Your Breakfast's Sweet Sneak Attack: Top 10 Sugar Bombs Revealed

Our connection with sugar is being examined once more.

Recently, as part of its sugar tax initiative, the government declared an expansion of the levy on beverages containing over 5 grams of sugar for every 100 milliliters. This change will encompass pre-packed milkshakes and coffee drinks, along with carbonated sodas.

Consuming too much sugar can lead to various health issues like heightened risks of gaining weight, developing metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, suffering from heart ailments, and experiencing dental erosion. This is particularly due to the intake of "free sugars" — these aren’t the ones found inherently in dairy items, whole grains, fruits, or veggies; rather, they're the ones incorporated into foods or beverages during processing or preparation. The NHS stresses that this applies not only to table sugar but also to honey, syrups, nectars, and juices.

The sugar levy appears to be effective: a 2024 study from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found it led to children consuming almost one teaspoon of sugar fewer a day, and adults consuming more than two teaspoons fewer a day.

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Nonetheless, we continue to significantly surpass our suggested daily intake (SDI). According to governmental guidelines, sugar should not constitute more than five percent of our total daily caloric consumption — this equates to roughly 30 grams for individuals aged 11 and older, which is approximately seven sugar cubes worth. This amount may seem substantial; however, as stated by the British Nutrition Foundation, our current consumption levels are considerably higher. On average, people are ingesting between nine and twelve point five percent from added sugars, translating to somewhere between 12.5 and 15 sugar cubes each day.

The trouble is that sugar is not just in sweet treats and snacks, but often found in everyday food items. Take the most important meal of the day: the most commonly consumed breakfast foods can be replete with sugar – even those that are otherwise assumed healthy.

It’s worth checking on your breakfast so you can balance it throughout the day We had conversations with registered dietitian Emma Shafqat and nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, who is writing an upcoming book. The Unprocessed Plate , to help us identify the items – and brands – with the most hidden sugars.

1. Bread

Bread frequently contains extra sugar to enhance its longevity and flavor, or for both reasons. As an illustration, each 100 grams of Warburton thick-sliced white bread comes with 3.5 grams of sugar. According to Lambert, consuming four slices of this type would account for approximately one-sixth of the suggested daily sugar limit, not including any additional toppings like spreads or jams.

Try this: Go for wholegrain breads With greater fiber content. Shafqat suggests Biona Organic Rye Bread: "It contains no added sugar and is thick with high fiber."

2. Breakfast sandwiches

The more refined the components of a breakfast sandwich The higher their sugar content tends to be. For instance, a Gregg’s bacon breakfast roll with tomato ketchup includes 5.3 grams of sugar; one-sixth of your recommended daily intake in what would typically be a savory breakfast item.

Try this: Find an option that is whole grain and comes without any sauce. If you have the chance to prepare it at home, choose mustard or fresh tomato slices instead of ketchup.

3. Yoghurt

Yoghurt can be a fantastic health food . But not all Of those available on the shelves, "A lot of flavored and reduced-fat yogurts have additional syrups, fruit purées, and sweeteners to boost their taste," explains Lambert. A Strawberry Müller Corner can include almost half of your recommended daily intake of sugar (over 14 grams).

Try this: Select simple Greek yogurt. "The Yeo Valley Organic Natural Greek Style Yogurt contains 4.9 grams of sugar for every 100 grams," explains Shafqat. You can enhance its sweetness with fresh fruits or add some honey yourself.

4. Coffee

"Black coffee has almost zero calories and sugar, but 'coffee beverages' often have unexpectedly high levels of added sugars," explains Lambert. "Usually, one pump of vanilla syrup contributes about 5 grams of sugar, and numerous cafe drinks include three or more pumps, totalling 15g or more in one cup.” A Starbucks caramel macchiato grande contains 33g of sugar. And the ready-to-drink coffee Arctic Coffee Latte contains more than 25g.

