6 foods not to put in your trolley

Are you looking to lose weight? Are you finding it kind of difficult? There could be a number of reasons your weight loss isn’t working, and hidden sugars in the food you’re consuming may be one of them.
These are the foods you thought were kind of healthy, or at least not all that bad for you. The foods that contain more sugar than what you may have allowed for your daily intake. Consume too many of these secretly-sweetened foods and the sugars they contain can morph into the ‘bad’ kind of fats that cause weight-gain.
So, which foods should you skip putting into your trolley? Well, it’s a good idea to check the sugar content on the nutritional panel of all foods you buy as all brands can differ slightly. As a guide to help you when you hit the supermarket, here are the foods that you may not know contain sugar…
FOOD WITH HIDDEN SUGARS #1: Tomato sauce
Yep, your BBQ’s best friend isn’t as harmless as you may well think. Hidden sugars are what makes tomato sauce tasteso awesome – so next time you go to add a little to your sausages - go easy, or opt for a mustard or home-made tomato salsa instead.
FOOD WITH HIDDEN SUGARS #2: Salad dressings
It’s true, some salad dressings contain more hidden sugar than others – so if you’re watching your weight, stay away from creamy dressings like Ranch, Thousand Island and mayonnaise (as sugar is what makes them taste so very sweet), and opt for clearer dressings that contain lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic for flavour instead.
FOOD WITH HIDDEN SUGARS #3: Cereals
If you’re watching your calories, don’t be fooled by cereals that pose as ‘healthy’ options. Anything toasted with honey more than likely contains a high sugar quantity and is probably a no-no. Instead, opt for pure grains that contain fruit pieces for flavour. Cereals that are high in fibre and have a low GI will make you feel fuller for longer – and are normally the varieties that don’t contain as much sugar as the ‘fun’ alternatives.
FOOD WITH HIDDEN SUGARS #4: Canned soups/veggies
Ever wondered why your favourite canned soups and veggies last so long? It’s because sugar is added during the canning process in an effort to extend the shelf life of these foods. Factor this into your daily sugar intake, or try to eat fresh soups and veggies instead. You’ve been warned.
FOOD WITH HIDDEN SUGARS #5: Frozen dinner meals
Similar to canned soups and veggies, most frozen meals also contain quite a high sugar content in order to preserve them for longer and make them taste better. Calorie-wise, fresh is always best so try and consume fresh meat and vegetables wherever possible in order to receive all of the nutrients and less of the sugar.
FOOD WITH HIDDEN SUGARS #6: Fruit juices
Many of us think we’re doing the right thing when we choose a juice over a soft drink – and we are, kind of. Though most fruit juices contain less sugar that most soft drinks, the sugar content of a large freshly squeezed juice from a café can contain up to 11 teaspoons of sugar. It may be natural and not refined sugar, but you’re still consuming sugar and none of the fibre you’d get if you just ate the whole fruit instead. Also watch out for carton juices from concentrate, as these can have added sugars – so always make sure you read the label before you buy.
Did you realise these foods had hidden sugars? What are your tips for avoiding foods packed with hidden sugars?
163 Member Comments
It makes me very sad that tomato sauce is bad for me :(
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I try to not use salad dressings because they are so high in calories, but everyone now and then I buy one as a treat, eg a nice paul newmans caesar salad and i will make a gorgeouy chicken caesar salad and love every mouthful
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fresh meals are always the best for us
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I love oats for breakfast and canned beetroot with my salad at lunchtime (usually also contains salad dressing)! Oh no I need to shake up my shopping trolley.
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My husband is allergic to tomato in any form - makes it a nightmare needing to check everything carefully before buying.
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Wow. I use tomatoes a lot in my cooking. This would be a hard allergy to work with.
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Ok, I've all of these but I'm not trying to lose weight like most people are my weight is fine & I like eating these things. I do on the other hand check all product's for sugar intake for other reasons & yet these product's I get have low intake but you say otherwise if they are hidden in the product's I'll never know but Thanks for sharing.
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It sucks because I just love fruit juice!
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Yes. This is also me. Raised on a glass of juice at breakfast time.
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Anything with a long shelf life = hello preservatives.
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Very informative article. Thank you
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The amount of sugar in our foods is ridiculous
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Just when I'm trying to cut out sugar I find it is in so many products. Tomato Sauce - Really! that's a pain.
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You really need to read the ingredients list on everything these days.
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I have tomato sauce and fruit juice but only like once a month.
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I go through busy times at work when I live off frozen meals for dinner. I tend to look at kj counts rather than sugar content specifically.
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These are very common foods and I eat them quite a lot but this article is very informative and makes you think.
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I eat all these. For me, sugar is not really an issue (no weight or diabetes issues). When I am being too strict with the diet that's when the problem comes - i tend to go to KFC or Mcdonalds to compensate for the strict diets
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I avoid most of these apart from tomato sauce. Love the stuff, but don't eat it every day. I much prefer making my own salad dressings. So much tastier and better for me!
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I think it's funny that no. 5 is frozen dinner meals and Michelle Bridges has a line of frozen dinner meals now. Not cashing in or anything, right?
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There are also weight watchers ones and the whole lite n easy franchise is built off frozen meals. Definietly cashing in on people's lack of education about healthy food. Also lots of them are just gross.
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I was surprised that canned soups and vegetables contained sugar, I wonder if they have always had sugar in them. Also frozen meals.
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Great article, this needs to be seriously taught to high school kids to change their ideas before they start bad habits.
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Anything in bottles, boxes, cans, plastic...that has expiry date for months is veeeeeeery bad!
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