Where Added Sugar Hides
You can go a whole week without sweets and still take in more sugar than you think. Most of it sits in places nobody would call a dessert.
But · 4 min read · Sep 5, 2026
The sugar that occurs naturally in fruit and milk comes with fibre, vitamins and minerals. Added sugar is put in during processing, bringing energy with it and almost no nutrients. The general recommendation from health organisations is to keep added sugar low, the less the better.
Where sugar likes to hide
- Fizzy drinks, milk tea, energy drinks, bottled fruit juice
- Flavoured yoghurt, sweetened milk, condensed milk
- Breakfast cereal, cereal bars, biscuits, sweet bread
- Ketchup, chilli sauce, salad dressing, barbecue marinade
- Ready-mixed fish sauce dips, braised dishes and the caramelised dishes familiar in a Vietnamese kitchen
- Coffee with milk, ready-mixed smoothies, sweet soups, boxed nut milks
A single can of fizzy drink or one cup of milk tea can contain more sugar than the recommended amount for a whole day. Drinks are the biggest source of sugar for many people, because they go down quickly without making you feel full.
Why it is worth cutting back
Added sugar sends blood sugar up quickly and then lets it fall, bringing tiredness and more cravings with it. Over the long term, it is linked to weight gain, fatty liver, raised triglycerides in the blood and tooth decay.
The reassuring part is that your sense of taste adapts. After a few weeks of less sweetness, a drink you once found just right will taste harsh.
A few gentle ways to cut down
- Order drinks at the lowest sweetness level, then reduce it further over time
- Buy unsweetened yoghurt and add fresh fruit yourself
- Eat whole fruit when you want something sweet
- Look at the ingredients list: the nearer sugar is to the top, the more of it there is
- When cooking at home, add the sugar last and reduce it a little each time
When to see a doctor
Get checked if you are very thirsty, passing a lot of urine especially at night, losing weight for no clear reason, seeing blurred vision or finding that wounds heal slowly. People who are overweight, who have fatty liver or high blood lipids, or who have diabetes in the family should have their blood sugar tested regularly.
This information is for general reference only and does not replace advice from your doctor.
