3 Common Foods That Are Full of Hidden Sugar (And the Low-Sugar Swaps to Try)

The average woman eats more than 71 grams (or 17 teaspoons) of sugar a day — much of it hidden in seemingly healthy foods! To look and feel your best, weight loss expert Tosca Reno recommends limiting your intake to less than 6 grams a day. Try these smart, low sugar food substitutes to experience the boosted energy and mental clarity that comes from sidestepping those sneaky sugars.

BBQ Sauce

This summertime staple is often comprised of 33 percent sugar. Just 2 tablespoons of the stuff can contain 15 grams of sugar. Instead, opt for Stubb’s Original Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce (Buy from Walmart, $3.48), with 4 grams of sugar and no high fructose corn syrup. Or swap for naturally low sugar or sugar-free teriyaki sauce such as G Hughes Sf Original Teriyaki Sauce (Buy from Walmart, $3.62).

Yogurt

One cup of fat-free yogurt can pack a whopping 45 grams of sugar, in an attempt to mask missing fat. A low-sugar option: Dannon 2 Good Yogurt (Buy from Walmart, $1.28) with just 2 grams of sugar (and 2 fat grams) for each 5.3 ounce serving.

Pasta Sauce

Spaghetti sauces contain natural sugars (from tomatoes) as well as added sugar (to offset any acidic flavor). All told, that can add up to 11 grams per 1⁄2 cup. A smart swap: Try taste-testing Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce (Buy from Walmart, $6.24) with just 3 grams of sugar.

This article originally appeared in our print magazine, First For Women.