Sugar lurks in the most unlikely places, and it is everywhere! It’s like playing I-Spy in the ingredient list because it hides everywhere and disguises itself in many different names. Here is a list of all the names of “sugar” so that you can look for them on ingredient lists:
| Agave nectar
Barbados Sugar Barley malt Beet sugar Blackstrap molasses Brown sugar Buttered syrup Cane crystals Cane juice crystals Cane sugar Caramel |
Carob syrup
Castorsugar Confectioner’s sugar Corn syrup Corn sweetener Corn syrup solids Corn Sugar Crystalline fructose Date sugar Demerara Sugar Dextrin |
Dextran
Dextrose Diastatic malt Diatase D-mannose Evaporated cane juice Ethyl maltol Florida Crystals Free Flowing Fructose Galactose |
| Glucose
Glucose solids Golden sugar Golden syrup Granulated sugar Grape sugar HFCS High-fructose corn Syrup Honey Icing sugar Invert sugar |
Lactose
Malt syrup Maltodextrin Maltose Mannitol Powdered sugar Raw sugar Refiner’s syrup Rice Syrup Maple syrup Molasses |
Muscovado sugar
Organic raw sugar Panocha Sorbitol Sucrose Sugar Syrup Table sugar Treacle Turbinado sugar Yellow sugar |
So many names! You don’t have to memorize all of them, though. Just use look for any kind of “sugar,” “syrup,” or anything that ends in “-ose,” and then stay away from it.
Here are some surprising foods sugar lurks in:
Condiments:
Ketchup is a major culprit. There are about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon of ketchup. That is about a teaspoon of sugar per serving. It’s like someone put sugar in the salt shaker, and you are pouring it all over your burger! Most brands use high fructose corn syrup, too. I have yet to find a brand that adds no sugar. Thankfully, I don’t like the taste of ketchup anyway. Stick to the already sugar-free mustard if you need something to dip your fries in.
Pickles and Relish. Bread and Butter, Sweet relish, and sometimes even dill pickles have sugar. Check the ingredients, or make your own! There are lots of recipes out there, but you basically just soak your cucumbers in vinegar and any other spice you want: dill, onions, pepper, garlic, jalepenos…
Jam and Jelly. All pre-made, regular jams add sugar. Look for jars that say “just fruit.” Then check the ingredient list to see if it only has fruit in it. You can always use whole fruit to top your toast or peanut butter sandwich. Try slicing fresh bananas, strawberries, or apples.
Nuts and Nutbutters. Many nutbutters contain sugar, and some nuts are roasted sugar. Look at the ingredients. It should say just “nut and salt.”
Soy Sauce. All regular soy sauces I look at contain sugar. My favorite is liquid aminos because t is not only sugar-free, but wheat-free, too.
Yogurt
I do not eat dairy, but many of you like yogurt. Beware of all of the flavored yogurts. They all contain sugar. Your best bet is buying plain yogurt and mixing it with your own fruit. Caution: “Vanilla” is not “Plain.”
Cereal
Obviously, sugar cereals like Honey-Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cookie Crisps, and Frosted Wheeties have sugar, but did you know most plain cereals contain sugar, too? Regular Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Special K, Chex, and even the so-called healthy healthy cereals like granola contain sugar. Check the ingredients, or make oatmeal 
Canned Goods
Soups, veggies, fruit, or sauces. It hides everywhere. Check the ingredients.
Sports Drinks and Bars
All sports bar and all sports drinks have sugar. I have yet to find one that doesn’t. Also, watch out for protein powders.
Pre-Packaged Meals
T.V. Dinners, meats, frozen pizza.
Baked Goods and Breads
Tortillas, Breads, Muffins, Pancake Mixes, Crackers.
Miscellaneous
Dried Fruit. Chewing Gum and Mints. Extracts.
Check the Ingredients!!!
I cannot stress this enough! It hides everywhere. Also, products that say they are “sugar-free” are almost always sweetened with sugar-substitutes like maltitol, xylitol, splenda, or aspartame. Check, check, check the ingredients! It takes 10 seconds. You will be surprised at what you find.
Make your own!
When all your favorite foods have sugar in it, what are you supposed to do? Make it without sugar. This is one reason way I created this website, to show you all that you can make foods sugar-free.
