From chocolates to yogurt: Does ‘sugar-free’ mean ‘no sugar’ | Lifestyle News, The Indian Express

From chocolates to yogurt: Does ‘sugar-free’ mean ‘no sugar’ | Lifestyle News, The Indian Express

Written by Jayashree Narayanan |New Delhi |Updated: July 18, 2019 5:04:58 pm

From chocolates to yogurt: Does ‘sugar-free’ mean ‘no sugar’

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that the body converts into glucose and uses for energy. But the effect on the body and your overall health depends on the type of sugar you are consuming.

Since added sugars are easily broken down by one’s body, sugar levels tend to rise very rapidly. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

While most of us happily consume anything that says “sugar-free”, assuming that it doesn’t have sugar at all, what we don’t realise is that “sugar-free” doesn’t mean ‘no sugar’. Like we add white table sugar or brown sugar to our cakes, coffee, cookies and even fruits, food manufacturers are also known to add artificial sweeteners, a form of sugar, or typically high-fructose corn syrup to foods and beverages including crackers, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Even low-fat foods like flavoured yogurt are considered to be high on sugar.