The Hungry Pharmacist

You’ve decided that starting this Monday, you’re cutting out sugar. You’re either continuing with the same diet or trying a variation that involves little to no sugar. You’ve attempted this before with varying success, or maybe you’ve seen online that many people have lost a lot of weight in a short period by following a similar approach.

This type of diet usually starts with a plan: cutting out sweets, bread, and pasta while mostly consuming protein from meat. Milder versions include fruit and vegetables, which naturally contain sugars, while more extreme versions eliminate both to avoid sugar intake altogether.

The WHO recommends that added sugars should not exceed 10% of the total daily calorie intake. If you consume 2,500 calories per day, added sugars should be limited to 25 grams daily. Based on this guideline, women should not consume more than 25 grams of added sugar per day, while men should not exceed 36 grams. One small teaspoon contains approximately 5 grams of sugar, meaning a woman can consume about 5 teaspoons, and a man around 9 teaspoons of sugar per day.

What Are Added Sugars?

Natural sugars are found in whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, in the form of fructose (fruit sugar). Any food that does not naturally contain sugar means the sugar in it has been added.

For example, a can of soda does not contain natural sugar—it is added during production. This can be easily verified on the label. However, some foods contain added sugars without us realizing it, which is when we talk about hidden sugars.

When changing our diet, we often try to eliminate added sugars—sweets, sodas, croissants—reducing their intake to zero. The idea behind this is to lower insulin spikes, sugar surges, and high-calorie intake. Ideally, added sugars should be completely eliminated. However, in reality, this is challenging since the food industry uses sugar in various forms to enhance flavor or improve food properties. As a result, you may find sugar in products where you wouldn’t expect it.

How to Identify Hidden Sugars?

The first step when buying packaged food is reading the label. However, sugar can appear under different names. Here are some terms under which sugar may be “hidden”:

• Natural Sugars – Fructose (fruit sugar), Lactose (milk sugar), Maltose

• Added Sugars – Sucrose (table sugar), High-fructose corn syrup, Glucose syrup, Dextrose, Molasses, Agave syrup, Maple syrup

• Hidden Names – Evaporated cane juice, Coconut sugar, Rice syrup

These sugars may also be combined in a product, meaning the food contains large amounts of sugar overall.

Ingredients on labels are typically listed from most to least abundant. If sugar is one of the first ingredients, it means the product contains a high amount of sugar.

A common trap is so-called “healthy” products, which are often labeled as “fit,” “bio,” or “organic”, yet contain large amounts of sugar:

• Fruit yogurt – Often contains little or no actual fruit but a lot of sugar (up to 20 g per serving). A better alternative: Plain Greek yogurt with real fruit (e.g., blueberries or strawberries).

• Muesli – Unless it’s plain oatmeal, it often contains added sugar.

• Protein bars – While high in protein, they often have added sugars for taste.

• Juices and smoothies – Even when labeled natural, they contain more sugar than whole fruits and vegetables.

• Bread and pastries – If not whole grain, they usually contain a significant amount of sugar.

Many products carry labels like “no added sugar,” “natural,” “light,” or “organic.” However, this does not always mean they are sugar-free—they may contain natural sugars from fruit or sugar substitutes like maltitol and sorbitol, which can still affect blood sugar levels.

Example:

Peter is following a keto diet and wants to lose 2–3 kg in a month. He decided to eat proteins and fats from meat, eggs, and dairy, as well as fruits and vegetables, while cutting out baked goods, sweets, and sodas.

One evening, while watching his favorite series, he wanted a “diet-friendly” snack. Within two hours, he ate a strawberry-flavored bio yogurt, drank a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, and had a protein bar.

Total intake:

• 50 g of sugar

• 500 calories

As a result, he was not in a calorie deficit, and his added sugar intake exceeded the recommended daily limit.

Conclusion

Reducing added sugar intake is a smart decision if you want to improve your diet and lose weight. However, sugar can appear in various forms—sometimes hidden under unfamiliar names.

By recognizing the different types of sugars in foods, you can more easily avoid added sugar and achieve your health and fitness goal