5 sources of sugar in your diet that go unnoticed and lead to weight gain
Weight loss is a long and tedious process that requires a lot of determination and will power, apart from regular exercise and a healthy diet. As we age, our metabolism tends to slow down, and often because of lifestyle changes, we start to put on weight. It is at this stage in life when a few habits that we have acquired over so many years in life start proving to be harmful. One such habit is sugar consumption – more importantly in forms, we do not realise.
Sugar is a very important component of food. A lot of our food contains carbohydrates, which may or may not have sugar. Added sugar, however, is a clear culprit when it comes to weight gain. Here are 5 sources of sugar in your diet that you may not even realise, and may notice unintended weight gain.
5 sources of sugar in your diet that go unnoticed
- Tomato Ketchup – If you are one of those people who have a very healthy breakfast like an Oats Cheela, or an omelette, and wonder why to put on weight, check what you are eating it with. Tomato ketchup, the otherwise innocent sauce that adds some flavour to your food, can contain up to 22g of sugar, per 100 g of the product.
- Fruit yoghurt – Various brands and companies sell fruit or flavoured yoghurt, and we have all been buying them for mid-day or evening snacks. However, a 100g of favoured yoghurt can contain up to 14g of added sugar, which can lead to weight gain.
- Fruit juice – The debate between juicing and blending has been on for a long time, but the problem with store-bought, packed and preserved fruit juices are that they are not real fruit extract, but just flavour with a lot of added sugar. If you are trying to lose weight, avoid juices, and eat the whole fruit instead. Even if you pick juices for some reasons, make sure they are freshly squeezed and not store-bought.
- Milk – Milk contains natural sugar, in the form of lactose. While it is still a source of natural sugar and does not harm the body, it is important to know the sources of sugar in our diet to keep a regular check. 100 g of milk contains 5 g of sugar.
- Crackers – A lot of people consume crackers as a source of fibre, and for a healthy diet. However, what people do not realise is that crackers can also be a source of added sugar. 100 g of crackers can contain about 7-9 g of sugar.
A healthy, balanced diet is very important to lose weight. You must try to include as many whole foods as you can into your diet, and avoid the use of store-bought, instant, or processed foods as they can contain high amounts of sugar.