A Guide to Healthier Choices: What Foods Should I Avoid That Contain Sugar?

October 21, 2025 •

4 min read

The average American consumes an estimated 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day, significantly more than recommended. Understanding what foods should I avoid that contain sugar? is a critical step toward reducing this intake and improving long-term health, helping you curb cravings and support overall wellness.

Quick Summary

Many foods contain hidden or added sugars that can negatively impact health. Learn to identify and avoid common culprits like sugary drinks, processed items, and certain condiments. Reading nutrition labels is key to limiting excess sugar for a healthier diet and better long-term well-being.

Key Points

Identify Hidden Sugars: Many processed foods like sauces, condiments, and breakfast cereals contain surprising amounts of added sugar, not just desserts.
Master Nutrition Labels: Look specifically for the 'Added Sugars' line and be aware of different sugar names, like those ending in '-ose' or listed as syrups.
Choose Whole Foods Over Processed: Natural sugars in fruits are preferable to added sugars in processed goods, as they come with fiber and nutrients that slow absorption.
Beware of Sugary Drinks: Sodas, energy drinks, and fruit juices are often the largest source of added sugar, contributing to weight gain and disease risk.
Opt for Healthier Alternatives: Swap sugary drinks for water, flavored yogurt for plain with fruit, and store-bought sauces for homemade versions to significantly reduce your sugar intake.
Manage Blood Sugar Swings: Avoiding concentrated added sugars helps prevent energy crashes and reduces long-term health risks like diabetes and heart disease.

Why Limiting Added Sugar Is Crucial

While natural sugars found in whole foods like fruits are part of a healthy diet, excessive consumption of added or 'free' sugars poses significant health risks. Over time, a high-sugar diet can lead to a host of problems, including weight gain, an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and certain cancers. Additionally, consuming too much sugar can cause energy crashes and negatively impact mood and skin health. Cutting back on foods that contain unnecessary sugar can be a powerful step toward better health.

The Most Obvious Culprits: Sugary Beverages and Sweets

These are the most apparent sources of added sugar in most diets. Limiting or eliminating them offers a quick win for your health.

Sugary Beverages

These are often the largest single source of added sugar in a person's diet.

Regular Soda: A single 12-ounce can can contain nearly 40 grams of sugar, or about 10 teaspoons.
Energy and Sports Drinks: Often marketed for athletes, many are loaded with sugar to provide a quick energy boost.
Fruit Juice Concentrates and Fruit Drinks: Many commercially-produced fruit juices and drinks have a high concentration of sugar, often without the fiber that makes whole fruit healthy.
Sweetened Teas and Coffee: Bottled teas and coffee drinks can be surprisingly high in sugar, especially flavored varieties.

Desserts and Candies

While delicious, these should be enjoyed as occasional treats rather than daily staples due to their high sugar content.

Candy: The most obvious offender, full of concentrated sugar with little to no nutritional value.
Cakes, Cookies, and Pastries: Baked goods are typically made with large amounts of sugar and refined flours, leading to sharp blood sugar spikes.
Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: Many frozen desserts use high-fructose corn syrup and other added sugars to sweeten and preserve them.

The Sneaky Culprits: Hidden Sugars in Processed Foods

Beyond the obvious, sugar is hidden in many packaged foods, often to enhance flavor, improve texture, or act as a preservative. Reading labels is crucial to spot these.

Sauces and Condiments

Ketchup: A popular condiment that contains a surprising amount of added sugar.
Barbecue Sauce: Often relies on sugar for its signature flavor profile.
Jarred Pasta Sauce: Many commercial pasta sauces include sugar to balance the acidity of tomatoes.
Salad Dressings: Sweet dressings like French or honey mustard are significant sources of added sugar.

Breakfast and Dairy Items

Flavored Yogurt: Even low-fat versions can have more sugar than a candy bar. Always opt for plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit.
Instant Oatmeal Packets: While plain oats are healthy, flavored packets often contain significant amounts of added sweeteners.
Many Breakfast Cereals: Many popular cereals are fortified with sugar, making them essentially a dessert in a box.

