DETROIT – While cutting sugar from our diets is admirable, the truth about hidden sugars isn't always easy to determine.
For example: Which has more sugar, a Twinkie or a serving of yogurt? Or, the Twinkie or certain fat-free salad dressings? More and more of you are looking the correct information, and Ruth to the Rescue is here to help.
Sugar Recommendation
The American Heart Association recommends women have no more than 20 grams of sugar a day. One teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to four grams.
While it's easy to control how much sugar you stir into your morning coffee, it's much more difficult to control the sugars that aren't as obvious.
"It's very surprising when you start looking at nutrition labels, how much sugar is hiding in processed foods, " said Registered Dietitian Gail Posner.
Hidden sugar, Twinkie pop quiz
Ruth to the Rescue hit the streets of Royal Oak during the lunch hour to put people on the spot with the question of which had more sugar -- a Twinkie or a serving of yogurt. Some, usually women, already have their eyes on the nutrition label.
"If the yogurt had more sugar than the Twinkies, it wouldn't surprise me," said Renee Williams, who lives in Detroit.
Twinkies are known to have a lot of sugar, just one has 18 grams, which is almost the entire recommended daily allowance for women.
The truth is a six-ounce container of fruit flavored yogurt can have up to 32 grams of sugar. Fat-free French dressing can have up to 42 grams, and a one-cup serving of canned peaches can also have 32 grams of sugar. Stay with fresh fruit or frozen fruit, or buy fruit that is in fruit juice, rather than syrup, which is loaded with extra sugar.
"It is tricky. I however, have been counting my sugars lately - and yogurt is really high in sugar! So I've kind of cut it out, I like having yogurt for breakfast or for a snack - thinking it's healthy, but a lot of them have like 25 grams of sugar! So I've kind of cut that out of my healthy snacks," said Sara Guzowski.
"You really have to read those labels closely because of all the yogurts out there, even the Greek yogurts that are popular now are loaded with sugar," said Ambre Ellenson, who lives in Royal Oak.
Key ingredients that Posner says you should be looking for on the nutritional label are things like brown rice syrup, honey, or cane syrup. These are all indicators of extra, added sugar.
Other foods and drinks that could be boosting your sugar intake:
* Breakfast cereals
* Energy drinks
* Lemonade
* Adding too much sugar to that coffee and tea you drink.
Posner says sugar lovers who make small changes- can really see a big difference.
"They could lose a pound a week by cutting out extra sugars," according to the registered dietitian.