Many consumers feel pride in avoiding the glazed pastries in the supermarket and instead opting for “all natural” granola that comes packed with extra protein. Same goes for low-fat yogurts “made with real fruit,” “organic” plant-based milks and bottled “superfood” smoothies.
Buyer beware: Healthy grocery buzzwords like those often cover up an unhealthy amount of sugar.
Added sugars are difficult to quickly spot because many companies use clever marketing to distract consumers, said Nicole Avena, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical School and Princeton University who has studied added sugars.
Avena said while some health-forward brands know people are starting to become aware of the hazards of added sugars, "a lot of the bigger brands don’t worry so much about people’s health.”
Here’s how to spot hidden sugars and what to do about it.
Along with saturated fat and salt, eating excess sugar is linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other health risks.
The average American consumes 17 grams of added sugar a day, which adds up to 57 pounds (26 kilograms) per year, according to the American Heart Association. About half of that comes from beverages, but much of the rest is sneaked into cereal, salsa, prepared sandwiches, dairy products, bottled sauces and baked goods, including many brands of whole-grain bread.
To help control sugar intake, start by checking the nutrition label. Since 2021, food companies have been required to list the quantity of added sugars separately from total sugar content. But the plan backfired, Avena said.
Companies reduced common sweeteners like refined beet sugar and high-fructose corn syrup but added alternatives, such as monk fruit and the sugar alcohol erythritol, which aren’t considered “added sugars” under FDA regulations.
“Now our foods are even more sweet than they were back in 2020,” Avena said.
Collin Popp, a dietitian and professor at NYU Langone Health, said the current FDA recommendation allows for some flexibility. People should get no more than 10% of their calories from added sugar, which amounts to about 50 grams per day if eating 2,000 calories, or a bit more than what’s in a typical can of soda.
But that might be too flexible, Popp said.
“I would actually like to see that be less than 5%, and closer to zero for some, if they have diabetes or prediabetes,” he said.
The key is to be mindful of what you’re eating, even if the product seems healthy or if the package is labeled organic, Popp said. Roasted nuts, plant-based milks and wasabi peas, for example, can include a surprising amount of added sugars. So can English muffins and Greek yogurt.
One Chobani black cherry yogurt, for example, has zero grams of fat but 9 grams of added sugar, or more than 2 teaspoons. Silk brand almond milk has 7 grams per cup.
Popp recommends taking control of how much sugar goes into your food. That could mean buying plain yogurt and adding honey or berries, or asking the barista if you can put your own oat milk into your coffee.
Although they lower the calorie content of foods, artificial sweeteners like stevia and sugar alcohols may not be better because they can encourage people to overeat, Avena said. She said research shows that sweet flavors are what activate the reward center of the brain, not the sugar itself.
That’s not to write off sugar alternatives, including allulose for people with Type 1 diabetes since it doesn’t affect blood sugar.
But for the general public, minimizing dependence on the overall sweetness of food is key to improving health, she said.
“Don’t let the food companies decide how much sugar you’re eating," Avena said.
Albert Stumm writes about food, travel and wellness. Find his work at www.albertstumm.com.
FILE - This photo illustration shows granulated sugar falling from a spoon, in Philadelphia, on Sept. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
FILE - This photo illustration shows granulated sugar falling from a spoon, in Philadelphia, on Sept. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Mattias Samuelsson had a goal and two assists as the Buffalo Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Saturday night for their eighth straight victory.
Samuelsson’s three-point night came together in a three-goal second period with assists on goals by Ryan McLeod and Peyton Krebs.
Josh Norris added an empty-netter late and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves for Buffalo.
The Sabres’ win streak is their longest since they won 10 in a row in November 2018.
David Pastrnak scored in the first period for the Bruins, who have lost five in a row and six of their last seven games. Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves.
ISLANDERS 2, RANGERS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — David Rittich made 27 saves for his ninth career shutout, Anders Lee scored less than a minute into the game, and the New York Islanders blanked the New York Rangers.
Lee’s unassisted goal 58 seconds in extended his point streak to five games as the Islanders won their second straight. Simon Holmstrom added an empty-netter with 16 seconds left in the game.
The Islanders’ Bo Horvat returned to the lineup after missing the previous five games with a lower-body injury.
Igor Shesterkin finished with 24 saves but the Rangers were shut out for the seventh time this season.
LIGHTNING 4, PANTHERS 2
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Pontus Holmberg scored with 7.3 seconds left in the first period to put Tampa Bay on top for good, Nikita Kucherov scored twice and the Lightning beat Florida Panthers in another penalty-filled matchup between the Sunshine State rivals.
Jake Guentzel also scored for Tampa Bay, which has won three straight. Kucherov sealed it with an empty-netter with 56 seconds left.
Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen scored for the Panthers, who lost for just the second time in their last seven games. Florida was 1 for 11 on the power play.
CAPITALS 4, DEVILS 3, OT
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Defenseman Jakob Chychrun scored in overtime and Logan Thompson made 35 saves as Washington beat New Jersey.
Chychrun beat Devils netminder Jake Allen with his 15th goal 4:06 into the extra session to lift Washington to only its second win in its last eight games. New Jersey lost its third straight.
Aliaksei Protas also scored and added two assists for Washington. Anthony Beauvillier and Alex Ovechkin also scored for the Capitals who are 11-1-0 in their last 12 visits to Prudential Center.
