WHEN WE THINK OF SUGARY FOOD, we usually picture things like candy, cake, pie, ice cream, and soda, but there is sugar hiding in many of the foods we buy at the grocery store \u2014 even foods we don\u2019t think of as sweet! This is bad news for our oral health, because the harmful bacteria in our mouths love all that sugar, whether we know we\u2019re eating it or not.<\/p>\n
Sugar\u2019s Many Disguises
\nUnfortunately, finding the sugar in the food we buy isn\u2019t so simple these days, because it hides behind many tricky-sounding names. Here are some of the terms to look for when checking ingredient lists:<\/p>\n
The \u201c-ose\u201d words: Fructose, sucrose, dextrose, lactose, maltose, glucose. All of these are scientific names for types of sugar molecules.
\nThe syrups: Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, maple\/rice syrup, etc.
\nThe sugars: Brown sugar, malt sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, coconut sugar, etc. Whether brown or white, liquid or powder, sugar is still sugar.
\nThe \u201cnatural replacements\u201d: agave nectar, honey, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, 100 percent fruit juice. While whole fruit is definitely a healthier snack than a candy bar, fruit juice isn\u2019t any better for your teeth than soda.
\nMolasses.
\nWhile these are the most common disguises sugar may take, there are plenty more. A good clue is in the \u201cadded sugars\u201d line on the nutrition labels. Unfortunately, these sugars can be found in everyday foods we often think of as healthy (or at least not unhealthy), like Raisin Bran, fruit-flavored yogurt, ketchup, barbecue sauce, granola, and even most types of bread! This is why it\u2019s important to always read the labels!<\/p>\n
Our Recommended Daily Sugar Intake
\nWith sugar hiding in so much of our food, avoiding it entirely can be a difficult task, but our teeth (and the rest of us) will be healthier and happier if we can keep the overall amount to a minimum. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) a day for women, 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men. That might not seem like much, but the good news is that the longer you go with less sugar in your day, the less you\u2019ll miss it!<\/p>\n