Try this: A simple coffee Lambert mentions that this includes beverages like a flat white or latte made with either dairy or plant-based milk.

5. Cereal

Cereal can often have a significant amount of sugar, particularly those targeted towards kids," says Shafqat. For instance, Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut cereal has over 35 grams of sugar per 100 grams, with sugar, molasses, and honey added as sweeteners. cereals Stating something as "natural" might still include syrups or fruit-juice concentrates. In the UK, ingredients are ordered from highest to lowest based on their weight. As Lambert advises, "It’s always wise to read the labels carefully; if sugar appears close to the beginning, it indicates that it makes up a considerable portion of the item."

Try this: Cereals frequently come enriched with essential vitamins and minerals for kids, so choose those with greater fiber content like Weetabix Original (with under 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams), or go for plain oats or un sweetened muesli instead.

6. Granola

Granolas frequently employ phrases such as 'honey roasted' to seem like they contain no additional sugar," explains Shafqat. For instance, Jordan’s Simply Granola with a Hint of Honey contains 17.3 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Lambert concurs: "Although natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or date syrup may be perceived as healthier alternatives compared to processed sugars, they can still add substantial quantities of sugar. your diet It's quite typical to discover 10g to 20g of sugar for every 50g portion of commercially bought granola.

Try this: Seek out low-sugar alternatives like Lizi’s Low Sugar granola (which contains 3.3g of sugar per 100g) or Bio & Me’s Low Sugar granola (with 4.2g of sugar per 100g). Alternatively, you can create your own using whole grains, nuts, and seeds, sweetened lightly with maple syrup.

7. Smoothies and shakes

Even 'healthy' smoothies and shakes frequently incorporate juice or concentrates," explains Shafqat. The Innocent Strawberry & Banana Smoothie has 25 grams of sugar for every 250 milliliters. Although the additional sugar in smoothies typically originates from fruit concentrate, in shakes it’s usually present to disguise the flavor—especially when they include protein powder or function as meal replacements.

Try this: Pay attention to the wording on labels. "Be wary of sugar's different names such as glucose syrup, fructose, agave nectar, molasses, and honey," advises Shafqat. He also suggests aiming for fewer than 5 grams of total sugar per 100 grams.

8. Breakfast bars

Granola bars and breakfast biscuits Are indeed a traditional health halo food, particularly because they frequently include nutritious components such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. However, be sure to examine the labeling closely: a single Nature Valley Oats & Honey packet includes two bars, each containing 11 grams of sugar, equating to 73 percent of your recommended daily intake.

Try this: Choose wisely by looking for labels that indicate higher fiber and protein content along with low amounts of added sugar — or even better, prepare them yourself at home.

9. Juice

Although most of the sugar in juice might come from natural sources, removing the fiber during the juicing process can classify this sugar as "added." For instance, a tiny 150 ml serving of Tropicana Orange Juice includes 13 grams of sugar.

Try this: Restrict your daily juice consumption to approximately 150 ml to keep within the recommended sugar levels," says Lambert. "Whenever feasible, choose whole fruits instead.

10. Pastries

Nobody deludes themselves into thinking that pastries make for a nutritious start to the day, yet the quantity of sugar can often be higher than anticipated. Shafqat illustrates this with an instance involving Waitrose croissants; a regular croissant has 1.8 grams of sugar each, whereas an almond croissant packs a hefty 24.5 grams—almost reaching your total daily suggested limit.

"Although it's perfectly fine to indulge in pastries from time to time, frequently eating sweet baked goods may result in excessive sugar intake," warns Lambert. "This could affect your blood glucose levels and potentially cause you to gain weight." As such, pastries are placed at the lowest position on the list.

Try this: If you're looking for something sweet, choose whole grain toast topped with nut butter, or go for natural yogurt paired with fresh fruit for a fulfilling breakfast that’s lower in sugar but higher in nutrients.

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