bacterial proliferation and low-grade systemic inflammation.
4. The most misleading products: the list of hidden sugar
Some products have a healthy image that masks their nutritional reality. Here are some concrete examples, with their sugar content expressed in equivalent pieces of sugar (1 piece = 5 g):
5. How can I concretely reduce my consumption of hidden sugars?
Reducing hidden sugars does not necessarily involve total deprivation, but through intelligent substitutions and more informed reading habits:
- ●I replace fruit juices with whole fruits: fiber slows down the absorption of sugar and maintains satiety. A whole orange contains the same sugars as a glass of juice, but with a much lower glycemic index.
- ●I prepare my homemade sauces: a tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes, garlic and olive oil contains no added sugar, compared to several grams for the industrial version.
- ●I choose natural yogurts and add fresh fruit: the sugar in the fruit is accompanied by fiber and micronutrients that are absent from artificial flavors.
- ●I systematically read the line including sugars in the nutritional table: below 5 g/100 g is low, above 15 g/100 g is high.
- ●I gradually reduce sugary drinks, replacing them with still water, sparkling water or infusions without added sugar.
💡 tips to remember
- Hidden sugars are present in dozens of everyday products: sauces, cereals, fruit juices, flavored yogurts, cooking dishes. I can't detect them by taste.
- Sugar is hidden under many names on labels: glucose, corn syrup, maltodextrin, fruit juice concentrate... I am learning to recognize them.
- I read the line including sugars in the nutritional table: less than 5 g/100 g = low, more than 15 g/100 g = high.
- A whole fruit is always better than juice: fiber slows the absorption of sugar and preserves satiety.
- Chronic consumption of excess added sugars is linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and steatosis hepatic.
- I am gradually reducing: replacing sugary drinks with water, flavored yogurts with natural yogurts, industrial sauces with homemade versions are already significant victories.