Here is a recipe for sugar-free Barbeque Sauce. Most barbeque sauces contain all sorts of sugars. Just like ketchup, it has about 4 grams of sugar per Tablespoon. That is a teaspoon of sugar per serving.
Homemade Sugar-Free Barbeque Sauce
~This barbeque sauce is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, an, of course, sugar-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (or 1 cove minced garlic)
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika (I suggest using smoked paprika)
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- optional: 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Stir together thoroughly. Serve hot or cold on your favorite meat, bean, burger, or even as a dipping sauce for fries!
Served on shredded chicken breast with sweet potato fries and green peas. Extra BBQ sauce and mustard for fry - dipping. Watermelon would be a perfect dessert for this meal. Just sayin’.
I know you’re jealous of my fourth-of-july hat. And yes, this was a picture from last year. Remember, I cut my hair short? I’m just giving you the idea to make this BBQ sauce for this year’s Fourth of July! It is only a month away!
Don’t Forget!
Sign up for the Sugar-Free Challenge before June 1st!
Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:
What foods are you surprised by that contain sugar? When I first went sugar-free, I was surprised by almost everything. Everywhere I turned I saw Sugar.
Is it hot in your neck of the woods? Sheesh it is hot in Florida. It is humid and mid nineties everyday now. All I want are smoothies, salads, and iced tea (or coffee).
great recipe alex! sugar is the devil… i only use honey from our bees, and no longer use agave. If i’m baking i’ll use the “real” stuff like sucanat or pure raw.. i stay far away from white sugar! I hate how its in ketchup.. and very surprised when I see it in savory things. The best of course is natural sugars found in fruit
Its finally warm and sunny here, and I’m craving more smoothies and raw food!
Yes, make your own! By avoiding the packaged foods in the supermarket, I am amazed by how much sugar – and salt – intake is reduced.
I was originally surprised by oil based salad dressings. Sometimes, because I’m lazy, I will eat them anyway when I’m out, but I won’t let my daughter have any. Also, at one of my favorite stores, they used to have dry roasted unsalted peanuts. It was great, one ingredient. THEN, they stopped carrying those, so I was like, ok, I don’t mind a little salt. I grab the dry roasted salted ones, turn it over to double check the ingredients, and it was everything under the sun INCLUDING sugar. I was disappointed.
BTW, the google ad that is coming up for me is a pro-HFCS website.
you’re right – sugar is EVERYWHERE!!! even where it shouldn’t be (fruit is sweet enough, people!)
surprising places i’ve found it: beef jerky & tomato sauce (two things i love and when i went completely sugar free awhile back, it was KILLING me trying to find beef jerky w/out added sugar! i had to pay premium $ for the more natural brands that didn’t have added sugar. even tj’s adds sugar to their jerky!
That sounds DELICIOUS
I have been tracking my meals lately, just to see what sort of numbers I’m getting as far as nutrients and whatnot, and while I’m SUPER low on sodium, you are so right about how surprising it is when foods you don’t realize have so much sugar!
YAYY I LOVE UR SAUCE RECIPE!! wait i had no idea soy sauce had suga in it!! oh dear! im eating a salad right now with soy sauce and pickles.. COOL……
Thank you so much for posting this!!
I think I was most surprized by soy sauce, pickles and EXTRACTS?!?!?! Wow.
The BBQ sauce sounds amazing! Will defs try that during your sugar free challenge
I have been buying salsa for a while and just realized it has sugar in it. Check to make sure your salsa is mostly just veggies and spices! I was also surprised by jarred tomato sauce!
LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this post! SO many people don’t have a clue where sugar and sugar substitutes “hide”. It’s truly everywhere. Even in protein supplements. That’s why I always recommend people buy wholesome foods and cook themselves. I think 100% of any packaged foods at grocery stores (and even health food stores) have some type of sugar. So yes – inspect the label under miscroscope!!
It’ll be worth it in the end and your body will thank you for that in the long run. 
Alex, it looks as if you’re trying to make the challenge more difficult (lol, I’m just kidding
).
I was surprised to find out that raisins contain 65 % sugar, the same as dates. I was actually disappointed to find it out. They are wayy to sweet for me.
Your BBQ sauce sounds like the ketchup we’re making at home: when there are many tomatoes, we make ketchup to use it later in the winter (tomatoes, salt, vinegar, herbs, oil)
Haha-no! Sorry, but a couple people have asked
Just letting y’all know! 
