The Silent Saboteur: How Hidden Sugar Is Driving Inflammation

Most of us know we should eat less sugar. What very few people realize is just how much sugar is already in the food they buy — because manufacturers rarely call it “sugar.”

Why sugar is so hard to spot

On an ingredient label, items are listed in order of weight. A product can split its sweeteners across several different ingredients — cane juice, maltodextrin, dextrose, fruit-juice concentrate — so that no single one rises to the top of the list, even when the total is substantial.

The 56 names for sugar

From the obvious (high-fructose corn syrup) to the disguised (barley malt, rice syrup, evaporated cane juice), there are dozens of terms that all mean the same thing to your body. Our free label-decoder card lists every one.

What to do at the store

Read the ingredient list first, not the marketing on the front. If two or three different sweeteners appear in the first half of the list, put it back. Whole foods with no label at all are always the safest bet.