The visitors led 2-1 entering the third period before the Devils scored twice in a 32-second span to move ahead. Ovechkin then tied the game at 3 with his 15th goal, the NHL-record 912th of this career at 9:17.
Jesper Bratt — who had just one goal since Nov. 6 — scored twice for New Jersey. Cody Glass also scored for the Devils, who have lost 13 of their last 20 games.
HURRICANES 5, RED WINGS 2
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and two assists and Carolina snapped a season-worst three-game skid with a win over Detroit in a matchup of divisional leaders.
Jackson Blake and Eric Robinson scored during the Hurricanes’ three-goal second period. Jordan Martinook, who missed the three previous games with an injury, scored his 100th career goal with an empty-netter with 1:21 to play. Brandon Bussi made 18 saves and boosted his record to 12-1-1.
Michael Rasmussen and Andrew Copp scored for the Atlantic Division-leading Red Wings. John Gibson stopped 33 shots and lost for the first time in nine December outings.
MAPLE LEAFS 7, SENATORS 5
TORONTO (AP) — Captain Auston Matthews shook off a slump with a goal and two assists, and Matthew Knies scored twice to lead Toronto to a win against the Ottawa.
Matthews, who had gone four games without a point, got his first three-point outing of the season. He set up William Nylander on the power play to open the scoring, assisted on Bobby McMann’s go-ahead goal early in the second period, and scored on his next shift for a 4-2 Toronto advantage.
The Senators pulled to within a goal twice, but Knies’ second with 14:07 remaining stood up as the winner.
The Maple Leafs jumped out to a 2-0 lead after a power-play goal by Knies. But Ottawa’s Nick Cousins scored late in the first period, and Ridly Greig pulled his team even 18 seconds into the second period.
WILD 4, JETS 3, OT
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Matt Boldy scored two goals, including the winner just 39 seconds into overtime, to lead Minnesota to a come-from-behind victory over the Winnipeg.
Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov also scored for Minnesota. Quinn Hughes added three assists.
Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist each, and Josh Morrissey also scored for Winnipeg.
BLUES 3, PREDATORS 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pavel Buchnevich scored twice, Brayden Schenn had a goal for his 700th career point, and St. Louis beat the Nashville.
Joel Hofer made 29 saves for the Blues, who beat Nashville after dropping two previous meetings this month. Hofer has won four of his last five starts.
Tyson Jost and Fedor Svechkov scored for the Predators and Jusse Saros made 17 saves. The loss snapped Nashville’s three-game winning streak.
BLACKHAWKS 4, STARS 3, SO
DALLAS (AP) — Rookie Nick Lardis scored in the fourth round of the shootout to give Chicago a win over Dallas.
The Blackhawks, last in the overall NHL standings, snapped a six-game losing streak. The Stars, second in the overall standings, lost a second consecutive game after regulation following a four-game winning streak.
Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice, former Star Jason Dickinson added a goal and Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves through overtime for the Blackhawks. Soderblom, getting his 12th start with Chicago beginning a back-to-back, snapped a personal five-game skid during which he allowed 29 goals.
Mikko Rantanen had a goal and two assists, and Nils Lundkvist and Justin Hrychowian also scored for the Stars. Jake Oettinger stopped 30 shots.
KINGS 6, DUCKS 1
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex Laferriere scored three times and the Los Angeles finally found their offense in a win over Anaheim.
Quinton Byfield had a goal and an assist, Drew Doughty and Trevor Moore also scored, and Anze Kopitar added three assists as the Kings tied their season high for goals. Anton Forsberg made 24 saves.
Mason McTavish had a power-play goal and Lukas Dostal stopped 24 shots for the Ducks, who have dropped four of five.
AVALANCHE 6, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, SO
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Martin Necas scored two goals in regulation and another during the shootout and Colorado beat Vegas.
Nathan MacKinnon also scored for Colorado in the shootout, while Mitch Marner was the only one to score for the Knights.
Colorado, which extended its win streak to seven games, has registered points in 27 of its last 28 games. The Avalanche are 23-1-4 during that stretch.
The Avs also improved to 9-1-2 in their last 12 on the road.
Colorado is the only team in the NHL with at least 60 points, sitting atop the Central Division with 63.
Vegas has now lost four of its last five, having split the first two of a four-game homestand. In earning a point for the 10th time in 12 games, the Knights took sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division with 45 points, one point ahead of both Anaheim and Edmonton.
FLAMES 3, OILERS 2
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Blake Coleman scored his 11th goal of the season with 7:29 to play and Calgary edged Edmonton.
Yegor Sharangovich and Ryan Lomberg also scored for Calgary, while Dustin Wolf made 29 saves in his 100th NHL game.
Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid scored for Edmonton. McDavid’s goal extended his scoring streak to 12 games (13 goals, 19 assists), which has carried him into top spot in league scoring. Connor Ingram also had 29 saves in suffering his first loss.
SHARKS 6, CANUCKS 3
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist in a return to his hometown, powering San Jose past Vancouver.
The 19-year-old center extended his point streak to seven games, with five goals and nine assists during that stretch.
Igor Chernyshov scored his first NHL goal and added an assist for the Sharks. Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg, William Eklund and Collin Graf each had a goal. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 24 shots as San Jose snapped a three-game skid.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen reaches for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