And sugar-free is NOT that hard, trust me 
It really is crazy how many things contain sugar! Its disgusting actually! I would love to find a no sugar added ketchup…..tomatoes are so sweet on their own! But I will definitely make that bbq sauce in the meantime!
spaggetti sauce ( I won’t buy it if it has sugar ), cottage cheese (!), it’s in almost everything, feel like we’ve been led around by the nose, then they complain that there is adolescent obesity. I mean come on ! How’s about 16 tsp of sugar in a glass of soda. There was a book in the ’70′s called Sugar Blues. Still probably a relevant book. People eating that fruit sweetened yogurt and think they are getting healthy. Look at those packaged “flavored” oatmeals, what are they thinking?
OH my Geesh.
Thanks I need BBQ like no womens biz.
I dream of the day I pik up a jar of jelly that fits the sugar free bill. Fruit juie conentrate? No. Until then, I make my own faux versions.
That´s a great post, very informative! I agree that sugar is hiding everywhere, even in foods you would never think of as sweet! I don´t get it. People are making themselves sooo addicted to that stuff and it is doing them no good at all.
Alex, I totally made this yesterday! It was awesome! I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to use it again today.
I LOVE THIS POST!
I have stopped eating packaged cereals because they have sugar and oatmeal is better anyway!
Also, I made homemade chili (sooo good!) last night for dinner and the BBQ sauce we used had HFCS. I was so mad and surprised! So I’ll be sure to make your recipe!
I also make my own bread so I can control how much sugar goes into it, I usually just add 2 TBSP to the WHOLE BATCH which is so much better than store-bought breads!
Isn’t it crazy?
How crazy it that? Sugar is everywhere, and most people eat more than they can imagen
But I love the idea 
Great post! Not sure if I should join the sugar free challenge though- O need a little maple sirup from time to time
Oh common!!!!!! You can do it
It is only for ten days!!!! Then you can go back to your maple syrup….you might find that you don’t need your maple syrup after the challenge 
Try it 
When I began paying attention, I could believe how MUCH sugar was in “health/protein” bars and granola. I’ve since found other options and began making my own granola. I think it’s terrible how these companies mislead consumers under the guise of being healthy…not to mention the face that it’s terrible how uninformed most consumers are.
I agree that hidden sugars are everywhere! and as a Diabetic, i need to be extra careful. However, I don’t understand why ALL sugar is bad. Unrefined natural sugar is as natural as honey, sometimes more so if the honey has preservatives,etc. Whilst in and ideal world we would all just use wholesome untouched foods, I think a little leeway is needed.
I totally agree that natural sugars are fine for the body, and I also agree that there is no “perfect” diet. I don’t eat honey or any other sugar because I know I will get sick if I do. Others may choose their own path. I am just here to give my 2-cents, and show people that sugar is NOT a necessity.
that’s fair enough. I agree Sugar is not a necessity. And the amounts we eat is unbelievable! We found when i was diagnosed with diabetes first and were adapting recipes that we could take it out over half the sugar sometimes and the recipe tasted the same! all the sugar wasn’t even needed. It’s ridiculous! I agree with your post too in that i think it’s the hidden sugars people need to be aware of such as ketchup and cereals and bread, etc. just because things don’t taste sweet doesn’t mean no sugar! As well i think all the fake sugars such as aspartame are worse! people fall in to a trap of thinking sugar free= healthy, but they can be worse and are beliveved to be cancerous!
I love your blog and your recipes, keep it up! especially your bitter chocolate cake!
