There's been some discussions in other threads about added and hidden sugars in foods so I thought we could use a thread specifically for this topic.
Here's the question: Is sugar ever actually hidden in food?
I'd love to hear viewpoints from both sides.
JaneSnowe
Member Posts: 1,282 Member
Member Posts: 1,282 Member
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I think "hidden" is the wrong word. Added sugar. That said, I'll be curious to see MFP posts when the label thing launches. I predict some folks WILL be surprised about the added sugar content of some foods. Who know though.
Good point. I was thinking more in terms of food that comes with a nutrition label. But that's interesting that they'd swap lard for HFCS.
But yeah, good point about foods with and without nutrition labels.
I definitely wouldn't expect it in freshly made tortillas at a local Mexican restaurant, having made them myself and having watched others make them. Can you notice a difference in the flavor since the switch?
I don't notice a taste difference (but haven't had the old recipe and new recipe side by side), but they definitely last longer. They sell them by the dozen. I've switched to getting them from a new place when we do buy them. One with good old fashioned lard.
Ketchup is pretty sweet. That's actually why I don't care for it.
I've yet to hear about a food that surprised me with the added sugar (even apart from reading labels, which I do carefully). There are some that have more (in at least some brands) than I would have expected, like many kinds of bread (I don't buy supermarket bread much, so might have been more aware if I did) and pasta sauce (again, something I don't buy).
I do think lots of people don't read labels/ingredients, but that's on them, and suggests to me that they don't really care.
I don't really like the idea of "hidden" sugars because in most cases it sounds way more sinister than I think the reality of the situation is. It's not a bunch of dastardly super villains rubbing their hands together as they pour a vat of sugar into the city's water supply. But to play devil's advocate, I had no idea there was sugar in McDonald's French fries until I saw that movie. They're a salty, supposed-to-be-crunchy snack, pretty much as far apart from sugar as I could imagine. And there's no ingredients list.
There's sugar in McDonald's french fries?
ETA: yep! lookie there! http://www.livestrong.com/article/1002598-whats-really-inside-those-mcdonalds-french-fries/
You're probably right. When I go out to eat I don't worry about calories or ingredients because we go out so infrequently. And admittedly, it can in some cases be difficult for even an informed consumer to find accurate nutrition information about restaurant food so for the sake of simplicity I wanted to focus on foods with nutrition labels.
I keep seeing references to the upcoming change in US nutrition labels, followed by comments about how great it will be that sugars will no longer be hidden. It seems so strange to me...if someone cares about sugar, just read the ingredients.
Super Size Me says so.
EAT but now you found out for yourself
Apparently it's there to brown the outside of the fries when they're cooked. Kind of like how caramel is brownish. I don't know. I've never worked at a McDonald's, I can only go by what I've read. Anyway, you sound as surprised as I was.
We eat out a couple of times a week. I usually try to just do protein/veg.
When we ate out more often, even a few times a week, I knew what to order at each place so as not to blow my calories and end up starving later. Now it's a rare treat for me. Sometimes I miss going out regularly.