5 Surprising Foods With Hidden Sugar And Their Healthy Substitutions
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5 Sneaky Sources of Sugar that Pack On the Belly Fat
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m sharing 5 surprising foods with hidden sugar and their simple and healthy substitutions.
It’s time to share the shocking truth about how much hidden sugar is in the foods we eat everyday.
A few months ago, I shared a video post on why you need to avoid 3 Common Hidden Sugar Bombs if you ever want to burn off your stubborn belly fat.
Today, I want to expand on those 3 hidden sugar bombs, with 5 more sneaky sources of sugar that pack on the belly fat.
How Much Sugar A Day Is Too Much?
According to the American Heart Association, here is the maximum amount of added sugar men and women should eat a day:
- Men: should consume no more than 36 grams or approximately 9 teaspoons of added sugar a day
- Women: should consume no more than 25 grams or approximately 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day
Well guess what? In just one can of soda, you can easily blow out your entire sugar consumption max for the day.
How Much Sugar Do Americans Consume A Day?
On average, Americans are consuming approximately 88 grams, or 22 teaspoons of sugar a day.
That’s an extra 13 tsp of sugar over the daily maximum 9 tsp, as recommended by the American Heart Association.
An extra 13 tsp of daily sugar equals:
- 13 tsp = 52 grams of sugar
- 52 grams of sugar x 4 calories per gram
- = 208 extra calories a day from added sugar
- 208 extra calories a day x 365 days a year
- = 75,920 extra calories a year
- 75,920 extra calories a year / 3,500 calories in 1 pound of fat
- = an extra 21 pounds of body fat
When you combine those extra calories over a year, that could add up to an extra 21 pounds of body fat.
5 Surprising Foods With Hidden Sugar And Their Healthy Substitutions
Replace these 5 belly fat busting sugar bombs with these healthy low sugar substitutes.
#1. Jelly Or Jam
You’re probably adding at least 1 tbsp of a jelly or jam to your bread.
This 1 tbsp of jelly contains 12g of sugar or 3 tsp.
Belly Fat Destroying Sugar Substitution: If you’re still eating bread, replace the jelly with coconut oil, or spread some avocado on top, with a dash of sea salt or garlic powder.
This contains zero sugar, and it’s delicious.
#2. Whole Wheat Or White Bread
Most people eat 2 slices of bread, rather than the serving size of one slice, as indicated on the nutrition facts label. 
Eating two slices of bread doubles the sugar content up to 12g of sugar or 3 tsp.
Plus, as mentioned earlier, when you add the jelly on top of two slices, you can quickly take in an extra 36 grams of sugar, which is 9 tsp.
Belly Fat Destroying Sugar Substitution: If you’re going to eat bread, go with bread that:
- Is made with natural ingredients
- Contains no added sugar
- Is a complete protein
#3. Salad Dressing
I’m sure many of you are reaching for the “low fat” variety of salad dressing when you are at the grocery store.
Low fat salad dressing may sound like a healthier option, but it’s not.
When food marketers remove fat from the food, they must add something back in, which in most cases is usually sugar. 
Let’s just say the salad dressing you’re eating typically has approximately 2 tsp or 7 grams of sugar, per serving.
Belly Fat Destroying Sugar Substitution: Skip the salad dressing aisle, and stick to homemade salad dressings comprised of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon, and herbs and spices.
No sugar is necessary.
#4. Oatmeal
Always read the ingredients list when it comes to oatmeal. 
Many flavored packets of oatmeal contain added sugar upwards of 9 grams or 2-3 tsp, which essentially turns your bowl of oatmeal into dessert.
Belly Fat Destroying Sugar Substitution: If you’re eating oatmeal and need to sweeten it, add some:
- Fruit
- Protein powder
- Nuts
- Cinnamon
This oatmeal recipe tastes delicious without the added sugar.
#5. Frozen Dinners
Once again, look out for the low fat frozen dinner varieties since when the fat is removed, the sugary sauces are added in to add more flavor. 
Some of these frozen dinners contain upwards of 24g of sugar or 6 tsp per serving.
Belly Fat Destroying Sugar Substitution: Skip the frozen dinners for lunch, by cooking extra for dinner from the previous night.
Then bring the leftovers in a glass storage container, and eat it for lunch the next day.
This is why it’s so important to have a meal plan, since cooking in bulk is a game changer when it comes to Living Lean.
Follow These Simple Belly Fat Destroying Sugar Substitutions
The photo above shows an example of all the sneaky sources of sugar you could be eating.
To avoid this extra sugar consumption, follow these simple sugar substitution food swaps for a lean and healthy body.
Do You Want A Free Weekly Meal Plan With Recipes?
Speaking of meal planning, if you haven’t yet downloaded my free 7 day Live Lean Starter Guide, check it out here.
This guide takes away all the confusion with your diet and workouts, as it gives you the exact meal plan and video cooking lessons you need to Live Lean without being a slave in the kitchen.
It also includes a free “Hot Body” workout program.
So many of you have already downloaded the starter guide for free, and are loving the results.
If you haven’t downloaded it yet, do it here.
I love you guys and keep Living Lean.
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Question Of The Day:
- Which of these 5 foods with hidden sugar surprised you the most?
- Which healthy sugar substitution are you going to try?
Share your experiences in the comment section below.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
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