Pilates Platinum Asks: Do you know how much sugar you’re really eating?

Recommended daily intake of “added sugars” is 6 teaspoons for women, and 9 teaspoons for men.

Guess what the American average is? 22 teaspoons a day! That’s over 355 calories a day in added sugars alone. That adds up to about 150 pounds of added sugar a year- per person! Too much sugar can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease, premature aging, poor memory, weaker hones, acne, depression and belly fat. And that’s just the short list!

We know some obvious ways to balance sugar intake: eat healthy, exercise to burn excess calories, consume sweets in moderation, eliminate sodas and stay away from processed foods and GMO products. What could be the most important piece of advice is to pay attention to the ingredients and nutritional labels on foods so that you’re aware of what exactly you’re putting into your body.

Sadly you’re mistaken if you think you can watch sugar levels by simply staying away from labels marked with a high sugar count. Unfortunately there are more than 200 types of added sugars used in processed foods (and don’t forget beverages)! These added sugars that are used in 80% of products on shelves at the market are disguised with alternate names. And added sugars hide in everything- even bread.

You might recognize some of the most commonly used sweeteners like corn syrup, cane sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup. But did you know there are over 46 names for added sugars used in processed foods? You’re probably consuming extra added sugars without knowing what these ingredients really are.

Learn about the many forms of added sugars in this list below, compiled by Appetite for Health. Pilates Platinum wants to keep our members (and blog readers!) as informed, healthy, and sugar-free as possible. It’s also a great cheat sheet to pack in your wallet for reference when shopping. It’s better to be safe and healthy than feed into the nation’s addiction to sugar.

Stay away from these ingredients with deceiving names and keep your levels in check. Remember, the recommended daily intake is only 6 teaspoons for women (9 for men) a day!