Am extremelyyyyy thankful for this site.you won’t believe how much because I was told it is the sugar that is causing these terrible headaches am having for the past 7 years…”And I have been using raw agave and blackstrap molasse for so long thinking it was sugar free. what am I to do now.dont know if I can live without some kind of sweet bread or cake.Can someone help me?f
I’m also thankful for this site. Over 5 years ago, I gave up sugar, flour, sweeteners and caffeine. I never thought that possible, as much as I was addicted to sweets. Today, I enjoy food as it was meant to be … fresh, natural, no added sweeteners, off the vine or branch or bush. It’s all wonderful. It’s amazing how delicious real food is when our palate is reconditioned and not overwhelmed by syrupy concoctions that have the effect of making me want more. Today, I eat fresh and dried cherries, figs, dates, raisins, bananas, pomegranates, apples, oranges, … it’s a smorgasbord of aromas, flavors and textures. I can taste the natural sugars in raw almonds and pistachio nuts. Nothing like a breath of natural amaretto, chomping on raw almonds. It takes time for your palate to adjust, but wow is it worth it. I gave up the flour too, so I don’t eat pastries or cakes, or candy, but I don’t miss them at all. I feel too good, and life is awesome when I’m not under the influence of sugar, sweeteners, flour and caffeine. Try it for a day. Then try it for another. Hopefully you’ll be as surprised as I was … no cravings for it, if you don’t ingest it and you won’t miss it. At birthday parties and weddings, I just say “no, thank you” … not even a bite, cause that may set me off and I don’t want to lose this wonderful feeling. Hope this helps. Oh, a by product of laying off the bad stuff and eating awesome stuff … I lost over 100 lbs and it’s been gone for almost 5 years now. It’s pretty simple, but not necessarily easy, but what a life!
Congrats on your awesome results! I am so glad you found a diet that works for you and makes you feel great
I’m confuse about this too. Why is all sugar bad? Iuse raw agave,is this bad too.I ask because she said agave nectar.
Hi!
I’m not saying all sugar is bad, but this is a list of “sugars.” In small amounts, honey, coconut sugar, and date sugar are all fine in their most pure forms. I actually answered a question about agave a little more in depth on my FAQ page if you want to check that out. I know it is hard to break the sugar habit, but that is really what it is: a habit! You can always replace things with all-natural sugars from fruit. I do that in many of my recipes. Check out my recipe page for some “sweets” recipes. I’m glad you like my site, though! Let me know if there is anything else you need.
Thank you… you just gave me some great ideas for sugar replacement. Looks like I’ll be doing some experiments with assorted fruits ‘n’ things (that my wife doesn’t throw at me).
You are so awesome!
[...] One thing I played around with this week was Alex’s BBQ sauce! [...]
yeahh i love the homemade BBQ sauce, how long will it last?
It will last in the fridge for probably a week.
You can do what I do… experiment with freezing various items. I’ve found many foods thought to be “unfreezable” can be frozen. This applies to a variety of foods, both processed and unprocessed.
And for longer storage of dry goods, you can use oxygen absorbers to retard spoilage. They are quite simple really… just iron and salt in a small packet. But they do work.
Hope that helps some.
I just wanted to say that as a self confessed ketchup addict, I wanted to try your bbq sauce. I made some last night (I used passata instead of tomato sauce but I guess it’s the same thing), anyway, it was AWESOME!!!!
Whilst I’m not sure I could go entirely sugar free immediately, you’ve definately given me something to think about and I’ll certainly be checking food labels and looking for sf alternatives.
Thanks for such an inspiring blog!
xx
Hi Amanda!
I am so glad you enjoyed the BBQ sauce
Thanks for telling me! I love when people enjoy my recipes 
And I am glad you are thinking about sugar reduction-your body will love you for it! If you have any questions about it, don’t hesitate to ask!
[...] Sugar-free BBQ Sauce from Alex at Spoonful of Sugarfree….I have been looking for a recipe like this FOR-ever! So excited about this one! [...]
[...] is. And it’s just one of many, many guises under which sugar comes. Alex did a great post on the many forms of sugar recently, but I guess that particular one escaped me. I should have been clued in that I didn’t [...]
Great info! My aunt was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and has had trouble controlling her sugar level. This info may really help her with all those “hidden” sugars. Just an FYI about sports drinks….Kroger makes a generic mix-in for a bottle of water that tastes just like the fruit punch Gatorade and it is sugar free. They also have lemon and orange flavors but I’ve never tried them. But for anyone who likes that sports drink flavor and wants to avoid the sugar this is a great option!
When I started decreasing sugar out of my diet and turning to natural sugars, I was surprised to still see a lot of sugar in products like almond milk and granola. Especially products that say organic and sugar free. You do still have to be careful!
Although I am no where near as strict as you, (I eat sugars like honey and xylitol) I have given up many products because of the hidden ingredients! Thanks for your recipes and ideas!
Hi Annie!
I know! It is crazy! I have learned to just always stay away from “Sugar-Free” products, because they never are! They always add some kind of bad sugar substitute to them (rare cases they don’t…) Thanks for the comment!
