Don’t be fooled by different names for added sugar

Cutting added sugar would be a smart New Year’s resolution, according to a recent New York Times article. Citing a body of evidence on excess sugar’s damage to metabolic health—including increased risk of overweight and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer—the December 30, 2019 article offered tips for cutting back. For example, eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages and replace processed foods with whole foods.

When reading food labels, be aware that added sugar can hide under other names, Frank Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, advised in the article. Don’t be fooled by names that may sound healthier, like beet sugar, agave nectar, or honey. “They are all added sugars with similar metabolic effects and extra calories,” he said.

Read the New York Times article: Make 2020 the Year of Less Sugar