What foods are high in sugar? A Guide to Making Healthier Choices

November 8, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the American Heart Association, the average American adult consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily, far exceeding recommended limits. Many people are aware of sugary treats like candy, but are often surprised to learn just what foods are high in sugar, including seemingly healthy options and everyday condiments.

Quick Summary

A high intake of added sugar, common in processed foods, drinks, and snacks, is linked to weight gain, inflammation, and chronic diseases. Identifying both obvious and hidden sources, from sweetened beverages and desserts to savory sauces and low-fat yogurts, is crucial for improving your health.

Key Points

Identify obvious sources: Obvious high-sugar foods include sweets, baked goods, ice cream, and sugary drinks like sodas and energy drinks, which are major contributors to excess sugar intake.
Beware of hidden sugars: Many processed foods and drinks contain surprising amounts of added sugar, including flavored yogurts, condiments like ketchup and BBQ sauce, and store-bought salad dressings.
Fruit juice is not a health food: While it contains natural sugars, fruit juice is high in free sugars and lacks the fiber of whole fruit, making it easy to consume too much.
Read nutrition labels carefully: Check the "Added Sugars" line and scrutinize the ingredients list for aliases like high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and agave nectar.
Prioritize whole foods: Opt for unsweetened products and naturally sweeten foods with whole fruits to control sugar intake and benefit from essential nutrients like fiber.
Understand health risks: Excessive sugar consumption contributes to weight gain, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease.
Limit liquid calories: Sugary drinks contribute many calories without providing satisfaction, and are a major source of added sugars.

Understanding Sugar: Natural vs. Added

There are two main types of sugar found in foods: naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. Naturally occurring sugars are found in whole foods like fruits (fructose) and milk (lactose), and are typically accompanied by fiber, vitamins, and minerals that slow down digestion and provide a steady release of energy.

Conversely, added sugars, or “free sugars,” are sweeteners and syrups added to foods and beverages during processing or preparation. These are often highly concentrated and offer little to no nutritional value, leading to rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. Health experts recommend significantly limiting intake of these added sugars.

The Usual Suspects: Obvious High-Sugar Foods

Many foods are notoriously high in sugar, and limiting their intake is a common dietary goal.

Sugary Beverages: Sodas, fruit drinks, and energy drinks are among the largest sources of added sugar in many diets. A single can of soda can contain more than the recommended daily limit of added sugar for adults.
Candy, Cookies, and Cakes: Desserts like cookies, cakes, and candy are classic culprits, packed with sugar to enhance flavor and texture.
Ice Cream and Dairy Desserts: Many dairy-based desserts, including ice cream and milkshakes, are loaded with added sugars.

The Hidden Threat: Unexpected Sources of Added Sugar

Added sugars are found in many products that are not traditionally considered sweet, making it challenging to track total sugar intake.

Flavored Yogurt: While plain yogurt contains natural lactose, flavored versions can contain surprising amounts of added sugar. Some low-fat flavored yogurts have as much sugar as a serving of ice cream.
Condiments and Sauces: Ketchup, BBQ sauce, and many salad dressings are packed with sugar to improve flavor. A single tablespoon of ketchup can contain around one teaspoon of sugar.
Breakfast Cereals and Bars: Many breakfast cereals, even those marketed as healthy, are sweetened with added sugar. Similarly, many granola and protein bars use honey, corn syrup, or other sweeteners.
Dried Fruit and Fruit Juices: Although made from fruit, dried fruits are highly concentrated in sugar. Fruit juices, even 100% juice, release their natural sugars during processing, which are considered free sugars by health organizations. Drinking juice leads to consuming far more sugar than eating whole fruit.

How to Decode Food Labels and Spot Sugar

Understanding food labels is the most effective way to control your sugar intake.

Added Sugars Section: In many countries, the nutrition facts label now lists “Added Sugars” separately from “Total Sugars”. This helps differentiate between natural and added sources.
The Ingredient List: Ingredients are listed by weight in descending order. If sugar or its aliases appear near the top of the list, the product is high in added sugar.
Common Sugar Aliases: Watch for words that end in “-ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose), syrups (corn syrup, rice syrup), honey, agave nectar, molasses, and fruit juice concentrates.

Comparing High vs. Low Sugar Food Alternatives

Here is a quick comparison of common high-sugar foods and their lower-sugar counterparts.


High-Sugar Item	Lower-Sugar Alternative
Flavored Yogurt	Plain Greek Yogurt with Fresh Berries
Sweetened Breakfast Cereal	Rolled Oats or Unsweetened Muesli with Nuts
Fruit Juice	Water, Unsweetened Tea, or Infused Water
Ketchup	Homemade Tomato Salsa or Sauce
Granola Bar	Homemade Trail Mix with Nuts and Seeds
Soda or Energy Drink	Sparkling Water with a Lemon Wedge

Health Implications of High Sugar Consumption

Overconsuming sugar is linked to a variety of serious health issues.

Weight Gain: Sugary foods are often calorie-dense and don’t trigger feelings of fullness, leading to excess calorie intake and weight gain.
Heart Disease: High-sugar diets can lead to inflammation, high triglycerides, and increased blood pressure, all major risk factors for heart disease.
Type 2 Diabetes: Excessive sugar consumption drives insulin resistance, where the body's cells don't respond properly to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise.
Fatty Liver Disease: A high intake of fructose, common in added sugars, can overwhelm the liver, leading to the accumulation of fat.
Tooth Decay: Sugar is a primary cause of tooth decay, as bacteria in the mouth feed on it and produce acid that damages tooth enamel.

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices

Limiting sugar intake is a critical step for improving overall health. This means being mindful of the obvious culprits like candy and soda, but also scrutinizing labels to uncover hidden sources in processed foods, flavored yogurts, and condiments. By choosing whole foods over processed ones, opting for unsweetened alternatives, and making water your beverage of choice, you can significantly reduce your sugar consumption and its associated health risks. Making informed decisions about what you eat and drink will empower you to build a healthier diet for the long term.

For more information on the impact of added sugars, visit the American Heart Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

Natural sugars are found in whole foods like fruits and dairy, accompanied by fiber and other nutrients that slow digestion. Added sugars are sweeteners and syrups put into foods during processing; they lack nutritional value and cause rapid blood sugar spikes.

Not always. When fat is removed from a product, sugar is often added to maintain flavor. It's crucial to check the nutrition label for added sugars, as some low-fat yogurts, for example, can have high sugar content.

Although derived from fruit, the juicing process releases the natural sugars, classifying them as 'free sugars.' Unlike whole fruit, juice lacks fiber and can cause blood sugar spikes similar to soda.

Manufacturers use over 60 different names for added sugar. Key aliases to look for include high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, maltose, molasses, honey, and fruit juice concentrates.

You can reduce sugar by choosing unsweetened products, such as plain yogurt and oatmeal, and adding natural sweeteners like fresh fruit. Using spices like cinnamon or vanilla extract can also enhance flavor without added sugar.

From a health perspective, brown and white sugar are processed by the body in the same way and have no significant difference in their impact. Both are added sugars and should be consumed in moderation.

Yes. A high intake of added sugar is strongly linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases, including weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Read the ingredient list. Sugars like high-fructose corn syrup or just 'sugar' are often listed high up in the ingredients for items like ketchup, barbecue sauce, and sweet chili sauce.