Other Processed Items

Canned Fruits: Many are canned in heavy syrup, adding unnecessary sugar. Choose those canned in water or their own juice instead.
Dried Fruits with Added Sugar: While dried fruit contains natural sugar, some are coated with extra sugar during processing.
Packaged Meals and Soups: Sugar is sometimes used as a cheap flavor enhancer in ready-made meals and even savory soups.

How to Read Nutrition Labels to Find Added Sugar

To become a sugar detective, you must be able to decipher a food's nutrition facts label. The FDA now requires manufacturers to list "Added Sugars" on the label, making it easier to see how much sugar has been added versus what is naturally occurring.

Look for 'Added Sugars': Find this line item under 'Total Sugars' on the label. This tells you exactly how much sugar was added during processing.
Beware of Multiple Names for Sugar: Manufacturers often use different names for sugar to disguise its quantity in the ingredient list. Look for words ending in '-ose' (sucrose, dextrose, fructose), syrups (corn syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup), and other sweeteners like molasses or honey.
Check the Ingredient Order: Ingredients are listed in order of quantity. If any form of sugar is near the top of the list, the food is likely high in sugar.
Use the Percent Daily Value (%DV): The %DV for added sugars can be a helpful guide. 5% DV or less is considered a low source of added sugars, while 20% DV or more is considered high.

Natural vs. Added Sugar: A Nutritional Comparison

This table illustrates the fundamental difference between sugars from whole food sources and added sugars.


Feature	Natural Sugars (e.g., from fruit)	Added Sugars (e.g., from soda)
Source	Found in whole, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables.	Added to foods during processing or preparation.
Nutrients	Packaged with fiber, vitamins, and minerals that slow absorption.	Stripped of nutrients, providing only 'empty calories'.
Blood Sugar Impact	Digested slowly due to fiber, leading to a steady rise and fall in blood sugar.	Rapidly absorbed, causing a fast spike and subsequent 'crash' in blood sugar.
Satiety	Fiber content helps you feel full and satisfied for longer.	Does not curb hunger, leading to potential overconsumption of calories.

Conclusion: Making Better Choices for Long-Term Health

Cutting back on added sugar doesn't mean sacrificing all sweet treats. By becoming aware of the obvious and hidden sources of sugar in your diet, you can make informed choices that prioritize your health. The most effective strategy is to focus on whole, unprocessed foods. Choosing water over soda, plain yogurt over flavored, and making your own sauces are simple steps that have a major impact. Learning to read food labels is your most powerful tool in this process, empowering you to control what you put into your body. Remember, moderation is key, and the occasional sweet indulgence can be part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. For more information, consult reliable health sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Natural sweeteners like honey and agave are often less processed than white sugar and contain trace amounts of nutrients, but your body processes them similarly. When used to sweeten another food, they are considered added sugars and should still be consumed in moderation, especially by those monitoring their blood sugar.

To find hidden sugars, read the ingredient list on food labels. Look for words ending in '-ose' (e.g., dextrose, sucrose), syrups (e.g., corn syrup, maple syrup), and other terms like fruit juice concentrate or molasses. Also, check the 'Added Sugars' line on the Nutrition Facts panel.

For healthier hydration, choose water, unsweetened sparkling water, or unsweetened tea and coffee. If you want flavor, add a squeeze of lemon or fresh berries to water. These options avoid the high sugar content that can cause rapid blood sugar spikes.

The key difference is fiber. In whole fruit, fiber slows the absorption of the natural sugar (fructose), leading to a slower, more stable rise in blood sugar. Processed foods and juices remove this fiber, causing a rapid sugar spike.

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a processed sweetener found in many packaged foods and drinks. High intake has been linked to fatty liver disease because the liver processes fructose differently than other sugars. While HFCS and sucrose are metabolically similar, reducing all added sugars is beneficial.

Replace sweetened breakfast cereals and instant oatmeal with whole rolled oats topped with fresh berries and nuts. Choose plain Greek yogurt instead of flavored versions, and add cinnamon or a few fresh fruits for sweetness.

Yes, in moderation. The goal is to reduce excessive added sugar, not eliminate it entirely. Enjoying an occasional sweet treat is fine. A balanced diet primarily based on whole foods will naturally reduce your cravings for highly sugary items.