You may have seen the news last week that KIND, a snack manufacturer, displayed 50,000 pounds of Sugar in Times Square. The point was to show how much added sugar Americans eat. (We actually eat billions of pounds of sugar each year, but that would have been expensive for KIND.)

Most of us probably know by now that our foods contain added sugars and that added sugars have been linked to poor health outcomes. 

Even so, we continue to eat it. I do, too. 

It’s hard to find products without added sugar. 

Even some  KIND products contain added sugar! 

 They might want to re-think their ingredients if they’re going to talk about how bad added sugar is. Seriously, their Double Dark Chocolate Healthy Grains Bar contains tapioca syrup, sugar, cane sugar, honey, and brown rice syrup. Those are all forms of added sugar. 

Sure, tapioca syrup isn’t from the same plant as granulated white sugar. But, it’s still refined and still added sugar. 

Natural sugars would be if they sweetened the bar with pureed dates, for example. Then, you’re getting a serving (or part of a serving) of fruit. Here, you’re just getting sugar.

You really have to be careful about reading labels. Even a lot of plain sounding cereals, like original Cheerios, contain added sugar. 

That said, it is possible to find food without added sugars. 

Unfortunately, it might cost you more. 

 

I’ve found unsweetened cereal and peanut butter that contain not only no sugar but also no sugar substitutes….but, I had to go to Whole Foods to get them. Whole Foods isn’t in a convenient location for everyone. Nor is it the cheapest grocery store on the planet.

That said, I find some items can be comparably priced to other stores in my area.

As always, to help with cost, buy store brand, shop sales, and use coupons. You can also get 5 cent discounts if you bring your own bags. 

Even better, just eat whole foods. Fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and plain popcorn are satisfying snacks. If you aren’t vegan, additional whole food snacks include cheese, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, and jerky.