[...] of Sugar Free. One of the biggest problems in American’s diets today is sugar consumption. It’s everywhere from desserts to cereals, soda to pancakes, and any kind of processed food available. It lurks for [...]
[...] dressing, stuffed them in a pita and grilled it (sounds gruesome). Also had some carrots with Alex’s BBQ sauce, which is awesome and made with ingredients you probably already have! For my midday chocolate fix: [...]
[...] Adapted from here [...]
I was just diagnosed with an intolerance to most sugars and lactose which means I am now sugar free as well. I stumbled upon your blog searching for sugar-free soy sauce. I am finding I can eat pretty much anything I cook myself but spices and condiments are tricky, thanks for the recipes. I’m struggling with snacks, fruits and veggies only go so far. I’m definitely feeling some type of detox as my body seems to be rebelling against no sugar. hoping this gets easier. Thanks for he blog, I helps.
Sorry to hear you were diagnosed with sugar intolerances, but I am glad you found my site! If you ever have any questions or need help, feel free to email me. As for the soy sauce, I recommend Bragg’s Liquid aminos. I would also like to point you to another site that has a large list of sugar-free condiment recipes: http://paleodietlifestyle.com/homemade-paleo-condiments/ I have yet to try some of these recipes, but they are worth a shot!
For snacks, I usually have nuts, fruit, and veggies. They all work well convenience-wise. Check out my “Cookies Bars and Bites” Recipe tab for some more small-sized recipes.
Hope this helps!
Thanks! Love your banana bread and Crazy healthy granola bars so far. Do you know if carob chips are sugar free? I’m not loving the unsweetened chocolate as much as I’m trying:)
Hahah….unsweetened chocolate is definitely and acquired taste
If you buy unsweetened carob chips, they do not add any sugar. Check the labels and ingredients, though, to make sure they don’t add any extra stuff to it. Carob is naturally very sweet, so the sweetness comes from just the carob.
[...] —>This stuff is so good. And addicting. Currently, I am putting it on everything. Thanks Alexis! [...]
Hi, like your site just had a quick question. How do you consider your BBQ recipe sugar free, when there is sugar in tomato’s, therefore sugar in tomato sauce. I guess where I’m coming from is I’m on a diet that limits my sugars to none, including the kind in foods like tomatos and what not. Not trying to be a troll
JoeJoe,
I don’t use any added sweeteners like sugar, honey, agave, or xylitol; however, I do use fruit. Yes, it does contain natural fruit sugars, but it does not have added sweeteners. Sorry for the confusion, and I hope this answers your question!
[...] BBQ Sauce (Scroll down quite a bit in this website for the recipe and use it on your chicken tenders) Image source: [...]
[...] Sugar Free BBQ Sauce from Spoonful of Sugar Free (use on your choice of meat for a main dish!) [...]
Doesn’t the tomato sauce have sugar in it though?
Susan,
Check the labels, and you can find a few brands that contain no added sugar, simply the natural sugar found it tomatoes!
My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes. PLEASE send me the nutrient values for your sugar-free BBQ sauce recipe. Please put BBQ in the subject line. I REALLY need this as I am a novice at figuring out this stuff. Thanks.
Cathy,
Here are the nutrition stats per 2 Tablespoons of sauce:
Calories 15
Calories from Fat 3
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.4g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 157mg
Total Carbohydrates 2.8g
Dietary Fiber 1.2g
Sugars 1.3g
Protein 0.6g
Vitamin A 18% Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 1% Iron 4%
My husband and I decided to go on a two week cleanse of rooting out bad foods. I had a craving for bbq chicken sandwhiches but was absolutely taken back by how much sugar was in the BBQ sauces at the store!
So I stumbled across this page while searching on google. Just from reading this one page and the comments I am shocked at what sort of foods contain sugar, and so much of it! It kind of saddens me. I feel like I’ve done my children wrong by pumping them so full of crap-tastic food without even realizing it!
Thanks for all the information. I think I need to do more digging!
Cassandra,
Good luck on your cleanse, and thanks for the comment!
Warning:
Tomatoes are not calorie-free or carbohydrate or sugar-free.
Honey, recommended by a poster, is sugar.
Watermelon is loaded with sugar.
All fruit has sugar, but it’s all natural sugar, not processed. There is a HUGE difference.