Avoiding smoking, limiting fried foods, and exercising a few times a week are great ways to keep your heart healthy. However, being aware of the added sugars in certain foods is a bonus for all your hard work.
Added sugars are sugars that do not occur naturally in food but are added during processing or preparation.
These sugars can come from sweeteners such as syrups and honey or concentrated fruit and vegetable juices.
Unlike the sugars found naturally in fruits and dairy, added sugars are typically used to improve processed foods’ flavor, texture, and shelf life.
Remember that although sugar is a carbohydrate that the body uses, it is not a macronutrient like fats, protein, and other carbohydrates that the body needs for energy and organs to function correctly.
So, large amounts of these sugars can cause inflammation, leading to diseases.
Empower yourself with knowledge by knowing which foods to put back on the shelf while walking the grocery aisle. The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar daily and men consume no more than nine teaspoons.
Checking food labels can help ensure you are not unknowingly consuming added sugars that may damage your health.
Food containing more than 5 grams of sugar per serving already counteracts all your efforts and increases your risk of developing heart disease.
Everyone’s health journey is unique. Remember that your dietary needs may differ if you have long-term health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Always check with your doctor to ensure you consume what’s recommended for your condition.
Research continues to support a link between large amounts of sugar and increasing the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance, which happens when the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels. All these can lead to heart disease.
While blood sugar spikes may not lead directly to heart disease, they can cause palpitations, which are irregular heartbeats. These palpitations can be a sign of underlying heart issues, and frequent spikes in blood sugar can strain your heart.
The following foods can contain between ten and twenty-two grams of sugar per serving:
- Cereal — 1 cup between 12-17 grams
- Yogurt — 1 cup between 14-20 grams
- Sweet tea — 8 oz between 20-22 grams
- Canned soup — 1 can contains 10 or more grams
- Instant oatmeal — 1 cup between 12-15 grams
- Packaged fruit — 1 half cup contains as much as 20 grams
- Jams — 1 tbsp. contains as much as 12 grams
Other foods to check labels and limit as much as possible:
Cookies, pastries, pasta, white bread, and presweetened fruit juices
There are more than fifty names for sugar on labels, so it’s essential to read labels carefully.
Some familiar names are dextrose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, galactose, maltose honey, maple syrup, fruit juice, molasses, brown sugar, and fruit juice concentrate.
Notice that many of the names end in “ose.” That can be a signal to check the amount of grams per serving.
Takeaway: This Valentine’s Day, give your heart the love it deserves by making it a habit of checking labels next time you go grocery shopping. Slow down to check food labels and serving sizes of boxed and canned foods. This simple action can make a difference in how you feel today and for the rest of your life.